Most geoscientists are aware of recent IT developments, but cannot spend time on obscure technicalities. Few have considered their implications for the science as a whole. Yet the information industry is moving fast: electronic delivery of hyperlinked multimedia; standards to support interdisciplinary and geographic integration; new models to represent and visualize our concepts, and control and manage our activities; plummeting costs that force the pace. To stay on course, the scientist needs a broad appreciation of the complex and profound interactions of geoscience and IT, not previously reviewed in a single work. The book brings together ideas from many sources, some probably unfamiliar, that bear on the geoscience information system. It encourages readers to give thought to areas that, for various reasons, they have taken for granted, and to take a view on forces affecting geoscience, the consequences for themselves and their organisations, and the need to reconsider, adapt and rebuild. Practicing geoscientists with a general interest in how IT will affect their work and influence future directions of the science; geoscientists familiar with IT applications in their own specialist field who need a broader perspective; and students or educators specializing in IT applications in geoscience who require a top-down overview of their subject will find this title valuable. The IT background from this book should help geoscientists build a strategy for the new century.

GEOLOGY IS THE SCIENTIFIC STUDY OF THE EARTH, its composition, its processes, and the forces that act upon it. It is a broad subject that covers very specific aspects from glaciers and volcanoes, to gem stones and energy resources, to changing land formations and mass extinctions. It includes every area - the earth's core, ocean floor, deep canyons, mountaintops, and even the atmosphere. Geologists spend most of their time outdoors, often in remote areas. They dig up fossils, take soil samples, create maps, and gather lots of photographic evidence. They study the weather and investigate potential geological activity in order to predict natural disasters and potentially save people from the ravages of tornadoes, earthquakes, tsunamis, or volcanic eruptions. There are dozens of different jobs that a geologist can hold. Each utilizes the knowledge and skills acquired from the same basic training and education. What any one geologist does depends on the job title or area of specialization. For example, environmental geologists are concerned with the safe use of natural resources. They test soil and water for signs of toxins after accidents, help create plans for cleanup, and make sure areas are safe for residents. Hydrogeologists work primarily with water. They study how water moves, how and where it becomes available to communities, ways to increase water supplies, and how to minimize possible pollution. Petroleum geologists search for sources of oil and gas, and develop methods for safe extraction. The minimum educational requirement to become a geologist is a bachelor's degree in geology, though many employers prefer a master's degree. In either case, those entering the field can expect to find jobs waiting for them. In fact, industry leaders predict that some areas will experience shortages of trained professionals as the demand for renewable and safe energy, more accurate hazard weather plans, global environmental safety, and answers to the threat of climate change grows in importance.

This textbook provides an intuitive yet mathematically rigorous introduction to the thermodynamics and thermal physics of planetary processes. It demonstrates how the workings of planetary bodies can be understood in depth by reducing them to fundamental physics and chemistry. The book is based on two courses taught by the author for many years at the University of Georgia. It includes 'Guided Exercise' boxes; end-of-chapter problems (worked solutions provided online); and software boxes (Maple code provided online). As well as being an ideal textbook on planetary thermodynamics for advanced students in the Earth and planetary sciences, it also provides an innovative and quantitative complement to more traditional courses in geological thermodynamics, petrology, chemical oceanography and planetary science. In addition to its use as a textbook, it is also of great interest to researchers looking for a 'one stop' source of concepts and techniques that they can apply to their research problems.

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.

Describes employment opportunities and job search strategies for geology majors and explores possible career paths.

Volcanic dust, climate change, tsunamis, earthquakes—geoscience explores phenomena that profoundly affect our lives. But more than that, as Doug Macdougall makes clear, the science also provides important clues to the future of the planet. In an entertaining and accessibly written narrative, Macdougall gives an overview of Earth’s astonishing history based on information extracted from rocks, ice cores, and other natural archives. He explores such questions as: What is the risk of an asteroid striking Earth? Why does the temperature of the ocean millions of years ago matter today? How are efforts to predict earthquakes progressing? Macdougall also explains the legacy of greenhouse gases from Earth’s past and shows how that legacy shapes our understanding of today’s human-caused climate change. We find that geoscience in fact illuminates many of today’s most pressing issues—the availability of energy, access to fresh water, sustainable agriculture, maintaining biodiversity—and we discover how, by applying new technologies and ideas, we can use it to prepare for the future.