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Grasslands in Danger (A True Book (Relaunch))
by Felicia BrowerDiscover the rich biodiversity of Earth's biomes - and how they might be saved - with this STEAM-based subset of True Books.Did you know that grasslands cover 25 percent of Earth's surface? They are also being destroyed at an alarming rate! Get ready to investigate tropical and temperate grasslands around the globe, as well as the plants and animals that have adapted to survive on them. You'll also learn about the many threats facing this fascinating biome-and what each of us can do to help-all in the pages of Grasslands in Danger.ABOUT THE SERIES:There are five major biomes on Earth: desert, forest, grassland, aquatic, and tundra. These rich, wild places are home to a wide variety of plants and animals - many of which are found nowhere else. Unfortunately, these ecosystems have been put at risk by human activities. This STEAM-based set of True Books introduces students to the incredible biodiversity of Earth's amazing biomes, as well as the threats they face in the era of climate change. Interesting information is presented in a fun, friendly way - and in the simplest terms possible - and will inspire kids to think about how they can help stop the destruction of Earth's wild spaces.
Grasslands of the World: Diversity, Management and Conservation
by Victor R. Squires Limin Hua Jürgen Dengler Haiying FengThis book begins with a brief account of the extraordinary sequence of events that led to emergence of grasslands as major vegetation formations that now occupy some of the driest and hottest and the highest and coldest on earth as well as vast steppes and prairies in more temperate climes. It is the story of grasses successfully competing with forests and woodlands, aided and abetted by grazing herbivores and by humans and their use of fire as a tool. It is a story of adaptation to changing climates and the changing biophysical environments. A major focus of the book is the Palaearctic biogeographic realm that extends over some 45 million km² and thus more than 1/3 of the terrestrial ice-free surface on Earth. It comprises extensive grasslands of different types and origin, which can be subdivided into (1) natural grasslands with (1a) steppes (climatogenic in dry climates), (1b) arctic-alpine grasslands (climatogenic in cold climates) and (1c) azonal and extrazonal grasslands (pedogenic and topogenic) as well as (2) secondary grasslands created and sustained by human activities, such as livestock grazing, mowing or burning. Grasslands of the Palaearctic do not only form a major basis for the agriculture of the region and thus its food supply, but are also crucial for other ecosystem services and host a supra proportional part of the realm’s plant and animal diversity. To reflect that suitability of grasslands for biodiversity strongly depends on their state, we apply the term High Nature Value grassland to those natural grasslands that are not degraded (in good state) and those secondary grasslands that are not intensified (semi-natural). The situation in a variety of countries where grasslands are evolving under the influence of global climate change is also considered. Case studies are presented on Southern Africa, Eastern Africa, India, China, South America, North America and Australia. The concluding chapter examines a set of themes arising from the chapters that make up the bulk of this book. The following provide a focus: recent history of grassland biomes – brief recap of current thinking and recent trends with special reference to dry grasslands in the Palearctic regions; the current status of grasslands and germplasm resources (biodiversity) – an overview; management systems that ensure sustainability; how to recover degraded grasslands; socio-economic issues and considerations in grassland management; the impacts of environmental problems in grasslands such as future climate change and intensification and the problems/prospects facing pastoralists and other grassland-based livestock producers.
Grassroots Environmental Action: People's Participation in Sustainable Development
by Dharam Ghai Jessica M. VivianManaging resources sustainably on the local level is essential for achieving the global goal of sustainable development. The importance of people's participation for sustainable development has recently become increasingly acknowledged yet there is little understanding of the multiple dimensions that such participation involves. Grassroots Environmental Action questions the viability of traditional management systems. Case studies from Latin America, Asia and Africa focus on areas where local people are vigorous actors in the determination of their own future and that of their environment.
Grassroots Environmental Governance: Community engagements with industry (Routledge Research in Global Environmental Governance)
by Michael J. Watts Leah S. HorowitzGrassroots movements can pose serious challenges to both governments and corporations. However, grassroots actors possess a variety of motivations, and their visions of development may evolve in complex ways. Meanwhile, their relative powerlessness obliges them to forge an array of shifting alliances and to devise a range of adaptive strategies. Grassroots Environmental Governance presents a compilation of in-depth ethnographic case studies, based on original research. Each of the chapters focuses specifically on grassroots engagements with the agents of various forms of industrial development. The book is geographically diverse, including analyses of groups based in both the global North and South, and represents a range of disciplinary perspectives. This allows the collection to explore themes that cross-cut specific localities and disciplinary boundaries, and thus to generate important theoretical insights into the complexities of grassroots engagements with industry. This volume will be of great interest to scholars of environmental activism, environmental governance, and environmental studies in general.
Grassroots Innovation Movements (Pathways to Sustainability)
by Adrian Smith Mariano Fressoli Dinesh Abrol Elisa Arond Adrian ElyInnovation is increasingly invoked by policy elites and business leaders as vital for tackling global challenges like sustainable development. Often overlooked, however, is the fact that networks of community groups, activists, and researchers have been innovating grassroots solutions for social justice and environmental sustainability for decades. Unencumbered by disciplinary boundaries, policy silos, or institutional logics, these ‘grassroots innovation movements’ identify issues and questions neglected by formal science, technology and innovation organizations. Grassroots solutions arise in unconventional settings through unusual combinations of people, ideas and tools. This book examines six diverse grassroots innovation movements in India, South America and Europe, situating them in their particular dynamic historical contexts. Analysis explains why each movement frames innovation and development differently, resulting in a variety of strategies. The book explores the spaces where each of these movements have grown, or attempted to do so. It critically examines the pathways they have developed for grassroots innovation and the challenges and limitations confronting their approaches. With mounting pressure for social justice in an increasingly unequal world, policy makers are exploring how to foster more inclusive innovation. In this context grassroots experiences take on added significance. This book provides timely and relevant ideas, analysis and recommendations for activists, policy-makers, students and scholars interested in encounters between innovation, development and social movements.
Grassroots Innovation: Discourse, Policy and Practice in the Global South (Routledge Studies in Innovation, Organizations and Technology)
by Gautam Sharma Hemant KumarThis book explores the process of grassroots innovation in the context of the Global South. It explains why these bottom-up solutions developed by common people are generated due to a lack of available or affordable technology to meet their needs and how they are included in the mainstream imagination of the economy by studying these innovations in India. It analyses the grassroots innovation process from idea generation to its implementation.Detailing both theoretical and practical dimensions of grassroots innovation, the book provides a holistic understanding of the phenomenon by tracing its history in the pre-independence discourse on development to the present-day policies for institutionalizing these innovations in the mainstream. It will provide the readers with a bottom-up commentary on innovation and development in the context of the Global South in general and India in particular. It adopts a qualitative research design with a wide range of data collected through interviews, participant observations, and field notes. The book contains seven chapters to describe the discourse, policy perspectives, and current practice of grassroots innovations in general.The interdisciplinary, timely book provides thoughtful analysis for scholars and upper-level students in the fields of technology and innovation management, development studies, and public management.
Grassroots Social Innovation: The Role of Collaboration and Experiential Learning (Routledge Focus on Business and Management)
by Karolina OsterczukThis book examines the transformative power of grassroots social innovations within dynamic urban landscapes. From addressing access to healthy food to navigating regulatory challenges, urban citizens are taking charge of their environments through collective action. This ethnographic exploration explores the everyday workings of three grassroots initiatives, highlighting the practices driving social change.Readers will discover practical models for collective organizing within social innovation communities, offering insights for both activists and policymakers eager to effect change in urban life. By emphasizing collaboration as a cornerstone of social innovation, this book illuminates how deep engagement fosters reflectivity, empathy, and sustainability within communities. Drawing on multidimensional collaboration models, readers gain practical tools for creating lasting social impact.Moreover, the book places these insights within a broader European context and references Elinor Ostrom's theory of the common good, appealing to readers worldwide interested in community-driven solutions. With qualitative research conducted in Poland, this book offers a rich tapestry of insights into the global phenomenon of grassroots social innovation, encouraging reflection and action among urban communities worldwide.
Grassroots to Global: Broader Impacts of Civic Ecology
by David MaddoxAddressing participatory, transdisciplinary approaches to local stewardship of the environment, Grassroots to Global features scholars and stewards exploring the broad impacts of civic engagement with the environment.Chapters focus on questions that include: How might faith-based institutions in Chicago expand the work of church-community gardens? How do volunteer "nature cleaners" in Tehran attempt to change Iranian social norms? How does an international community in Baltimore engage local people in nature restoration while fostering social equity? How does a child in an impoverished coal mining region become a local and national leader in abandoned mine restoration? And can a loose coalition that transforms blighted areas in Indian cities into pocket parks become a social movement? From the findings of the authors’ diverse case studies, editor Marianne Krasny provides a way to help readers understand the greater implications of civic ecology practices through the lens of multiple disciplines.Contributors:Aniruddha Abhyankar, Martha Chaves, Louise Chawla, Dennis Chestnut, Nancy Chikaraishi, Zahra Golshani, Lance Gunderson, Keith E. Hedges, Robert E. Hughes, Rebecca Jordan, Karim-Aly Kassam, Laurel Kearns, Marianne E. Krasny, Veronica Kyle, David Maddox, Mila Kellen Marshall, Elizabeth Whiting Pierce, Rosalba Lopez Ramirez, Michael Sarbanes, Philip Silva, Traci Sooter, Erika S. Svendsen, Keith G. Tidball, Arjen E. J. Wals, Rebecca Salminen Witt, Jill Wrigley
Grave Matters
by Mark HarrisBy the time Nate Fisher was laid to rest in a woodland grave sans coffin in the final season of Six Feet Under, Americans all across the country were starting to look outside the box when death came calling. Grave Matters follows families who found in "green" burial a more natural, more economic, and ultimately more meaningful alternative to the tired and toxic send-off on offer at the local funeral parlor. Eschewing chemical embalming and fancy caskets, elaborate and costly funerals, they have embraced a range of natural options, new and old, that are redefining a better American way of death. Environmental journalist Mark Harris examines this new green burial underground, leading you into natural cemeteries and domestic graveyards, taking you aboard boats from which ashes and memorial "reef balls" are cast into the sea. He follows a family that conducts a home funeral, one that delivers a loved one to the crematory, and another that hires a carpenter to build a pine coffin. In the morbidly fascinating tradition of Stiff, Grave Matters details the embalming process and the environmental aftermath of the standard funeral. Harris also traces the history of burial in America, from frontier cemeteries to the billion-dollar business it is today, reporting on real families who opted for more simple, natural returns. For readers who want to follow the examples of these families and, literally, give back from the grave, appendices detail everything you need to know, from exact costs and laws to natural burial providers and their contact information.
Grave's End: the brilliant third book in the DS Alexandra Cupidi investigations (DS Alexandra Cupidi #3)
by William Shaw'If you're not a fan yet, why not?' VAL MCDERMID'A superb storyteller' PETER MAYA BIZARRE DISCOVERYAn unidentified corpse is found in a freezer in the garage of an unoccupied house. DS Alexandra Cupidi is handed a case that is made even colder by no-one seeming to know or care whose body it is.A HISTORIC CRIMEIt becomes clear there is a connection between the crime and a skeleton uncovered underneath a housing development of Trevor Grey, a boy who went missing twenty five years earlier.A BURIED LIFEDigging deep into secrets that have long been concealed brings Cupidi to face a deadly conspiracy to hide these crimes. Her investigation is complicated by a secret liaison, a political cover-up and the underground life of Trevor Grey's only friend.With meticulously realised characters and a brooding setting, Grave's End confronts the crisis in housing, environmentalism, historic cases of abuse and the protection given to badgers by the law. The third book in the DS Alexandra Cupidi series confirms William Shaw as one of our finest writers of crime fiction.
Grave's End: the brilliant third book in the DS Alexandra Cupidi investigations (DS Alexandra Cupidi #3)
by William Shaw'If you're not a fan yet, why not?' VAL MCDERMID'A superb storyteller' PETER MAYA BIZARRE DISCOVERYAn unidentified cadaver is found in a freezer in an unoccupied luxury house. No-one seems to know or care who it is or who placed it there. When DS Alexandra Cupidi is handed the case, she can have no idea it will lead her to a series of murderous cover-ups and buried secrets. Namely the discovery of the skeleton of public-school boy, Trevor Wood, beneath a housing development.A HISTORIC CRIMEHis disappearance twenty five years earlier had almost passed unnoticed. But as evidence surfaces that his fate was linked to long suppressed rumours of sexual abuse, Cupidi, her teenage daughter Zoe and her friend Bill South find themselves up against powerful forces who will try to silence them. A BURIED LIFEDigging deep into the secrets that are held underground leads to Cupidi's realisation that crime and power are seldom far apart. There are dangerous connections between the two cases, which are complicated by Constable Jill Ferriter's dating habits, a secret liaison and the underground life of Trevor Grey's only friend.The most riveting and atmospheric DS Alexandra Cupidi novel so far, Grave's End confronts the crisis in housing, environmental politics, the protection given to badgers by the law. With meticulously mastered characters and a brooding setting, this third book in the series confirms William Shaw as one of the finest crime writers. (P)2020 Quercus Editions Limited
Gravel-Bed Rivers: Process and Disasters
by Daizo Tsutsumi Jonathan B. LaronneWith contributions from key researchers across the globe, and edited by internationally recognized leading academics, Gravel-bed Rivers: Processes and Disasters presents the definitive review of current knowledge of gravel-bed rivers. Continuing an established and successful series of scholarly reports, this book consists of the papers presented at the 8th International Gravel-bed Rivers Workshop. Focusing on all the recent progress that has been made in the field, subjects covered include flow, physical modeling, sediment transport theory, techniques and instrumentation, morphodynamics and ecological topics, with special attention given to aspects of disasters relevant to sediment supply and integrated river management. This up-to-date compendium is essential reading for geomorphologists, river engineers and ecologists, river managers, fluvial sedimentologists and advanced students in these fields.
Gravitational Wave Science with Machine Learning (Springer Series in Astrophysics and Cosmology)
by Elena CuocoThis book highlights the state of the art of machine learning applied to the science of gravitational waves. The main topics of the book range from the search for astrophysical gravitational wave signals to noise suppression techniques and control systems using machine learning-based algorithms. During the four years of work in the COST Action CA17137-A network for Gravitational Waves, Geophysics and Machine Learning (G2net), the collaboration produced several original publications as well as tutorials and lectures in the training schools we organized. The book encapsulates the immense amount of finding and achievements. It is a timely reference for young researchers approaching the analysis of data from gravitational wave experiments, with alternative approaches based on the use of artificial intelligence techniques.
Gravitational Waves from a Quantum Field Theory Perspective (Lecture Notes in Physics #1013)
by Subhendra MohantyThis book treats the subject of gravitational waves (GWs) production in binary stars or black-holes and in the early universe, using tools of quantum field theory which are familiar to graduate students and researchers in particle physics. A special focus is given to the generation of templates of gravitational wave signals from Feynman diagram calculations of transition amplitudes, which interests active researchers in GWs. The book presents field theory concepts, like supersymmetry realized in spinning binaries and soft-graviton theorems, that can have practical applications in novel GW signals, like the memory effect. The book also aims at specialists in both GWs and particle physics addressing cosmological models of phase transition and inflation that can be tested in observations at terrestrial and space based interferometers, pulsar timing arrays, and the cosmic microwave anisotropy observations.
Gravitational Waves: A History of Discovery
by Hartmut GroteThe historic detection of gravitational waves on September 14, 2015, prompted by the highly energetic fusion of two black holes, has made events in the universe "audible" for the first time. This expansion of the scientific sensorium has opened a new chapter in astronomy and already led to, among others, fascinating new insights about the abundance of black holes, the collision of neutron stars, and the origin of heavy chemical elements. The history of this event, which is epochal for physics, is reconstructed in this book, along with a walk-through of the main principles of how the detectors operate and a discussion of how the search for gravitational waves is conducted. The book concludes with an update of the latest detections and developments to date and a brief look into the future of this exciting research field. This book is accessible to non-specialist readers from a general audience and is also an excellent introduction to the topic for undergraduates in physics. Features: Provides an introduction to the historic discovery of gravitational waves Explains the inner workings of the detectors and the search to find the waves hidden in the data Authored by a renowned specialist involved in the ground-breaking discovery Hartmut Grote is a Professor of physics at Cardiff University, UK. His main expertise is in experimental gravitational-wave physics, and he has worked on building and improving gravitational wave detectors for over 20 years. From 2009 to 2017, he was the scientific leader of the British-German gravitational-wave detector: GEO600.
Gravitational Waves: A New Window to the Universe
by Ajit Kembhavi Pushpa KhareGravitational waves were first predicted by Albert Einstein in 1916, a year after the development of his new theory of gravitation known as the general theory of relativity. This theory established gravitation as the curvature of space-time produced by matter and energy. To be discernible even to the most sensitive instruments on Earth, the waves have to be produced by immensely massive objects like black holes and neutron stars which are rotating around each other, or in the extreme situations which prevail in the very early ages of the Universe. This book presents the story of the prediction of gravitational waves by Albert Einstein, the early attempts to detect the waves, the development of the LIGO detector, the first detection in 2016, the subsequent detections and their implications. All concepts are described in some detail, without the use of any mathematics and advanced physics which are needed for a full understanding of the subject. The book also contains description of electromagnetism, Einstein’s special theory and general theory of relativity, white dwarfs, neutron stars and black holes and other concepts which are needed for understanding gravitational waves and their effects. Also described are the LIGO detectors and the cutting edge technology that goes into building them, and the extremely accurate measurements that are needed to detect gravitational waves. The book covers these ideas in a simple and lucid fashion which should be accessible to all interested readers. The first detection of gravitational waves was given a lot of space in the print and electronic media. So, the curiosity of the non-technical audience has been aroused about what gravitational waves really are and why they are so important. This book seeks to answer such questions.
Gravity Inversion and Integration
by Lars E. Sjöberg Mohammad BagherbandiThis book contains theory and applications of gravity both for physical geodesy and geophysics. It identifies classical and modern topics for studying the Earth. Worked-out examples illustrate basic but important concepts of the Earth's gravity field. In addition, coverage details the Geodetic Reference System 1980, a versatile tool in most applications of gravity data. The authors first introduce the necessary mathematics. They then review classic physical geodesy, including its integral formulas, height systems and their determinations. The next chapter presents modern physical geodesy starting with the original concepts of M. S. Molodensky. A major part of this chapter is a variety of modifying Stokes' formula for geoid computation by combining terrestrial gravity data and an Earth Gravitational Model. Coverage continues with a discussion that compares today's methods for modifying Stokes' formulas for geoid and quasigeoid determination, a description of several modern tools in physical geodesy, and a review of methods for gravity inversion as well as analyses for temporal changes of the gravity field. This book aims to broaden the view of scientists and students in geodesy and geophysics. With a focus on theory, it provides basic and some in-depth knowledge about the field from a geodesist's perspective.
Gravity, Cosmology, and Astrophysics: A Journey of Exploration and Discovery with Female Pioneers (Lecture Notes in Physics #1022)
by Betti Hartmann Jutta KunzThis book is a compilation of enlightening tutorial essays, showcasing the forefront of research by exceptional female scientists. This invaluable collection provides graduate students and researchers in the field with an engaging and pedagogical introduction to a wide range of compelling topics. Delve into the depths of theoretical and observational realms, exploring intriguing subjects including modified gravity models, quantum gravity, fields in curved space-time, particle dynamics, gravitational waves, and enigmatic black holes. Embracing both the theoretical foundations and the practical applications, this comprehensive edited volume offers an accessible and all-encompassing panorama of gravity and cosmology. Moreover, it shines a much-needed spotlight on the significant contributions made by remarkable women across the globe, fostering recognition and admiration for their indispensable role in shaping this ever-evolving field.
Gravity, Geoid and Earth Observation
by Stelios P. MertikasThese Proceedings include the written version of papers presented at the IAG International Symposium on "Gravity, Geoid and Earth Observation 2008". The Symposium was held in Chania, Crete, Greece, 23-27 June 2008 and organized by the Laboratory of Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering, Technical University of Crete, Greece. The meeting was arranged by the International Association of Geodesy and in particular by the IAG Commission 2: Gravity Field. The symposium aimed at bringing together geodesists and geophysicists working in the general areas of gravity, geoid, geodynamics and Earth observation. Besides covering the traditional research areas, special attention was paid to the use of geodetic methods for: Earth observation, environmental monitoring, Global Geodetic Observing System (GGOS), Earth Gravity Models (e.g., EGM08), geodynamics studies, dedicated gravity satellite missions (i.e., GOCE), airborne gravity surveys, Geodesy and geodynamics in polar regions, and the integration of geodetic and geophysical information.
Gravity, Geoid and Height Systems
by Urs MartiThis volumeyincludes a selection of papers presented at the IAG international symposium 'Gravity, Geoid and Height Systems 2012' (GGHS2012), which was organized by IAG Commission 2 ?Gravity Field? with the assistance of the International Gravity Field Service (IGFS) and GGOS Theme 1 ?Unified Global Height System'. The book summarizes the latest results on gravimetry and gravity networks, global gravity field modeling and applications, future gravity field missions. It provides a detailed compilation on advances in precise local and regional high-resolution geoid modeling, the establishment and unification of vertical reference systems, contributions to gravity field and mass transport modeling as well as articles on the gravity field of planetary bodies. "
Gravity, Positioning and Reference Frames: Proceedings of the IAG Symposia - GGHS2022: Gravity, Geoid, and Height Systems 2022, Austin, TX, United States of America, September 12 – 14, 2022; IAG Commission 4: Positioning and Applications, Potsdam, Germany, September 5 – 8, 2022; REFAG2022: Reference Frames for Applications in Geosciences, Thessaloniki, Greece, October 17 – 20, 2022 (International Association of Geodesy Symposia #156)
by Jeffrey T. Freymueller Laura SánchezThis open access volume contains a selection of papers presented at three different IAG Symposia held in 2022: GGHS2022 – Gravity, Geoid, and Height Systems 2022, Austin, TX, United States of America, September 12 – 14, 2022; IAG Commission 4 – Positioning and Applications, Potsdam, Germany, September 5 – 8, 2022; and REFAG2022 – Reference Frames for Applications in Geosciences, Thessaloniki, Greece, October 17 – 20, 2022. Two of these three conferences were planned for 2020 or 2021, but had to be postponed due to the COVID19 pandemic. They therefore became an important opportunity for the global geodesy community to rebuild professional networks and to resume face-to-face interaction. Scientists from around the world were delighted to once again gather together to present their research progress and findings, and discuss scientific issues.
Gravity, a Geometrical Course
by Pietro Giuseppe Frè'Gravity, a Geometrical Course' presents general relativity (GR) in a systematic and exhaustive way, covering three aspects that are homogenized into a single texture: i) the mathematical, geometrical foundations, exposed in a self consistent contemporary formalism, ii) the main physical, astrophysical and cosmological applications, updated to the issues of contemporary research and observations, with glimpses on supergravity and superstring theory, iii) the historical development of scientific ideas underlying both the birth of general relativity and its subsequent evolution. The book is divided in two volumes. Volume Two is covers black holes, cosmology and an introduction to supergravity. The aim of this volume is two-fold. It completes the presentation of GR and it introduces the reader to theory of gravitation beyond GR, which is supergravity. Starting with a short history of the black hole concept, the book covers the Kruskal extension of the Schwarzschild metric, the causal structures of Lorentzian manifolds, Penrose diagrams and a detailed analysis of the Kerr-Newman metric. An extensive historical account of the development of modern cosmology is followed by a detailed presentation of its mathematical structure, including non-isotropic cosmologies and billiards, de Sitter space and inflationary scenarios, perturbation theory and anisotropies of the Cosmic Microwave Background. The last three chapters deal with the mathematical and conceptual foundations of supergravity in the frame of free differential algebras. Branes are presented both as classical solutions of the bulk theory and as world-volume gauge theories with particular emphasis on the geometrical interpretation of kappa-supersymmetry. The rich bestiary of special geometries underlying supergravity lagrangians is presented, followed by a chapter providing glances on the equally rich collection of special solutions of supergravity. Pietro Frè is Professor of Theoretical Physics at the University of Torino, Italy and is currently serving as Scientific Counsellor of the Italian Embassy in Moscow. His scientific passion lies in supergravity and all allied topics, since the inception of the field, in 1976. He was professor at SISSA, worked in the USA and at CERN. He has taught General Relativity for 15 years. He has previously two scientific monographs, "Supergravity and Superstrings" and "The N=2 Wonderland", He is also the author of a popular science book on cosmology and two novels, in Italian.
Gravity, a Geometrical Course: Development of the Theory and Basic Physical Applications
by Pietro Giuseppe Frè'Gravity, a Geometrical Course' presents general relativity (GR) in a systematic and exhaustive way, covering three aspects that are homogenized into a single texture: i) the mathematical, geometrical foundations, exposed in a self consistent contemporary formalism, ii) the main physical, astrophysical and cosmological applications, updated to the issues of contemporary research and observations, with glimpses on supergravity and superstring theory, iii) the historical development of scientific ideas underlying both the birth of general relativity and its subsequent evolution. The book, divided in two volumes, is a rich resource for graduate students and those who wish to gain a deep knowledge of the subject without an instructor. Volume One is dedicated to the development of the theory and basic physical applications. It guides the reader from the foundation of special relativity to Einstein field equations, illustrating some basic applications in astrophysics. A detailed account of the historical and conceptual development of the theory is combined with the presentation of its mathematical foundations. Differentiable manifolds, fibre-bundles, differential forms, and the theory of connections are covered, with a sketchy introduction to homology and cohomology. (Pseudo)-Riemannian geometry is presented both in the metric and in the vielbein approach. Physical applications include the motions in a Schwarzschild field leading to the classical tests of GR (light-ray bending and periastron advance) discussion of relativistic stellar equilibrium, white dwarfs, Chandrasekhar mass limit and polytropes. An entire chapter is devoted to tests of GR and to the indirect evidence of gravitational wave emission. The formal structure of gravitational theory is at all stages compared with that of non gravitational gauge theories, as a preparation to its modern extension, namely supergravity, discussed in the second volume. Pietro Frè is Professor of Theoretical Physics at the University of Torino, Italy and is currently serving as Scientific Counsellor of the Italian Embassy in Moscow. His scientific passion lies in supergravity and all allied topics, since the inception of the field, in 1976. He was professor at SISSA, worked in the USA and at CERN. He has taught General Relativity for 15 years. He has previously two scientific monographs, "Supergravity and Superstrings" and "The N=2 Wonderland", He is also the author of a popular science book on cosmology and two novels, in Italian.
Gravity: A Ladybird Expert Book
by Jim Al-KhaliliHow does gravity work? Learn from the experts in the ALL-NEW LADYBIRD EXPERT SERIESDiscover the vast and momentus effects of this profound force on the world around us, written by celebrated physicist and broadcaster Jim Al-Khalili.Inside you will learn:- What is Gravity?- How does it work?- And why are there extreme gravitational environments?Above all, discover how gravity controls the shape of space and the passage of time itself, influencing the history and destiny of the entire Universe.IT'S SO MUCH MORE THAN 'WHAT GOES UP MUST COME DOWN.'Gravity is a fascinating and authoritative introduction to a phenomenon as familiar to us as breathing.Learn about other topics in the Ladybird Experts series including The Big Bang, Quantum Physics, Climate Change and Evolution.
Gray to Green Communities: A Call to Action on the Housing and Climate Crises
by Dana BourlandIn Gray to Green Communities, green affordable housing expert Dana Bourland argues that we need to move away from a traditional gray housing model, to a green housing model, which considers the health and well-being of residents, their communities, and the planet.Bourland draws from her experience leading the Green Communities Program at Enterprise Community Partners, which resulted in the first standard for green affordable housing.The book opens with the potential of green affordable housing, followed by the problems that it is helping to solve, challenges in the approach that need to be overcome, and recommendations for the future of green affordable housing. Gray to Green Communities brings together stories from the people and projects of the Green Communities' program.Gray to Green Communities will empower and inspire anyone interested in the future of housing and our planet.