The Changing Role of Geological Surveys


Book Description

Senior managers and Heads of Geological Survey Organizations (GSOs) from around the world have contributed a collection of papers to provide a benchmark on how GSOs are responding to national and international needs in a rapidly changing world. GSOs continue to provide key scientific information about Earth systems, natural hazards and climate change. As countries adopt sustainable development principles and the public increasingly turns to social media to find information about resource and environmental issues, the generation and communication of Earth science knowledge become increasingly important. This volume provides a snapshot of how GSOs are adapting their activities to this changing world. The different national perspectives presented converge around several common themes related to resources, environment and big data. Climate change and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals provide an increased incentive for GSOs of the world to work in harmony, to generate knowledge of Earth systems and to provide solutions for sustainable management of the planet.




Geoscience Data and Collections


Book Description

Geoscience data and collections (such as, rock and sediment cores, geophysical data, engineering records, and fossils) are necessary for industries to discover and develop domestic natural resources to fulfill the nation's energy and mineral requirements and to improve the prediction of immediate and long term hazards, such as land slides, volcanic eruptions and global climate change. While the nation has assembled a wealth of geoscience data and collections, their utility remains incompletely tapped. Many could act as invaluable resources in the future but immediate action is needed if they are to remain available. Housing of and access to geoscience data and collections have become critical issues for industry, federal and state agencies, museums, and universities. Many resources are in imminent danger of being lost through mismanagement, neglect, or disposal. A striking 46 percent of the state geological surveys polled by the committee reported that there is no space available or they have refused to accept new material. In order to address these challenges, Geoscience Data and Collections offers a comprehensive strategy for managing geoscience data and collections in the United States.




Bangladesh Geosciences and Resources Potential


Book Description

This book focuses on the potential natural resources of Bangladesh from Precambrian to recent times and their detailed geological background. Natural resources and their management are important for the sustainable economic development of a country. Focusing on the geological setting of the Bengal Basin, Bangladesh Geosciences and Resources Potential introduces and comprehensively describes the depositional environments, status and prospects of the potential natural resources of Bangladesh. Individual chapters outline the potential resources comprising a wide range of deposit types across the country. A selective overview of these natural resources—metallic minerals, coal, limestone, hydrocarbon, peat, placer deposits, surface, groundwater and so forth—is provided with relevant references. The book gives a synthesis of the issues in the mineral, hydrocarbon and water resource sectors from a resource-economic perspective. FEATURES Provides a geoscientific knowledge of the potential natural resources with relevant maps, figures and tables pertaining to the Bangladesh region Explains the resource-economic context, geomorphology and sustainable land use and the effects of climate change on both surface water and groundwater resources Discusses resource potentials based on systematic geological stages Presents the resources of renewable energy and discusses how to increase their use and effectiveness Reinforces basic geological processes and outcomes with an understanding of resource geology and constraints on natural resource management This book is aimed at researchers, graduate students and professionals in geology, energy and mineral resources, hydrogeology, water resources engineering, the environmental sciences and resource exploration and planning.




Geosciences and the Sustainable Development Goals


Book Description

Meeting the targets of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) requires contributions by scientists focusing on understanding, monitoring, protecting, managing and restoring the natural environment, including geoscientists. This book presents the first detailed discussion on the role of the geological sciences (geosciences) community in the implementation of the SDGs. Unlike traditional geosciences textbooks, it is structured according to development priorities, framed in the context of the 17 SDGs. Written by international experts from diverse range of geosciences / development disciplines, it explores themes linked to both science and the professional practice of science (e.g., ethics, equity, conduct, and partnerships). The book is intended for graduate and senior undergraduate students in the earth sciences, as well as practicing geologists and experts from other sectors involved in sustainability initiatives.







Geoscience for the Public Good and Global Development


Book Description

"Offers overview of applications of geosciences to sustainable development and geophilanthropic efforts worldwide, and offers advice to guide creation of development projects. Primacy of geologic input to all development activities is highlighted along with problems that are encountered and environmental issues that must be addressed" --




Sustainable Development of Natural Resources


Book Description

Selected, peer reviewed papers from the 2nd International Conference on Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development (EESD 2012), October 12-14, 2012, Jilin, China




Gideon Mantell and the Discovery of Dinosaurs


Book Description

Gideon Mantell and the Discovery of Dinosaurs is a scholarly yet accessible biography--the first in a generation--of a pioneering dinosaur hunter and scholar. Gideon Mantell discovered the Iguanodon (a famous tale set right in this book) and several other dinosaur species, spent over twenty-five years restoring Iguanodon fossils, and helped establish the idea of an Age of Reptiles that ended with their extinction at the conclusion of the Mesozoic Era. He had significant interaction with such well-known figures as James Parkinson, Georges Cuvier, Charles Lyell, Roderick Murchison, Charles Darwin, and Richard Owen. Dennis Dean, a well-known scholar of geology and the Victorian era, here places Mantell's career in its cultural context, employing original research in archives throughout the world, including the previously unexamined Mantell family papers in New Zealand.




New Research Opportunities in the Earth Sciences


Book Description

The 2001 National Research Council (NRC) report Basic Research Opportunities in Earth Science (BROES) described how basic research in the Earth sciences serves five national imperatives: (1) discovery, use, and conservation of natural resources; (2) characterization and mitigation of natural hazards; (3) geotechnical support of commercial and infrastructure development; (4) stewardship of the environment; and (5) terrestrial surveillance for global security and national defense. This perspective is even more pressing today, and will persist into the future, with ever-growing emphasis. Today's world-with headlines dominated by issues involving fossil fuel and water resources, earthquake and tsunami disasters claiming hundreds of thousands of lives and causing hundreds of billions of dollars in damages, profound environmental changes associated with the evolving climate system, and nuclear weapons proliferation and testing-has many urgent societal issues that need to be informed by sound understanding of the Earth sciences. A national strategy to sustain basic research and training of expertise across the full spectrum of the Earth sciences is motivated by these national imperatives. New Research Opportunities in the Earth Sciences identifies new and emerging research opportunities in the Earth sciences over the next decade, including surface and deep Earth processes and interdisciplinary research with fields such as ocean and atmospheric sciences, biology, engineering, computer science, and social and behavioral sciences. The report also identifies key instrumentation and facilities needed to support these new and emerging research opportunities. The report describes opportunities for increased cooperation in these new and emerging areas between EAR and other government agency programs, industry, and international programs, and suggests new ways that EAR can help train the next generation of Earth scientists, support young investigators, and increase the participation of underrepresented groups in the field.




Geology and Natural Resources of Nigeria


Book Description

Geology and Natural Resources of Nigeria is an up‐to‐date and comprehensive overview of the geological framework of the continental crust of Nigeria, its evolution, and the natural resources it holds. It covers a wide set of topics and provides a detailed description of the rock units of the Nigerian continental crust, their geological settings and structural characteristics, and the potential of their mineral, energy, and water resources. The book discusses the impact of geo‐resources on the Nigerian economy, includes recommendations on how to fully exploit geo‐resources, and explains how to prevent geological processes that could lead to natural hazards. FEATURES Provides different aspects of the Nigerian continental crust from a multidisciplinary approach Draws on the latest findings in geoscience research to present new insights and perspectives into the development and resource potential of the Nigerian continental crust Includes multiple case studies to illustrate the exploration and evaluation of the geological resources of Nigeria Explores the potential of geological resources for economic and industrial development Presents scientific achievements of authors and researchers from various disciplines and provides recommendations for mitigating natural hazards This handbook is intended for industry professionals, academics, researchers, and students studying earth sciences with a special interest in Africa and learning how its geology impacts the natural resources and overall economy of the continent.