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Wilderness and the American Spirit
by Ruby McConnellTHE IDEA OF THE AMERICAN SPIRIT has always been rooted inexpansion and abundance— at great cost to the environment. Withthe world burning up, one can' t help but wonder: how did we gethere? Wilderness and the American Spirit traces hundreds ofyears of The United States' relationship to the environment starting fromthe initial colonization of Native American land, to the developmentof land use policies, and the creation of resource based economies.Using a lesser known alternative to the Oregon Trail— Ruby McConnelluses the Applegate Trail as a vehicle to weave exposition, history, andscience to show us how we got to where we are now and what wecan do about it.
The Future of Exploration: Discovering the Uncharted Frontiers of Science, Technology, and Human Potential
by Chris Rainier Terry GarciaAt this very moment, explorers in some of the most remote and dangerous places on earth, from the deepest parts of the ocean, to the highest mountains, and to outer space are enduring unimaginable hardships to expand our knowledge and save what is truly important.Join former National Geographic Executive Vice President and Chief Science Officer Terry Garcia and nature and cultural photographer Chris Rainier, a National Geographic Explorer, on a journey with some of the world&’s most renowned and respected explorers, scientists, astronauts, visionaries, thinkers, and authors as they discuss and share their insights about what motivates them, what is left to explore, and why we should care in The Future of Exploration. Exploration is as old as humankind, but there are still surprises that await us. With technology opening doors that once seemed permanently closed, the twenty-first century will be the greatest age of exploration in our history. Accompanied with awe-inspiring photography, each contributor shares their personal achievements and insight into what the future of exploration looks like from their respective fields, the challenges we face, and possible solutions. Whether delving into the terrestrial, oceanic, or cosmic frontiers, embark on a journey into the uncharted future and be inspired yourself to be a part of the future of exploration.
The Beauties and The Beasts: Creatures At the Bottom of the Ocean
by Betty PfeifferWhen do you know someone best? When you read their biography or when you have a conversation with them? Of course, it&’s when you have a one-on-one visit. Go down in a submersible, the HOV (Human Occupied Vehicle) Alvin, to make the journey to their home. You&’ll meet the weird, the cute, the flashy, and the fierce creatures of the deep.In this book, you won&’t just read a bunch of facts about these remarkable animals—you can learn to know them personally. They&’ll talk to you about themselves, their relatives, and their enemies. As a surprise bonus, you will find out about the many ways your new friends are helping us solve some of our medical problems.Suppose you are interested in learning more about what happens in the ocean. In that case, two people (real people) will tell you what they were like at your age and what motivated them to make the ocean, which covers about 70 percent of the earth&’s surface, their life&’s work.
Birds for Kids: A Junior Scientist's Guide to Owls, Eagles, Penguins, and Other Bird Species (Junior Scientists)
by Melissa MayntzExplore the wild and wonderful world of birds with the Junior Scientists series for kids ages 6 to 9From tiny hummingbirds to powerful eagles and everything in between—our planet is home to so many beautifully feathered friends! This big book of birds is packed with tons of cool facts and colorful photos that offer a fascinating peek into their lives. It's written especially for curious new readers, with engaging trivia and age-appropriate language that lets kids read and explore independently as they learn all about birds!35 birds to meet— Kids will discover a variety of bird species like flamingos, penguins, and barn swallows, and find out what they look like, where they live, what they eat, and more.Fun facts—Keep young readers fascinated with cool facts about how baby birds are born, if birds can get lost when they fly, and which water bird eats baby alligators!Learning in action— You'll even find some activities to try, like helping your child measure their own wingspan, build a nest, and spotting your backyard birds.Get ready for an exciting journey through the lives of our beaked buddies in this ultimate bird book for kids.
All About Nature: Animals, Insects, Plants, and More! (The\all About Picture Book Ser.)
by Huda HarajliDiscover the world outside—an introduction to nature for kids ages 3 to 5Can you feel the sun? Hear the birds singing? See colorful leaves on the trees? That's nature! This picture book of fun facts teaches toddlers all about land, water, air, and critters big and small. Watch them discover their inner explorer as they look for different kinds of rocks, spot stars in the sky, and learn to love the great outdoors.Our amazing planet—Find out why it gets dark at night, meet some interesting insects, and explore how people are a part of nature, too.Illustrations everywhere—Every page is bursting with vibrant artwork of objects in nature and other kids celebrating the world around them.Vocabulary building—Check out a list of nature words and their definitions to help little ones understand all the amazing new things they've learned.Get this amazing nature book for kids today and see what makes exploring nature so much fun!
Real Outdoor Science Experiments (Real Science Experiments)
by Jenny BallifHypothesis: You'll love these real outdoor experiments for kids 8 to 12! Dive into the world's most exciting science project—the great outdoors! Covering everything from plants and trees to rocks and weather, this amazing book has real outdoor science experiments for kids, to immerse you in the wonders of science, technology, engineering, art, and math. Discover STEAM outdoors—Learn how the scientific method can help you unlock the secrets of the natural world. Make nature your laboratory—Conduct 30 cool experiments like creating grass ropes, making ink from plants, calculating latitude by the stars, and more. Find answers to your questions—How do sinkholes form? Are leaves in the shade bigger or smaller than leaves in the sun? Get explanations for the science behind each experiment, plus ideas for taking your experiments even further. Get ready to explore the science happening all around you with Real Outdoor Science Experiments.
America Latina. Entre Trump y China: El cambio esperado
by Luis Alberto LacalleLa segunda entrega de la saga de Gabriel Keller, un asesino serial montevideano y gris. Otra magnífica novela negra de Hugo Burel. El Uruguay, junto con sus vecinos latinoamericanos, está siendo testigo de una particular e interesante coyuntura histórica: mientras asiste al derrumbamiento de los gobiernos populistas de izquierda, los vecinos del norte eligen un presidente polémico y altisonante, que propone estrategias de repliegue y foco en la producción interna.En este especial contexto, las fuerzas dormidas de China avanzan para expandir su influencia en América Latina, eligiendo al Uruguay como estratégica puerta de entrada. ¿Qué implicancias tendrá para nuestra región este avance? ¿Representa una oportunidad o una amenaza? ¿Qué actitud debería asumir el gobierno y la diplomacia al respecto? El Dr. Luis Alberto Lacalle, apelando a su amplia experiencia como gobernante y líder político, y haciendo gala de un agudo sentido analítico, reflexiona sobre las motivaciones de estos movimientos y aventura propuestas para el mejor futuro del país y la región.
As Últimas Colheitas: Como a Agricultura Intensiva É uma Ameaça Tão Grande Quanto as Alterações Climáticas
by Philip LymberyUma visão provocadora do futuro, que nos desafia a pensar melhor acerca do que compramos e comemos, e do impacto das nossas escolhas nas alterações climáticas. Partindo de um alerta perturbador das Nações Unidas de que os solos do mundo se podem esgotar no período de uma vida, Philip Lymbery, uma das pessoas mais influentes na indústria alimentar, percorre os bastidores do grande agronegócio em vários pontos do mundo, revelando como a pressão sobre os solos constitui uma ameaça séria à nossa sobrevivência. Nas suas pesquisas, porém, o autor também encontra esperança nas práticas de pioneiros que estão a repensar os métodos agrícolas, a redescobrir técnicas tradicionais e a desenvolver tecnologias para alimentar uma população global em constante expansão. Influente e persuasivo, este livro alerta para a realidade do sistema alimentar global, demonstrando como podemos regenerar os solos do mundo, acabar com a crueldade animal, salvar a vida selvagem, estabilizar o clima e salvaguardar o planeta para as gerações futuras. Os elogios da crítica: «Philip Lymbery expõe este assunto essencial sob a perspetiva de um ativista experiente — conhecedor o suficiente para ficar chocado, mas suficientemente moderado para nos persuadir a assumir a responsabilidade pelo sistema que nos alimenta.» — The Guardian«Neste livro extremamente bem escrito, cuja leitura aconselho vivamente, Philip Lymbery descreve como a agricultura intensiva prejudica o meio ambiente e inflige sofrimento aos animais sencientes, propondo alternativas sustentáveis para resolver o problema. Há de facto esperança para o nosso planeta, e cada um de nós pode desempenhar um papel.» — Jane Goodall, primatologista fundadora do Instituto Jane Goodall e mensageira da paz das Nações Unidas«Um livro extremamente importante que deve ser lido por todos os que desejam que a humanidade sobreviva para além do período de uma vida. As soluções propostas devem ser implementadas como se o nosso futuro dependesse disso — e de facto depende.» — Andrew Knight, Professor de Ética e Bem-Estar Animal da Universidade de Winchester «Um relato persuasivo e contundente sobre como a agricultura industrial está a impulsionar as emergências climáticas e a pôr em risco a biopersidade, ao mesmo tempo que prejudica a nossa saúde. Este livro é um apelo à ação.» — Isabella Tree, autora e jornalista premiada
A Maldição da Noz-Moscada: Parábolas para um Planeta em Crise
by AMITAV GHOSHUm livro polémico, uma crítica à cosmovisão do Ocidente por um dos mais conceituados romancistas da atualidade. Decorria o ano de 1621. A simples queda de um objeto, uma candeia, é o pretexto para o comandante das tropas holandesas aquarteladas numa das ilhas Banda, no território das Molucas, dar início ao massacre de toda a população local. Poucos habitantes sobreviveriam, e a sua língua e cultura perder-se-iam para sempre. A eliminação do povo Banda é um dos grandes genocídios esquecidos pela História. O motivo: o controlo por parte da Venerável Companhia das Índias Orientais do rentável comércio milenar da noz-moscada, uma especiaria muito apreciada na Europa pelos seus usos culinários e medicinais, de preço exorbitante, e cuja inteira produção mundial estava circunscrita até então a esse pequeno arquipélago do Índico. Em pleno século XXI, Amitav Ghosh, com mão de romancista, traz à luz este episódio negro, que serve de ponto de partida para relacionar o passado com o presente, o colonialismo com a atual crise climática, e explicar o mundo em que vivemos: da crise dos refugiados ao movimento Black Lives Matter, às cidades modernas ou mesmo às naturezas-mortas do período áureo da pintura holandesa. «Não deixem de ler este livro.» Naomi Klein «Urgente, maravilhoso e ambicioso… um livro de leitura obrigatória.» Times Literary Supplement «Ghosh recorre à literatura de viagens, à narrativa pessoal, à análise histórica e àsíntese de um vasto conhecimento académico para contar a história do nosso império ocidental e do extermínio do nosso mundo.» Los Angeles Review of Books «A Maldição da Noz-Moscada é, ao mesmo tempo, uma biografia não autorizada desta especiaria e um apelo a novas políticas que respeitem a ação ou “vitalidade” dos seres não humanos que nos rodeiam.»The White Review «Esclarecedor... Ghosh faz-nos pensar nas estruturas globais de poder que envolvem a subjugação física de povos e de territórios e, sobretudo, na ideia de conquista como um processo de extração.» The New Yorker«Um feito notável e um título atual, A Maldição da Noz-Moscada recorda-nos a razão pela qual a terra está a chorar.» Booklist «Ghosh escreveu uma obra que atinge o nosso cérebro e o nosso coração com uma clareza moral e analítica inesquecível.» Bloomberg
Génesis: The Story Of How Everything Began
by Guido TonelliTudo nasce de uma simples e inevitável pergunta: «De onde vem tudo isto?» Um ensaio admirável sobre o início de tudo que devolve à Humanidade a verdadeira história das suas origens. No princípio, era o caos. Talvez os gregos tivessem razão, já que muitas observações da física moderna parecem confirmá-lo. Mas o que aconteceu realmente nos primeiros instantes da vida do universo? Do caos descrito por Hesíodo ao bosão de Higgs, Guido Tonelli, renomado físico do CERN e professor na universidade de Pisa, emula a estrutura narrativa bíblica da criação do mundo em sete dias para relatar, em sete capítulos e assinalável fascínio, a estranha singularidade que permitiu a formação do universo e a sopa primordial de onde surgiu a Vida. Com inesperada simplicidade e incontestável poesia, Tonelli segue o fio condutor da consciência para responder à sempiterna pergunta: De onde vem tudo isto? A narração de como tudo começou, da formação das partículas, da matéria, das estrelas, dos humanos e do seu pensamento simbólico, de tudo quanto existe, portanto, é acompanhada pela recuperação dos mitos ancestrais criados e transmitidos de geração em geração em torno da origem do universo, bem como do relato de histórias fascinantes de cientistas que dedicaram a vida à investigação do enigma da origem, de Galileu a Stephen Hawking, com os seus momentos Eureka! e as histórias anedócticas que entraram para a história da ciência e do mundo. «Nós, os cientistas, somos como os homens na caverna de Platão: tentamos libertar-nos dos grilhões - conclusões erradas -, tentamos dar um nome às sombras, tentamos sair da caverna para ver a luz.» Guido Tonelli
A Sexta Extinção
by Elizabeth KolbertLeitura recomendada por Yuval Noah Harari, Al Gore, Bill Gates e Barack Obama, A Sexta Extinção é considerado um dos livros de divulgação científica mais importantes dos últimos anos, tendo sido finalista do National Book Critics Award e vencedor do Prémio Pulitzer para obras de não-ficção. Nos últimos 500 milhões de anos, a Terra passou por cinco extinções em massa, nas quais a diversidade da vida no planeta se reduziu drástica e subitamente. Atualmente, e pela primeira vez na História, decorre um processo de extinção em massa provocado por uma única espécie: o Homem. Nos últimos dois séculos, provocámos danos irreparáveis no clima e ecossistema global; como consequência direta, mais de um quarto de todos os mamíferos da Terra está hoje em vias de extinção, tal como acontece com 40% dos anfíbios, um terço dos corais e dos tubarões, um quinto dos répteis e um sexto das aves. Considerado um dos livros de divulgação científica mais relevantes dos últimos anos, A Sexta Extinção é leitura recomendada por personalidades como YuvalNoah Harari, Al Gore, Bill Gates ou Barack Obama. Neste seu valioso trabalho, Elizabeth Kolbert combina os resultados de uma extensa investigação no terreno com a história das ideias e o trabalho de geólogos, botânicos e biólogos marinhos, produzindo um documento inédito e, mais do que isso, um apelo urgente para que, repensando o nosso papel no planeta, não deixemos como derradeiro legado uma sexta extinção. «Um livro maravilhoso e um aviso muito claro de que mudanças repentinas são possíveis de ocorrer. Já aconteceram no passado e podem vir a repetir-se.» Barack Obama «Um livro que altera de forma radical o nosso modo de ver o mundo.» The Seattle Times «As longas viagens que Elizabeth Kolbert realizou durante a pesquisa para este livro e o tratamento detalhado tanto dos factos históricos como dos científicos, fazem de A Sexta Extinção um contributo muito valioso para a compreensão das nossas circunstâncias atuais.» Al Gore, The New York Times Book Review «Kolbert mostra nestas páginas que é capaz de escrever poeticamente sobre os animais em vias de extinção, mas o verdadeiro poder deste livro reside nos factos científicos e no contexto histórico apresentados pela autora, ao documentar as perdas crescentes que o Homem está a provocar.» The New York Times
As Oito Grandes Lições da Natureza: O Que a Natureza Nos Ensina Sobre Viver Bem no Mundo
by Gary FergusonO que a natureza nos ensina sobre viver bem no mundo Um manifesto poderoso sobre a interdependência de tudo o que existe na natureza e sobre como poderemos viver uma vida mais gratificantes e nos reconectarmos com o mundo natural. Durante demasiado tempo, vivemos separados da natureza, vendo-nos como superiores, distantes, independentes. Porém, ao fazê-lo, perdemos de vista tudo o que o mundo natural nos pode ensinar. Neste livro, Gary Ferguson revela-nos as surpreendentes complexidades que podemos encontrar na natureza, bem como a sabedoria que advém do mundo natural, da sua diversidade, dos seus mistérios e da sua capacidade de resiliência perante a mudança. Baseando-se em áreas que vão desde a ciência e a psicologia à filosofia e à história, Gary Ferguson desvenda a deslumbrante teia de conexões que temos com a natureza, enfatizando a necessidade de voltarmos a estabelecer uma ligação com o mundo natural para potenciarmos o nosso bem-estar físico, mental e espiritual e redescobrirmos a nossa humanidade. Porque, afinal, nós somos natureza. «Um livro que nos faz refletir e nos ensina a viver em harmonia e equilíbrio com o mundo em nosso redor.» Kirkus Reviews
Pacific Crossing
by Elizabeth SinnDuring the nineteenth century tens of thousands of Chinese men and women crossed the Pacific to work, trade, and settle in California. Drawn initially by the gold rush, they took with them skills and goods and a view of the world which, though still Chinese, was transformed by their long journeys back and forth. They in turn transformed Hong Kong, their main point of embarkation, from a struggling infant colony into a prosperous international port and the cultural center of a far-ranging Chinese diaspora. Making use of extensive research in archives around the world, Pacific Crossing charts the rise of Chinese Gold Mountain firms engaged in all kinds of transpacific trade, especially the lucrative export of prepared opium and other luxury goods. Challenging the traditional view that the migration was primarily a "coolie trade," Elizabeth Sinn uncovers leadership and agency among the many Chinese who made the crossing. In presenting Hong Kong as an "in-between place" of repeated journeys and continuous movement, Sinn also offers a fresh view of the British colony and a new paradigm for migration studies.
Early China Coast Meteorology
by P. Kevin MackeownIn this colourful story of the Hong Kong Observatory, P. Kevin MacKeown takes us through the dev
¡Tierra a la vista!: Hacia una filosofía para la sostenibilidad
by Máximo MazzoccoUna de las voces más relevantes del ambientalismo joven argentino comparte su visión acerca de cómo transformar el mundo que habitamos y revertir la crisis planetaria. El mundo está cambiando (demasiado rápido). Lo sentimos, lo vemos, lo caminamos. "Somos lo último de lo viejo y lo primero de lo nuevo", cuenta el recuerdo del porvenir. "La jugada es ahora, no después", insiste la crisis climática y ecológica. ¿Qué dirán sobre esta época en el futuro? ¿La juzgarán como egoísta, individualista, genocida, ecocida, antropocentrista e incauta? ¿O podremos virar el barco hacia algo más romántico y esperanzador? ¿Será "el siglo donde la humanidad recapituló, puso al alma colectiva en puntas de pie y se despertó a tiempo"? ¿O será lo contrario? Buscamos materializar la ilusión de la sostenibilidad en un planeta que, con o sin nosotros, seguirá girando. Por un lado, no tenemos idea de qué hay detrás de ese horizonte, ya que está precedido por lo misterioso, incierto y desconocido. Por otro, sabemos que debemos ir en esa dirección, hacia el bien común. Si la meta es un mundo pacífico, justo, educado, sin pobreza, sin hambre, con igualdad de oportunidades y de género, lleno de vida submarina y ecosistemas terrestres sanos, solo nos queda armar el molde y colocar los ladrillos necesarios. Del otro lado nos están esperando.
La generación despierta
by Bruno Rodríguez Eyal WeintraubBruno Rodríguez y Eyal Weintraub, cofundadores de la agrupación ambiental Jóvenes por el clima, parte del movimiento Fridays for Future creado por Greta Thunberg, comparten su visión sobre la crisis climática y analizan el rol vital de la juventud en la construcción de un nuevo paradigma que permita imaginar un futuro distinto en el planeta. En el año 2019, los jóvenes Bruno Rodriguez y Eyal Weintraub, recién salidos del colegio secundario, observaron lo que la huelga de Greta Thunberg en Suecia estaba generando a nivel global y entendieron que había que poner manos a la obra. La agrupación que fundaron, Jóvenes por el clima, es hoy una referencia ineludible en el movimiento ambiental argentino. Son audaces, son irreverentes y no se callan nada. Este libro es un análisis fulminante de los factores que condujeron a la situación crítica que hoy amenaza la vida en el planeta. Es también una reflexión política profunda, que pone el foco en las desigualdades y denuncia la inacción de los gobiernos. Y es sobre todo una reivindicación de la utopía y del espíritu transformador que puede guiarnos en la creación de un futuro distinto.
Emprender para cambiar el mundo: El impacto social de la innovación
by Andy Freire Santiago A. SenaAndy Freire con Santiago A. Sena nos presentan a los emprendedores sociales, quienes demuestran que el impacto social y la sostenibilidad económica no son lógicas contrapuestas, sino una alianza innovadora que cambia paradigmas en todo el mundo. Mientras el futuro aparece amenazante (la pérdida masiva de empleo por la automatización, el calentamiento global y las crisis humanitarias), estos emprendedores traen respuestas: generar un impacto social positivo y sustentable desde empresas que proveen bienes y servicios, tienen clientes, generan ganancias, son rentables y, al mismo tiempo, solucionan problemas sociales concretos. Su experiencia deja en claro que hay una nueva forma de encarar la vida laboral. El capitalismo puede ser salvaje, pero los emprendedores sociales se comprometen a domarlo y humanizarlo en beneficio de la sociedad.
Harnessing Urban Innovation to Unlock the Sustainable Development Goals (Urban Sustainability)
by Ali Cheshmehzangi Nicholas You José Siri Eugénie BirchThis book first attempts to explore the nexus between urban innovation and sustainable development goals (SDGs). It puts together global examples of urban innovation initiatives, highlighting practical, policy-oriented, social, and technological interventions. The case studies are divided into four clusters of ‘green cities’, ‘inclusive cities’, ‘resilient cities’, and ‘healthy cities’. In doing so, the book maps various global examples of urban innovation for sustainable pathways and directions. It also highlights means of implementation of tool and technologies, data, financing, and governance. The overarching aim is to provide a holistic overview of urban innovation sustainable development nexus, which would help future policy development, paradigm shifts, and technological applications.By summarising a selection of successful initiatives, interventions, and projects, this book highlights how urban innovation could accelerate achieving SDGs. The lessons learned from each case study cluster are narrated as knowledge transfer platforms for future city development and achieving sustainable development. These lessons will be beneficial to practitioners and governments, as well as researchers and academics who are interested in urban innovation research. City case studies included in the book are based on their success stories as role models for other cities in developed and developing nations. This collection helps us portray a more holistic image of urban innovation aligned with the SDGs and pathways to achieving them.
Environmental and Natural Resources Economics
by Xiangzheng Deng Malin Song Zhihui Li Fan Zhang Yuexian LiuThis book aims to integrate multiple disciplinary such as management, economics, and geography from the perspective of resource science and also to strengthen research on resource management to promote sustainability in natural resources. It established clear definition of natural resources and in-depth exploration of main fields such as water resources, land resources, and agricultural resources. Classic methods of economics are applied to solve the problems of resource consumption, environmental pollution, and climate change in modern society. On the basis of classical economics, the disciplinary system of environmental and natural resources is further developed. It is a helpful reference for readers to further study natural resources and environmental economics.
Environmental Technology Innovation and ESG Investment: In the Asia-Pacific Region
by Sumiko TakaokaThis book focuses on environmental technology and financial markets of the Asia-Pacific region, which includes traditional and emerging innovative countries such as Japan, China, and South Korea. The research and its outcomes presented here are devoted to the nexus between innovation in environment-related technologies, finance, and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues. A promising means of achieving a sustainable society is to accelerate innovation in environmental technologies. Chapters of this book tackle some important issues. Using the data on environmental innovation creation and financial markets, the contributors identify three scopes in which ESG performance forms how investors evaluate corporate performance against climate-related risk in the Asia-Pacific capital markets (e.g., corporate bond and credit default swaps); how lenders allocate their credits according to carbon emissions in Japan; and what determines environmental technology creation and how it affects environmental improvement at a country-level. This book thus provides insights into the nexus between innovation in environment-related technologies, finance, and ESG.
Korteweg–de Vries Flows with General Initial Conditions (Mathematical Physics Studies)
by Shinichi KotaniLarge numbers of studies of the KdV equation have appeared since the pioneering paper by Gardner, Greene, Kruskal, and Miura in 1967. Most of those works have employed the inverse spectral method for 1D Schrödinger operators or an advanced Fourier analysis. Although algebraic approaches have been discovered by Hirota–Sato and Marchenko independently, those have not been fully investigated and analyzed. The present book offers a new approach to the study of the KdV equation, which treats decaying initial data and oscillating data in a unified manner. The author’s method is to represent the tau functions introduced by Hirota–Sato and developed by Segal–Wilson later in terms of the Weyl–Titchmarsh functions (WT functions, in short) for the underlying Schrödinger operators. The main result is stated by a class of WT functions satisfying some of the asymptotic behavior along a curve approaching the spectrum of the Schrödinger operators at +∞ in an order of -(n-1/2)for the nth KdV equation. This class contains many oscillating potentials (initial data) as well as decaying ones. Especially bounded smooth ergodic potentials are included, and under certain conditions on the potentials, the associated Schrödinger operators have dense point spectrum. This provides a mathematical foundation for the study of the soliton turbulence problem initiated by Zakharov, which was the author’s motivation for extending the class of initial data in this book. A large class of almost periodic potentials is also included in these ergodic potentials. P. Deift has conjectured that any solutions to the KdV equation starting from nearly periodic initial data are almost periodic in time. Therefore, our result yields a foundation for this conjecture. For the reader’s benefit, the author has included here (1) a basic knowledge of direct and inverse spectral problem for 1D Schrödinger operators, including the notion of the WT functions; (2)Sato’s Grassmann manifold method revised by Segal–Wilson; and (3) basic results of ergodic Schrödinger operators.
Innovative Public Participation Practices for Sustainable Urban Regeneration (Urban Sustainability)
by Eugenio Mangi Weixuan Chen Tim Heath Ali CheshmehzangiThis book analyzes the adoption of stakeholders’ engagement in various fields and scales while providing the readers with an international outlook of the topic. In the contemporary processes of urban development, regeneration is becoming a relevant way to limit the occupation of new land and to enhance the existing spatial, social, and ecological dimensions of specific parts of the city. It generally entails the engagement of different groups of stakeholders and users at various levels—e.g., institutional and private—who carry on their own agendas while conveying a wide range of interests and values to safeguard. At the same time, despite indications of a significant increase in its implementation under various forms and in multiple contexts in the last twenty years, participatory mechanisms have not been without challenges and barriers due to several factors, including facilitators’ poor negotiation and communication practices, and consequently misinterpretation of the values at stake made by the parties involved, or obstructionism and gridlocks carried on by the different stakeholders. The narrative of the collection is structured in four sections The contributions elaborate on innovative participatory patterns, how they are/might be entangled with the different stages of regeneration projects, in what measure they have contributed to the United Nations sustainability goals, and the potential matters emerging during the negotiation phases. In detail, the four sections are: 1. Public space regeneration 2. Ecological regeneration 3. Built heritage regeneration 4. Informal settlements regeneration. Finally, this book is a significant asset to urban policy makers, planners, practitioners, and researchers in the architecture and urban studies domain who aim at deepening public participation practices knowledge by comparing different experiences.
BRICS Countries: Challenges and Opportunities
by Yiping Li Hirok Chaudhuri Otto Corrêa Rotunno Filho Natalia Guseva Faizal BuxThis book provides a detailed study and assessment of water resources management andpollution control in different BRICS countries. The regions involved areBrazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. This book gives importantinsight into how future sustainability depends on the development of effectivewater governance mechanisms at the level of countries. According to theregional characteristics from different aspects it cuts into the waterenvironment problems and studies in different ways, which is multifaceted andtargeted. Using case studies that include environmentally integrated basinexperiments (eibex) of Brazil, groundwater overflow zone of India, semi-aridriver basin of South Africa and so on, this volume provides criticalinformation for researchers and policymakers.
Risk, Uncertainty and Maladaptation to Climate Change: Policy, Practice and Case Studies (Disaster Risk Reduction)
by Anindita Sarkar Nairwita Bandyopadhyay Shipra Singh Ruchi SachanThis book focuses on integrated disaster risk reduction arising out of climate change and shows how communities build resilience through adaptive and transformative strategies at the local and global levels. It integrates disaster risk, uncertainty, and maladaptation to climate change with evidence from empirical research and a systematic review of existing studies. The book also proposes two important contributions, which makes it distinctive. First, it gives a systematic review of the literature to capture the changing context and concept of risk, uncertainty, and maladaptation to climate change. Second, it uses case studies from around the globe to demonstrate the ways that communities have fostered to build resilience to mitigate the impacts of climate change.There is a growing recognition that decision-makers often rely on intuitive thinking processes rather than undertaking a systematic analysis of options in a deliberative fashion. This latter approach requires accepting a plurality of narratives, embracing multiple disciplinary perspectives, and above all, integrating the appropriate disciplines that can help in finding better solutions. Thus, the book adds value to the existing knowledge on climate change adaptation, perception, and policy initiatives to address disaster risk reduction. It considers all these interconnected issues of risk, uncertainty, and maladaptation through a series of conceptual review- and evidence-based case studies to create new knowledge to address climate change adaptation and a resilient future. The book is a useful contribution to resilience scientists, policymakers, and practitioners from diverse disciplines.
Electromagnetic Sources and Electromagnetic Fields (Modern Antenna)
by Gaobiao XiaoThis book presents a modified spherical harmonic expansion method in which the electromagnetic fields and their sources are expanded with the same set of spherical vector basis functions in a similar procedure. Explicit expressions for the electromagnetic fields, potentials, energies, and the related Green’s functions are derived for the spherical modes in both frequency domain and time domain. Based on the formulation, the relationships between the electromagnetic sources, the electromagnetic far fields, and the electromagnetic near fields are clearly revealed. In particular, a nonuniform transmission line model is developed for intuitively characterizing the total radiation process. The introduction of the cutoff radius and the cutoff mode degree provides a simple reference for determining the numbers of degrees of freedom of the fields associated with sources in a bounded region. Based on the theory, an efficient hybrid method for synthesizing antenna arrays with complex footprints is proposed and demonstrated with several numerical examples. Effective algorithms are also developed for reconstructing the radiating part of the current sources.This book is intended for researchers, engineers, and graduate students who are interested in studying the energy transfer in electromagnetic radiation, synthesis and measurement of antenna arrays, and applications of inverse electromagnetic source problems.