Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 95. Publication of this monograph will coincide, to a precision of a few per mil, with the centenary of Henri Becquerel's discovery of "radiations actives" (C. R. Acad. Sci., Feb. 24, 1896). In 1896 the Earth was only 40 million years old according to Lord Kelvin. Eleven years later, Boltwood had pushed the Earth's age past 2000 million years, based on the first U/Pb chemical dating results. In exciting progression came discovery of isotopes by J. J. Thomson in 1912, invention of the mass spectrometer by Dempster (1918) and Aston (1919), the first measurement of the isotopic composition of Pb (Aston, 1927) and the final approach, using Pb-Pb isotopic dating, to the correct age of the Earth: close-2.9 Ga (Gerling, 1942), closer-3.0 Ga (Holmes, 1949) and closest-4.50 Ga (Patterson, Tilton and Inghram, 1953).

Many approaches exist for scientific investigations and space research is no exception. The early approach during which each space plasma region within the Sun-Earth system was investigated separately with physics-based tools has now progressed to encompass investigations on coupling between these regions. Ample evidence now exists indicating the dynamic processes in these regions exhibit disturbances over a wide range of scales both in time and space. This new reckoning naturally leads to an emerging perspective of probing these natural phenomena with concepts and tools developed in modern statistical mechanics for physical processes governing the evolution of out-of-equilibrium and complex systems. These new developments have prompted a topical conference on Sun-Earth connection, held on February 9-13, 2004 at Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, USA, with the goal of promoting interactions among scientists practicing the traditional physics-based approach and those utilizing modern statistical techniques. This monograph is a product of this conference, a compilation of thirty-nine articles assembled into seven chapters: (1) multiscale features in complexity dynamics, (2) space storms, (3) magnetospheric substorms, (4) turbulence and magnetic reconnection, (5) modeling and coupling of space phenomena, (6) techniques for multiscale space plasma problems, and (7) present and future multiscale space missions. These articles show a diversity of space phenomena exhibiting scale free characteristics, intermittency, and non-Gaussian distributions of probability density function of fluctuations in the physical parameters of the Sun-Earth system. The scope covers the latest observations, theories, simulations, and techniques on the multiscale nature of Sun-Earth phenomena and underscores the usefulness in cross-disciplinary exchange needed to unravel the underlying physical processes, which may eventually lead to a possible unified description and prediction for space disturbances.* Extensive collection of state-of-the-art papers on multiscale coupling of Sun-Earth Processes* Present and future multiscale space missions* New techniques and models for performing multiscale analysis

A collection of significant papers dealing with fractal geometry and the petroleum industry. Contributed by some of the pioneers in the field, they represent a broad spectrum of applications from petroleum exploration to production, and serve as an introduction to the subject. The collection begins with a contribution by Benoit Mandelbrot, the "Father of Fractals," on the Paretian distribution. The substantial (5-page) foreword to the volume is also by Mandelbrot. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Earth is called the living planet because it is never the same. Processes change its surface bit by bit, every second of every day. This book discusses the processes that reshape the Earth's surface. Such knowledge is essential in improving a child's ability to understand change. Get a copy today.

"This Special Paper presents a collection of 19 papers contributed to a joint Field Forum organized by the Geological Society of America and the Geological Society of South Africa in July 2004 in the Barberton Greenstone Belt and the Vredefort Dome, South Africa. The papers cover a wide variety of themes, including Archean and Proterozoic crust formation and geodynamics (with an appraisal of evidence of Archean subduction processes); the significance of impacts in the evolution of the early Earth's crust; traces of early life in Archean environments of Australia and South Africa and related studies of depositional environments; and processes affecting the giant Witwatersrand gold deposit."--Publisher's website.

Using isotopes as a tool for understanding Earth processes From establishing the absolute age of the Earth to providing a stronger understanding of the nexus between geology and life, the careful measurement and quantitative interpretation of minor variations in the isotopic composition of Earth’s materials has provided profound insight into the origins and workings of our planet. Isotopic Constraints on Earth System Processes presents examples of the application of numerous different isotope systems to address a wide range of topical problems in Earth system science. Volume highlights include: examination of the natural fractionation of non-traditional stable isotopes utilizing isotopes to understand the origin of magmas and evolution of volcanic systems application of isotopes to interrogate and understand Earth’s Carbon and Oxygen cycles examination of the geochemical and hydrologic processes that lead to isotopic fractionation application of isotopic reactive transport models to decipher hydrologic and biogeochemical processes The American Geophysical Union promotes discovery in Earth and space science for the benefit of humanity. Its publications disseminate scientific knowledge and provide resources for researchers, students, and professionals.

SCIENCE. Helps you discover the scientists who have increased our knowledge and affected the way we live - men and women, historical and modern, and from a range of cultures. Ages 9+.