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Megacities: Our Global Urban Future
by Frauke Kraas Martin Coy Surinder Aggarwal Günter MertinsAs urbanization continues, and even accelerates, scientists estimate that by 2015 the world will have up to 60 'megacities' - urban areas with more than five million inhabitants. With the irresistible economic attractions of urban centers, particularly in developing countries, making the influx of citizens unstoppable, many of humankind's coming social, economic and political dramas will be played out in megacities. This book shows how geographers and Earth scientists are contributing to a better understanding of megacities. The contributors analyze the impact of socio-economic and political activities on environmental change and vice versa, and identify solutions to the worst problems. They propose ways of improving the management of megacities and achieving a greater degree of sustainability in their development. The goals, of wise use of human and natural resources, risk reduction (both social and environmental) and quality of life enhancement, are agreed upon. But, as this text proves, the means of achieving these ends are varied. Hence, chapters cover an array of topics, from health management in Indian megacities, to planning in New York, to transport solutions for the chronically traffic-choked Bangkok. Authors cover the impact of climate change on megacities, as well as less tangible issues such as socio-political fragmentation in the urban areas of Rio de Janeiro. This exploration of some of the most crucial issues that we face as a species sets out research that is of the utmost importance, with the potential to contribute substantially to global justice and peace - and thereby prosperity.
Megadisasters: The Science of Predicting the Next Catastrophe
by Florin DiacuThe history and science behind efforts to predict major disasters, from tsunamis to stock market crashesCan we predict cataclysmic disasters such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or stock market crashes? The Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 claimed more than 200,000 lives. Hurricane Katrina killed over 1,800 people and devastated the city of New Orleans. The recent global financial crisis has cost corporations and ordinary people around the world billions of dollars. Megadisasters is a book that asks why catastrophes such as these catch us by surprise, and reveals the history and groundbreaking science behind efforts to forecast major disasters and minimize their destruction.Each chapter of this exciting and eye-opening book explores a particular type of cataclysmic event and the research surrounding it, including earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, rapid climate change, collisions with asteroids or comets, pandemics, and financial crashes. Florin Diacu tells the harrowing true stories of people impacted by these terrible events, and of the scientists racing against time to predict when the next big disaster will strike. He describes the mathematical models that are so critical to understanding the laws of nature and foretelling potentially lethal phenomena, the history of modeling and its prospects for success in the future, and the enormous challenges to scientific prediction posed by the chaos phenomenon, which is the high instability that underlies many processes around us.Yielding new insights into the perils that can touch every one of us, Megadisasters shows how the science of predicting disasters holds the promise of a safer and brighter tomorrow.
Megafire: The Race to Extinguish a Deadly Epidemic of Flame
by Michael KodasThis bestselling author of High Crimes explores what causes forest fires and captures their danger and the heroism of those who fight them.In Megafire, a world-renowned journalist and forest fire expert travels to dangerous and remote wildernesses, as well as to the backyards of people faced with these catastrophes, to look at the heart of this phenomenon and witness firsthand the heroic efforts of the firefighters and scientists racing against time to stop it—or at least to tame these deadly flames. From Colorado to California, China to Canada, head to the frontlines on the ground and in the air, as well as in the laboratories, universities, and federal agencies where this battle rages on. Through this prism of perspectives, Kodas zeroes in on some of the most terrifying environmental disasters in recent years—the Yarnell Hill Fire in Arizona that took the lives of nineteen elite &“hotshot&” firefighters, the Waldo Canyon Fire that overwhelmed the city of Colorado Springs—and more in a page-turning narrative that puts a face on the brave people at the heart of this issue. Megafiredescribes the profound global impact of these fires and will change the way we think about the environment and the precariousness of our world. &“I don't know any writer better equipped to explain what's gone wrong than Michael Kodas, who shines a light both on the astonishing bravery of the hotshots on the front lines and on the waste and ineptitude of the politicians and bureaucrats who too often fail them, sometimes with fatal consequences.&”—Dan Fagin, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Toms River: A Story of Science and Salvation
Megaflooding on Earth and Mars
by Devon M. Burr Paul A. Carling Victor R. BakerMegaflooding is the sudden discharge of exceptional volumes of water. Megafloods have significantly altered the terrain of Earth and Mars, and may have acted as triggers for climate change on these planets. Recently, research into megaflooding has made important advances: on Earth, real-time measurements of contemporary floods in Iceland complement research into older and larger terrestrial floods, while on Mars terabytes of data from several spacecraft orbiting that planet are dramatically revising our view of flooding there. Beginning with a historical overview of flood science, the book presents sections on morphology and mechanisms, flood sedimentology, and modeling, each illustrated with examples from Earth and Mars. By juxtaposing terrestrial and Martian research, this volume creates a unique synthesis to further our understanding of these enormous paleoflood events. It is an invaluable reference for researchers and students of hydrology, geomorphology, sedimentology and planetary science, as well as environmental and hydraulic engineers.
Megatrends in Agriculture, Food Industry and Food Markets: An Empirical and Holistic Approach (Palgrave Advances in Bioeconomy: Economics and Policies)
by Henning Otte HansenThis book offers a research-based, holistic overview of the entire value chain of the global food industry. It captures and defines over 80 contemporary ‘megatrends’ in agriculture and the food market that can be empirically documented and have a major impact on business, economies, industries, societies, and individuals. Today the world is characterized by more uncertainty and unpredictability than in previous periods. In the midst of these changing times, the book demonstrates how a number of more stable trends still exist within global agriculture, which can be important indicators in both the short and long term. The book highlights how developments in agriculture, the food industry and food markets have a central position in policy debates around climate change, sustainability, food crises, hunger, and food supply, and shows how by identifying various megatrends and their underlying economic drivers, as well as potential disruptive forces, we can reduce both risk and vulnerability in the future. Megatrends within consumption, food loss, food crises, international trade, retail industry and ownership of farms are discussed and their relevance illuminated for a wide range of stakeholders, including policy-makers and agri-businesses, as well as farmers and consumers. This book will be a useful resource for researchers in agricultural and environmental economics, as well as policy-makers and professionals in agri-food organisations and public food institutions. This is an open access book.
Meiobenthos in the Sub-equatorial Pacific Abyss
by Teresa RadziejewskaAgainst the backdrop of the environmental setting of the subequatorial NE Pacific abyssal plain, the book will characterise the meiobenthos as an ecological category in the deep sea and introduce research lines meiobenthic studies are applied to, including environmental assessments of human-induced disturbance of the deep seafloor. It will proceed to present an overview of the current knowledge on the meiobenthos of the area of concern and will discuss general considerations regarding the use of meiobenthos as indicator of seafloor disturbance. It will address the question of deep-sea mineral resources development versus benthic communities and will present an overview of field studies ("experiments") aimed at assessing the magnitude of potential impact associated with seafloor resources development (polymetallic nodule mining in particular) in the Pacific.
Mellin-Barnes Integrals: A Primer on Particle Physics Applications (Lecture Notes in Physics #1008)
by Ievgen Dubovyk Janusz Gluza Gábor SomogyiIn this book, the authors discuss the Mellin-Barnes representation of complex multidimensional integrals. Experiments frontiered by the High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider at CERN and future collider projects demand the development of computational methods to achieve the theoretical precision required by experimental setups. In this regard, performing higher-order calculations in perturbative quantum field theory is of paramount importance. The Mellin-Barnes integrals technique has been successfully applied to the analytic and numerical analysis of integrals connected with virtual and real higher-order perturbative corrections to particle scattering. Easy-to-follow examples with the supplemental online material introduce the reader to the construction and the analytic, approximate, and numeric solution of Mellin-Barnes integrals in Euclidean and Minkowskian kinematic regimes. It also includes an overview of the state-of-the-art software packages for manipulating and evaluating Mellin-Barnes integrals. The book is meant for advanced students and young researchers to master the theoretical background needed to perform perturbative quantum field theory calculations.
Meltdown in Tibet: China's Reckless Destruction of Ecosystems from the Highlands of Tibet to the Deltas of Asia
by Michael BuckleyTibetans have experienced waves of genocide since the 1950s. Now they are facing ecocide. The Himalayan snowcaps are in meltdown mode, due to climate change—accelerated by a rain of black soot from massive burning of coal and other fuels in both China and India. The mighty rivers of Tibet are being dammed by Chinese engineering consortiums to feed the mainland's thirst for power, and the land is being relentlessly mined in search of minerals to feed China's industrial complex. On the drawing board are plans for a massive engineering project to divert water from Eastern Tibet to water-starved Northern China. Ruthless Chinese repression leaves Tibetans powerless to stop the reckless destruction of their sacred land, but they are not the only victims of this campaign: the nations downstream from Tibet rely heavily on rivers sourced in Tibet for water supply, and for rich silt used in agriculture. This destruction of the region's environment has been happening with little scrutiny until now. In Meltdown in Tibet, Michael Buckley turns the spotlight on the darkest side of China's emergence as a global super power.
Meltdown!: The Nuclear Disaster in Japan and Our Energy Future (Single Titles Ser.)
by Fred BortzJapan. March 11, 2011. 2:46 P.M. The biggest earthquake in Japan's history—and one of the world's five most powerful since 1900—devastated the Tohoku region, 320 kilometers (200 miles) northeast of Tokyo. It triggered a huge tsunami that left crippling damage in its wake. More than 13,000 people drowned, and thousands of buildings and homes were reduced to rubble. As people assessed the damage, they made the most frightening discovery of all: the Fukushima #1 nuclear power plant was seriously damaged and three of its six reactors were heading for meltdowns. Workers tried desperately—but unsuccessfully—to save them. Explosions and fires released radioactivity into the air. Within days the Japanese government declared a 20-kilometer (12-mile) evacuation zone. The future of the plant, the long-term health of those exposed to radiation, and the effects on the environment remained uncertain. Learn more about this massive catastrophe as Dr. Fred Bortz examines both the human tragedy and the scientific implications of the nuclear meltdown. Compare this disaster to similar nuclear events in the United States and in Ukraine, and move ahead with Dr. Bortz as he explores the global debate about the future of nuclear power and alternative sources of energy.
Meltdown: Discover Earth's Irreplaceable Glaciers and Learn What You Can Do to Save Them
by Anita SanchezMeltdown: Discover Earth's Irreplaceable Glaciers and Learn What You Can Do to Save Them introduces kids to the &“what,&” the &“how,&” and the &“why&” of glaciers and climate change, exploring what will happen to our planet—and us—if the glaciers keep disappearing. Meltdown is a much-needed alarm bell, but it is also proactive, offering actionable steps for kids and their families to reduce their carbon footprints and save the environment.
Meltdown: Earthquake, Tsunami, and Nuclear Disaster in Fukushima
by Deirdre LangelandDeirdre Langeland's Meltdown explores for middle grade readers the harrowing story of the deadly earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear meltdown that caused the 2011 Fukushima power plant disasterOn March 11, 2011, the largest earthquake ever measured in Japan occurred off the northeast coast. It triggered a tsunami with a wall of water 128 feet high. The tsunami damaged the nuclear power plant in Fukushima triggering the nightmare scenario--a nuclear meltdown.For six days, employees at the plant worked to contain the meltdown and disaster workers scoured the surrounding flooded area for survivors.This book examines the science behind such a massive disaster and looks back at the people who experienced an unprecedented trifecta of destruction.
Melted Away: A Memoir of Climate Change and Caregiving in Peru
by Barbara Drake-VeraA prolific poet as a child, Barbara Drake-Vera loved writing almost as much as she adored her father, a moody postal employee with an elaborate comb-over and a fondness for Mahler. But when her successes sparked his rage, Barbara silenced her voice for years, terrified even to see her name in print. By age forty-nine, she was a professional journalist living in Peru and collaborating with her husband, a Peruvian-born photographer, to report on melting glaciers in the Andes, far from the reach of her father. Melted Away recounts what happens after her father is diagnosed with advancing Alzheimer’s and Barbara takes him into her home in Lima, beginning a process of self-discovery that uncovers a path toward personal and family healing. A diverse group of allies support her on this quest: a trio of caregiving women from the provinces, who serve as home-health aides; a mischievous, Cervantes-quoting, nonagenarian suitor; and a stubborn alpaca herder who lives beneath a long-worshipped, life-sustaining Andean glacier now melting from rapid climate change.Candid, poignant, and deeply researched, Melted Away is the true story of how a writer at midlife reclaims her agency, and an ardent plea to care for the planet by embracing collectivism and mutual aid.
Melting Away
by Camille SeamanFor ten years Camille Seaman has documented the rapidly changing landscapes of Earth's polar regions. As an expedition photographer aboard small ships in the Arctic and Antarctic, she has chronicled the accelerating effects of global warming on the jagged face of nearly fifty thousand icebergs. Seaman's unique perspective of the landscape is entwined with her Native American upbringing: she sees no two icebergs as alike; each responds to its environment uniquely, almost as if they were living beings. Through Seaman's lens, each towering chunk of ice--breathtakingly beautiful in layers of smoky gray and turquoise blue--takes on a distinct personality, giving her work the feel of majestic portraiture. Melting Away collects seventy-five of Seaman's most captivating photographs, lifeaffirming images that reveal not only what we have already lost, but more importantly what we still have that is worth fighting to save.
Membrane Biophysics
by Jack A. Tuszynski Mohammad AshrafuzzamanPhysics, mathematics and chemistry all play a vital role in understanding the true nature and functioning of biological membranes, key elements of living processes. Besides simple spectroscopic observations and electrical measurements of membranes we address in this book the phenomena of coexistence and independent existence of different membrane components using various theoretical approaches. This treatment will be helpful for readers who want to understand biological processes by applying both simple observations and fundamental scientific analysis. It provides a deep understanding of the causes and effects of processes inside membranes, and will thus eventually open new doors for high-level pharmaceutical approaches towards fighting membrane- and cell-related diseases.
Membrane Technologies for Water Treatment: Removal of Toxic Trace Elements with Emphasis on Arsenic, Fluoride and Uranium (Sustainable Water Developments - Resources, Management, Treatment, Efficiency and Reuse #1)
by Jan Hoinkis Alberto Figoli Jochen BundschuhFocuses on the application of membrane technologies in removing toxic metals\metalloids from water. Particular attention is devoted to the removal of arsenic, uranium, and fluoride. These compounds are all existing in the earth’s crust at levels between two and five thousands micrograms per kg (parts per million) on average and these compounds can be considered highly toxic to humans, who are exposed to them primarily from air, food and water. In order to comply with the new maximum contaminant level, numerous studies have been undertaken to improve established treatments or to develop novel treatment technologies for removing toxic metals from contaminated surface and groundwater. Among the technologies available, applicable for water treatment, membrane technology has been identified as a promising technology to remove such toxic metals from water. The book describes both pressure driven (traditional processes, such as Nanofiltration, Reverse Osmosis, Ultrafiltration,etc) and more advanced membrane processes (such as forward osmosis, membrane distillation, and membrane bio-reactors) employed in the application of interest. Key aspect of this book is to provide information on both the basics of membrane technologies and on the results depending on the type of technology employed.
Membranes for Water Treatment and Remediation (Materials Horizons: From Nature to Nanomaterials)
by Swati Sharma Ashok Kumar Nadda Priya Banerjee Phuong Nguyen-TriThis book provides comprehensive description of polymeric membranes in water treatment and remediation. It describes both the sustainability challenges and new opportunities to use membranes for water decontamination. It also discusses the environmental-related issues, challenges and advantages of using membrane-based systems and provides comprehensive description of various polymeric membranes, nanomaterials, biomolecules and their integrated systems for wastewater treatment. Various topics covered in this book are direct pressure-driven and osmotic-driven membrane processes, hybrid membrane processes (such as membrane bioreactors and integrating membrane separation with other processes), and resource recovery-oriented membrane-based processes. The book will be useful for students, researchers and professionals working in the area of materials science and environmental chemistry.
Memoirs of an Environmental Science Professor: A Memoir (Applied Ecology and Environmental Management)
by William MitschThis book shows, through real and current examples from the field of environmental and wetland science, that personal and professional success depends on persistence and a refusal to compromise on "doing the right thing" which for Professor Mitsch meant saving some of the world’s most important ecosystems, as well as educating future researchers and the general public along the way. Case studies described in this book illustrate that persistence pays off especially when the cause is motivated by something as important as improving our natural environment. They explain clearly that success is not easy, disasters and failures are part of the process, but having goals result in meaningful steps toward it. Features Emphasizes how it is possible to develop long-term goals and persistence for success both in the academic and environmental world. Offers examples set in universities across America and highlights important national wetlands such as the Florida Everglades, the Kankakee River Marshlands in the Great Lakes region, and Ohio’s Olentangy River Wetland Park, a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance. Speaks to scientists from across the country and the world. Discusses chronologically the developments and the achievements of environmental /wetland fields on a global scale. Explains how his personal achievements contributed to the growth of wetland and environmental sciences. Students and professionals in the physical and biological sciences, including chemistry, environmental science, ecological fields, and environmental policy, and especially environmental consultants such as scientists, managers, and engineers, will feel a sense of camaraderie with Professor Mitsch. His longstanding career and devotion to environmental and wetland sciences are an inspiration to all who currently work in the field, aspire to, or simply harbor a sense of appreciation about the natural world and want to learn more about steps that can be taken to manage and protect our planet and the environment.
Memories of Mount St. Helens
by Jim Erickson&“Takes a local and regional perspective in looking back on the mountain&’s history, the frenzied days surrounding the eruption, and its aftermath.&” —The Oregonian In the spring of 1980, Mount St. Helens awoke from a century-long slumber with a series of dramatic changes. Most threatening was a bulge on the side of the snowy peak, pushing steadily outward. Near Spirit Lake, local resident Harry Truman refused to leave his lodge, even as scientists like David Johnston warned about potential destruction. On May 18, the mountain finally blew, enveloping whole communities in ash and smoke. Mudflows destroyed bridges, houses and highways, and fifty-seven people, including Truman and Johnston, lost their lives. Today, the mountain is quiet. Plants and animals have returned and hiking trails have been rebuilt, but the scars remain. Join author and journalist Jim Erickson as he recounts the unforgettable saga of the Mount St. Helens eruption.</
Memory Functions, Projection Operators, and the Defect Technique: Some Tools of the Trade for the Condensed Matter Physicist (Lecture Notes in Physics #982)
by V. M. KenkreThis book provides a graduate-level introduction to three powerful and closely related techniques in condensed matter physics: memory functions, projection operators, and the defect technique. Memory functions appear in the formalism of the generalized master equations that express the time evolution of probabilities via equations non-local in time, projection operators allow the extraction of parts of quantities, such as the diagonal parts of density matrices in statistical mechanics, and the defect technique allows solution of transport equations in which the translational invariance is broken in small regions, such as when crystals are doped with impurities. These three methods combined form an immensely useful toolkit for investigations in such disparate areas of physics as excitation in molecular crystals, sensitized luminescence, charge transport, non-equilibrium statistical physics, vibrational relaxation, granular materials, NMR, and even theoretical ecology. This book explains the three techniques and their interrelated nature, along with plenty of illustrative examples. Graduate students beginning to embark on a research project in condensed matter physics will find this book to be a most fruitful source of theoretical training.
Memory, Place and Identity: Commemoration and remembrance of war and conflict (Routledge Research in Culture, Space and Identity)
by Emma Waterton Danielle Drozdzewski Sarah De NardiThis book bridges theoretical gaps that exist between the meta-concepts of memory, place and identity by positioning its lens on the emplaced practices of commemoration and the remembrance of war and conflict. This book examines how diverse publics relate to their wartime histories through engagements with everyday collective memories, in differing places. Specifically addressing questions of place-making, displacement and identity, contributions shed new light on the processes of commemoration of war in everyday urban façades and within generations of families and national communities. Contributions seek to clarify how we connect with memories and places of war and conflict. The spatial and narrative manifestations of attempts to contextualise wartime memories of loss, trauma, conflict, victory and suffering are refracted through the roles played by emotion and identity construction in the shaping of post-war remembrances. This book offers a multidisciplinary perspective, with insights from history, memory studies, social psychology, cultural and urban geography, to contextualise memories of war and their ‘use’ by national governments, perpetrators, victims and in family histories.
Men, Masculinities and Disaster (Routledge Studies in Hazards, Disaster Risk and Climate Change)
by Bob Pease Elaine EnarsonIn the examination of gender as a driving force in disasters, too little attention has been paid to how women’s or men’s disaster experiences relate to the wider context of gender inequality, or how gender-just practice can help prevent disasters or address climate change at a structural level. With a foreword from Kenneth Hewitt, an afterword from Raewyn Connell and contributions from renowned international experts, this book helps address the gap. It explores disasters in diverse environmental, hazard, political and cultural contexts through original research and theoretical reflection, building on the under-utilized orientation of critical men’s studies. This body of thought, not previously applied in disaster contexts, explores how men gain, maintain and use power to assert control over women. Contributing authors examine the gender terrain of disasters 'through men's eyes,' considering how diverse forms of masculinities shape men’s efforts to respond to and recover from disasters and other climate challenges. The book highlights both the high costs paid by many men in disasters and the consequences of dominant masculinity practices for women and marginalized men. It concludes by examining how disaster risk can be reduced through men's diverse efforts to challenge hierarchies around gender, sexuality, disability, age and culture.
Mental Maps
by Peter Gould Rodney WhitePublished in the year 2004, Mental Maps is a valuable contribution to the field of Geography.
Mentoring and Sponsoring: Keys to Success
by Maria Angela Capello Eve SpruntThis book is a compilation of very personal approaches to mentoring and sponsoring, breaking the stereotypes of seniority, age or experience. The authors have provided a platform to understand that mentoring and especially sponsoring are in fact a win-win relation, in which both sides, mentors and mentees; and sponsors and sponsored individuals learn from each other, enhancing their career paths. How they managed to create a growth space for themselves and their teams through mentoring and sponsoring, is a story of professional leadership. They shared a privileged outlook to understand the root causes of barriers, as well as to envision plausible solutions for difficult career crossroads, in which mentorship or sponsoring was key to steer step changes.The authors propose not only their vision, but a remarkable collection of unfiltered interviews with young and renown professionals in many sectors, from photography to music, research, sports, energy, and more, completing a vision of what is key for both sides of the equation pertinent to mentoring and sponsoring: the givers and the receivers. They explain what is needed to gain the most out of the mentoring and sponsoring loops, with their own career stories.Success is supported by many factors, in which the most important are the technical competency and performance aligned with resilience. However, in the long path of a career, mentors and particularly sponsors play a foundational and frequently a changing-life role, improving our perspective or triggering reflections and actions that benefitted our journeys at work and in life.This book provides insights on what works for an effective mentoring and sponsoring process. It is useful for all professionals, especially those starting their career journeys.
Merapi Volcano: Geology, Eruptive Activity, and Monitoring of a High-Risk Volcano (Active Volcanoes of the World)
by Valentin R. Troll Ralf Gertisser Thomas R. Walter I Gusti Made Agung Nandaka Antonius RatdomopurboThis book provides the first comprehensive compilation of cutting-edge research on Merapi volcano on the island of Java, Indonesia, one of the most iconic volcanoes in the world. It integrates results from both the natural (geology, petrology, geochemistry, geophysics, physical volcanology) and social sciences, and provides state-of-the-art information on volcano monitoring, the assessment of volcanic hazards, and risk mitigation measures.As one of Indonesia’s most active and dangerous volcanoes, Merapi is perhaps best known for its pyroclastic density currents, which are produced by gravitational or explosive lava dome failures (commonly referred to as Merapi-type nuées ardentes). Merapi’s eruptions have posed a persistent threat to life, property and infrastructure within the densely populated areas on the volcano’s flanks, as demonstrated most recently by catastrophic eruptions, which attracted worldwide media interest.
Mercury Pollution in Minamata (SpringerBriefs in Environmental Science)
by Hisashi YokoyamaThis book is open access under a CC BY 4.0 license. It overviews the poisoning which occurred in the 1950s and 1960s among the residents in Minamata who ate seafood contaminated with methylmercury discharged from the chemical factory, Chisso Corporation. It describes the history, symptoms pathogenesis and research on the causal agent, and discusses the responses of Chisso and the national and local governments to the outbreak, the victims, the compensation and environmental restructuring as well as the court ruling on claims. Based on lecture notes from a university course, it includes students’ suggestions for avoiding a repeat of the tragedy. The issue has not been settled yet, and this analysis of the incident provides useful insights into solutions to the current global mercury pollution problem.