Prepared by the Earthquake Investigations Committee of the Technical Council of Lifeline Earthquake Engineering ASCE. This TCLEE Monograph summarizes the damage done to various lifelines from the 6.8 Mw earthquake that occurred in the coastal waters off the Boumerdes Department, east of Algiers, Algeria, on May 21, 2003. An estimated 2,266 people were killed, 10,260 injured, and more than 200,000 left homeless. Many of the three- to five-story reinforced concrete apartment buildings, less than three years old, were destroyed by either total or partial collapse. Topics include: geosciences and geotechnical engineering; general building damage; potable water systems; power systems; the highway system; ports and airports; railroads; communication systems; oil and liquid fuels; hospitals; and emergency response. Readers will benefit from the lessons learned sections, which analyze other lifeline systems and compare expected earthquake performance, thus helping to minimize damage, save money, and reduce recovery time.

The critically acclaimed serialized review journal for over 50 years, Advances in Geophysics is a highly respected publication in the field of geophysics. Since 1952, each volume has been eagerly awaited, frequently consulted, and praised by researchers and reviewers alike. Now in its 52nd volume, it contains much material still relevant today--truly an essential publication for researchers in all fields of geophysics.

The monograph covers the fundamentals and the consequences of extreme geophysical phenomena like asteroid impacts, climatic change, earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, landslides, volcanic eruptions, flooding, and space weather. This monograph also addresses their associated, local and worldwide socio-economic impacts. The understanding and modeling of these phenomena is critical to the development of timely worldwide strategies for the prediction of natural and anthropogenic extreme events, in order to mitigate their adverse consequences. This monograph is unique in as much as it is dedicated to recent theoretical, numerical and empirical developments that aim to improve: (i) the understanding, modeling and prediction of extreme events in the geosciences, and, (ii) the quantitative evaluation of their economic consequences. The emphasis is on coupled, integrative assessment of the physical phenomena and their socio-economic impacts. With its overarching theme, Extreme Events: Observations, Modeling and Economics will be relevant to and become an important tool for researchers and practitioners in the fields of hazard and risk analysis in general, as well as to those with a special interest in climate change, atmospheric and oceanic sciences, seismo-tectonics, hydrology, and space weather.

Ocean closure involves a variety of converging tectonic processes that reshape shrinking basins, their adjacent margins and the entire earth underneath. Following continental breakup, margin formation and sediment accumulation, tectonics normally relaxes and the margins become passive for millions of years. However, when final convergence is at the gate, the passive days of any ocean and its margins are over or soon will be. The fate of the Mediterranean and Persian Gulf is seemingly known beforehand, as they are nestled in the midst of Africa-Arabia plate convergence with Eurasia. Over millions of years through the Cenozoic era they progressively shriveled, leaving only a glimpse of the Tethys Ocean. Eventually, the basins will adhere to the Alpine-Himalaya orogen and dissipate. This book focuses on a unique stage in the ocean closure process, when significant convergence already induced major deformations, yet the inter-plate basins and margins still record the geological history.

A unique interdisciplinary approach to disaster risk research, including global hazards and case-studies, for researchers, graduate students and professionals.