This book is a concise introduction to the interactions between earthquakes and human-built structures (buildings, dams, bridges, power plants, pipelines and more). It focuses on the ways in which these interactions illustrate the application of basic physics principles and concepts, including inertia, force, shear, energy, acceleration, elasticity, friction and stability. It illustrates how conceptual and quantitative physics emerges in the day-to-day work of engineers, drawing from examples from regions and events which have experienced very violent earthquakes with massive loss of life and property. The authors of this book, a physics educator, a math educator, and a geotechnical engineer have set off on what might be considered a mining expedition; searching for ways in which introductory physics topics and methods can be better connected with careers of interest to non-physics majors. They selected "destructive earthquakes" as a place to begin because they are interesting and because future engineers represent a significant portion of the non-physics majors in introductory physics courses. Avoiding the extremes of treating applied physics either as a purely hands-on, conceptual experience or as a lengthy capstone project for learners who have become masters; the application in this book can be scattered throughout a broader physics course or individual learning experience.

The destructive force of earthquakes has stimulated human inquiry since ancient times, yet the scientific study of earthquakes is a surprisingly recent endeavor. Instrumental recordings of earthquakes were not made until the second half of the 19th century, and the primary mechanism for generating seismic waves was not identified until the beginning of the 20th century. From this recent start, a range of laboratory, field, and theoretical investigations have developed into a vigorous new discipline: the science of earthquakes. As a basic science, it provides a comprehensive understanding of earthquake behavior and related phenomena in the Earth and other terrestrial planets. As an applied science, it provides a knowledge base of great practical value for a global society whose infrastructure is built on the Earth's active crust. This book describes the growth and origins of earthquake science and identifies research and data collection efforts that will strengthen the scientific and social contributions of this exciting new discipline.

Separation of variables methods for solving partial differential equations are of immense theoretical and practical importance in mathematical physics. They are the most powerful tool known for obtaining explicit solutions of the partial differential equations of mathematical physics. The purpose of this book is to give an up-to-date presentation of the theory of separation of variables and its relation to superintegrability. Collating and presenting in a unified, updated and a more accessible manner the results scattered in the literature the authors have prepared an invaluable resource for mathematicians and mathematical physicists in particular, as well as science, engineering, geological and biological researchers interested in explicit solutions.

The mechanics of earthquake faulting is a multi-disciplinary scientific approach combining laboratory inferences and mathematical models with the analysis of recorded data from earthquakes, and is essential to the understanding of these potentially destructive events. The modern field of study can be said to have begun with the seminal papers by B. V. Kostrov in 1964 and 1966. This book presents lectures delivered at the summer school ‘The Mechanics of Earthquake Faulting’, held under the umbrella of the Enrico Fermi International School of Physics in Varenna, Italy, from 2 to 7 July 2018. The school was attended by speakers and participants from many countries. One of the most important goals of the school was to present the state-of-the-art of the physics of earthquakes, and the 10 lectures included here cover the most challenging aspects of the mechanics of faulting. The topics covered during the school give a very clear picture of the current state of the art of the physics of earthquake ruptures and also highlight the open issues and questions that are still under debate, and the book will be of interest to all those working in the field.

When the volcano Tambora erupted in Indonesia in 1815, as many as 100,000 people perished as a result of the blast and an ensuing famine caused by the destruction of rice fields on Sumbawa and neighboring islands. Gases and dust particles ejected into the atmosphere changed weather patterns around the world, resulting in the infamous ''year without a summer'' in North America, food riots in Europe, and a widespread cholera epidemic. And the gloomy weather inspired Mary Shelley to write the gothic novel Frankenstein. This book tells the story of nine such epic volcanic events, explaining the related geology for the general reader and exploring the myriad ways in which the earth's volcanism has affected human history. Zeilinga de Boer and Sanders describe in depth how volcanic activity has had long-lasting effects on societies, cultures, and the environment. After introducing the origins and mechanisms of volcanism, the authors draw on ancient as well as modern accounts--from folklore to poetry and from philosophy to literature. Beginning with the Bronze Age eruption that caused the demise of Minoan Crete, the book tells the human and geological stories of eruptions of such volcanoes as Vesuvius, Krakatau, Mount Pelée, and Tristan da Cunha. Along the way, it shows how volcanism shaped religion in Hawaii, permeated Icelandic mythology and literature, caused widespread population migrations, and spurred scientific discovery. From the prodigious eruption of Thera more than 3,600 years ago to the relative burp of Mount St. Helens in 1980, the results of volcanism attest to the enduring connections between geology and human destiny. Some images inside the book are unavailable due to digital copyright restrictions.

The first of a two-part work, this volume focuses on microscopic simulation, scaling physics, dynamic rapture and wave propagation, earthquake generation, cycle and seismic pattern. Topics covered range from numerical and theoretical studies of crack propagation, developments in finite difference methods for modeling faults, long time scale simulation of interacting fault systems, and modeling of crustal deformation through to mantle convection.

Till the very end of the twentieth century tsunami waves (or ‘waves in a harbour’, translated from Japanese) were considered an extremely rare and exotic natural p- nomenon, originating in the ocean and unexpectedly falling upon the seaside as gigantic waves. The 26th of December 2004, when tsunami waves wiped out, in a single day, more than 250,000 human lives, mourned in many countries, turned out to be a tragic date for all mankind. The authors of this book, who have studied tsunami waves for many years, - tended it to be a systematic exposition of modern ideas concerning • The mechanisms of tsunami wave generation • The peculiarities of tsunami wave propagation in the open ocean and of how waves run-up beaches • Methods for tsunami wave registration and the operation of a tsunami warning system • The mechanisms of other catastrophic processes in the ocean related to the se- mic activity of our planet The authors considered their main goal to be the creation of book prese- ing modern knowledge of tsunami waves and of other catastrophes in the ocean to scienti?c researchers and specialists in geophysics, oceanography, seismology, hydroacoustics, geology, geomorphology, civil and seaside engineering, postgr- uate students and students of relevant professions.

In October 2007, the U.S. National Academies and the Iranian Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Science organized the first of a series of planned U.S.-Iranian workshops on the topic "Science as a Gateway to Understanding." This new workshop series is a component of the broader effort of the National Academies to support bilateral workshops and exchange visits in a variety of fields with a number of Iranian institutions that began in 2000. This book includes papers that were presented at the workshop and summaries of the discussions that followed some of the presentations. At the conclusion of the workshop there was general agreement that the presentations on many aspects of science and scientific cooperation that have a bearing on mutual understanding were an important first step. Several participants underscored that the next workshop should emphasize how scientific cooperation can lead in concrete terms to improved understanding among both academic and political leaders from the two countries.