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Precious Stones, Vol. 1
by Max BauerThis classic study begins with a general analysis of precious stones followed by descriptions of their cutting and mounting and the ways in which their value and authenticity are assessed. The remainder of this volume focuses on the diamond: its characteristics; its natural occurrences and artificial production; and its use in jewelry. 52 figures.
The Precipice: Existential Risk and the Future of Humanity
by Toby OrdThis urgent and eye-opening book makes the case that protecting humanity's future is the central challenge of our time. If all goes well, human history is just beginning. Our species could survive for billions of years - enough time to end disease, poverty, and injustice, and to flourish in ways unimaginable today. But this vast future is at risk. With the advent of nuclear weapons, humanity entered a new age, where we face existential catastrophes - those from which we could never come back. Since then, these dangers have only multiplied, from climate change to engineered pathogens and artificial intelligence. If we do not act fast to reach a place of safety, it will soon be too late. Drawing on over a decade of research, The Precipice explores the cutting-edge science behind the risks we face. It puts them in the context of the greater story of humanity: showing how ending these risks is among the most pressing moral issues of our time. And it points the way forward, to the actions and strategies that can safeguard humanity. An Oxford philosopher committed to putting ideas into action, Toby Ord has advised the US National Intelligence Council, the UK Prime Minister's Office, and the World Bank on the biggest questions facing humanity. In The Precipice, he offers a startling reassessment of human history, the future we are failing to protect, and the steps we must take to ensure that our generation is not the last.
Precipitation Modeling and Quantitative Analysis
by Xiaofan Li Shouting GaoThe book examines surface rainfall processes through cloud-resolving modeling and quantitative analysis of surface rainfall budget and summarizes modeling and analysis results in recent seven years. The book shows validation of precipitation modeling against observations and derives a set of diagnostic precipitation equations. The book provides detailed discussions of the applications of precipitation equations to the examination of effects of sea surface temperature, vertical wind shear, radiation, and ice clouds on torrential rainfall processes in the tropics and mid-latitudes, and to the studies of sensitivity of precipitation modeling to uncertainty of the initial conditions and to the estimate of precipitation efficiency. The book can be used as a text book for graduate students and will be beneficial to researchers and forecasters for precipitation process studies and operational forecasts.
Precipitation Partitioning by Vegetation: A Global Synthesis
by A. Bagus TyassetaThis book presents research on precipitation partitioning processes in vegetated ecosystems, putting them into a global context. It describes the processes by which meteoric water comes into contact with the vegetation's canopy, typically the first surface contact of precipitation on land. It also discusses how precipitation partitioning by vegetation impacts the amount, patterning, and chemistry of water reaching the surface, as well as the amount and timing of evaporative return to the atmosphere. Although this process has been extensively studied, this is the first review of the global literature on the partitioning of precipitation by forests, shrubs, crops, grasslands and other less-studies plant types. The authors offer global contextualization combined with a detailed discussion of the impacts for the climate and terrestrial ecohydrological systems. As such, this comprehensive overview is a valuable reference tool for a wide range of specialists and students in the fields of geoscience and the environment.
Precision Agriculture for Sustainability and Environmental Protection (Earthscan Food and Agriculture)
by Margaret A. Oliver Thomas F. A. Bishop Ben P. MarchantPrecision agriculture (PA) involves the application of technologies and agronomic principles to manage spatial and temporal variation associated with all aspects of agricultural production in order to improve crop performance and environmental quality. The focus of this book is to introduce a non-specialist audience to the the role of PA in food security, environmental protection, and sustainable use of natural resources, as well as its economic benefits. The technologies covered include yield monitors and remote sensing, and the key agronomic principles addressed are the optimal delivery of fertilizers, water and pesticides to crops only when and where these are required. As a result, it is shown that both food production and resource efficiency can be maximized, without waste or damage to the environment, such as can occur from excessive fertilizer or pesticide applications. The authors of necessity describe some technicalities about PA, but the overall aim is to introduce readers who are unfamiliar with PA to this very broad subject and to demonstrate the potential impact of PA on the environment and economy. Chapter 3 of this book is freely available as a downloadable Open Access PDF under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 3.0 license. https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/tandfbis/rt-files/docs/Open+Access+Chapters/9780415504409_oaChapter_3.pdf
Precision Crop Protection - the Challenge and Use of Heterogeneity
by Erich-Christian Oerke Gunter Menz Richard A. Sikora Roland GerhardsPrecision farming is an agricultural management system using global navigation satellite systems, geographic information systems, remote sensing, and data management systems for optimizing the use of nutrients, water, seed, pesticides and energy in heterogeneous field situations. This book provides extensive information on the state-of-the-art of research on precision crop protection and recent developments in site-specific application technologies for the management of weeds, arthropod pests, pathogens and nematodes. It gives the reader an up-to-date and in-depth review of both basic and applied research developments. The chapters discuss I) biology and epidemiology of pests, II) new sensor technologies, III) applications of multi-scale sensor systems, IV) sensor detection of pests in growing crops, V) spatial and non-spatial data management, VI) impact of pest heterogeneity and VII) precise mechanical and chemical pest control.
Precision in Crop Farming: Applications and Results
by Hermann HeegeHigh yields and environmental control in crop farming call for precise adaptations to local growing conditions. Treating large fields in a uniform way by high capacity machinery cannot be regarded as a sustainable method for many situations. Because differences existing within single fields must be considered. The transition from former field work carried out manually or by small implements to present-day high-capacity machinery caused that the farmers lost the immediate and close contact with soils and crops. However, modern sensing and controlling technology can make up for this deficit. High tech methods that include proximal sensing and signals from satellites can provide for controls that allow adjusting farming operations to small fractions of one ha and sometimes even down to some m2, hence in a site-specific mode. This applies to operations for soil cultivation, sowing, fertilizing and plant protection. This book deals with site-specific concepts, applications and results.
Precision Positioning with Commercial Smartphones in Urban Environments (EAI/Springer Innovations in Communication and Computing)
by Sara PaivaThis book discusses recent technologies and case studies that aim to enhance positioning obtained with commercial smartphones in urban environments, overcoming difficulties with GPS. The authors provide insight into recent trends and innovation on technologies, solutions and approaches to overcome GPS issues in urban environments, due to the existence of a big number of buildings. Topics include security and legal aspects related to positioning systems, the usage of crowdsourcing approaches to enhance positioning, location-based services, proximity based-social networking, satellite navigation and Bluetooth low-energy based systems. The book provides important information for developers that intend to make use of precise positioning for the purpose of commercial applications as well as for research and innovation.Discusses technologies that enhance positioning obtained with commercial smartphones in urban environments;Presents innovations to overcome GPS issues in urban environments caused by dense cities;Includes applications of precise positioning, including their security issues and challenges.
The Predator Paradox
by John ShivikAn expert in wildlife management tells the stories of those who are finding new ways for humans and mammalian predators to coexist. Stories of backyard bears and cat-eating coyotes are becoming increasingly common--even for people living in non-rural areas. Farmers anxious to protect their sheep from wolves aren't the only ones concerned: suburbanites and city dwellers are also having more unwanted run-ins with mammalian predators. And that might not be a bad thing. After all, our government has been at war with wildlife since 1914, and the death toll has been tremendous: federal agents kill a combined ninety thousand wolves, bears, coyotes, and cougars every year, often with dubious biological effectiveness. Only recently have these species begun to recover. Given improved scientific understanding and methods, can we continue to slow the slaughter and allow populations of mammalian predators to resume their positions as keystone species? As carnivore populations increase, however, their proximity to people, pets, and livestock leads to more conflict, and we are once again left to negotiate the uneasy terrain between elimination and conservation. In The Predator Paradox, veteran wildlife management expert John Shivik argues that we can end the war while still preserving and protecting these key species as fundamental components of healthy ecosystems. By reducing almost sole reliance on broad scale "death from above" tactics and by incorporating nonlethal approaches to managing wildlife--from electrified flagging to motion-sensor lights--we can dismantle the paradox, have both people and predators on the landscape, and ensure the long-term survival of both. As the boundary between human and animal habitat blurs, preventing human-wildlife conflict depends as much on changing animal behavior as on changing our own perceptions, attitudes, and actions. To that end, Shivik focuses on the facts, mollifies fears, and presents a variety of tools and tactics for consideration. Blending the science of the wild with entertaining and dramatic storytelling, Shivik's clear-eyed pragmatism allows him to appeal to both sides of the debate, while arguing for the possibility of coexistence: between ranchers and environmentalists, wildlife managers and animal-welfare activists, and humans and animals.
Predictability of Chaotic Dynamics: A Finite-time Lyapunov Exponents Approach (Springer Series in Synergetics)
by Juan C. Vallejo Miguel A. SanjuanThis book is primarily concerned with the computational aspects of predictability of dynamical systems - in particular those where observations, modeling and computation are strongly interdependent. Unlike with physical systems under control in laboratories, in astronomy it is uncommon to have the possibility of altering the key parameters of the studied objects. Therefore, the numerical simulations offer an essential tool for analysing these systems, and their reliability is of ever-increasing interest and importance. In this interdisciplinary scenario, the underlying physics provide the simulated models, nonlinear dynamics provides their chaoticity and instability properties, and the computer sciences provide the actual numerical implementation. This book introduces and explores precisely this link between the models and their predictability characterization based on concepts derived from the field of nonlinear dynamics, with a focus on the strong sensitivity to initial conditions and the use of Lyapunov exponents to characterize this sensitivity. This method is illustrated using several well-known continuous dynamical systems, such as the Contopoulos, Hénon-Heiles and Rössler systems. This second edition revises and significantly enlarges the material of the first edition by providing new entry points for discussing new predictability issues on a variety of areas such as machine decision-making, partial differential equations or the analysis of attractors and basins. Finally, the parts of the book devoted to the application of these ideas to astronomy have been greatly enlarged, by first presenting some basics aspects of predictability in astronomy and then by expanding these ideas to a detailed analysis of a galactic potential.
Predicting Flow-Induced Acoustics at Near-Stall Conditions in an Automotive Turbocharger Compressor
by Roberto Navarro GarcíaThis thesis offers new insights into the fluid flow behavior of automotive centrifugal compressors operating under near-stall conditions. Firstly it discusses the validation of three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) unsteady simulations against acoustic experimental measurements using an original procedure based on plane wave pressure decomposition. It then examines the configuration of the CFD cases, highlighting the key parameters needed for a successful calculation. Moreover, it describes both the compressor mean and unsteady flow field from best-efficiency to near-surge operating points. Lastly, it provides readers with explanations of the various phenomena that arise when the mass flow rate is reduced and the compressor is driven to poor and noisy performance. Written for students, researchers and professionals who want to improve their understanding of the complex fluid flow behavior in centrifugal compressors, the thesis offers valuable practical insights into reducing the acoustic emissions of turbochargers.
Predicting Outcomes of Investments in Maintenance and Repair of Federal Facilities
by Committee on Predicting Outcomes of Investments in Maintenance Repair for Federal Facilities"Challenging. . . The real value of this book is in Mr. Hacker's calm, analytical eye, his unblinking view of American history and his unwillingness to accept cant and 'common sense' as facts. " --Tom Wicker The New York Times Book Review Why does race remain America's deepest and most enduring division? Despite all efforts to increase understanding and expand opportunities, black and white Americans still lead separate lives, continually marked by tension and hostility. In his bestselling analysis of a divided society, Andrew Hacker explains why racial disparities persist. He clarifies the meaning of racism, conflicting theories of superiority and equality, as well as such subtle factors as guilt and sexual fears. Using completely updated statistical data to paint the stark picture of racial inequality, Two Nations depicts the realities of family life, of income and employment, as well as current controversies affecting education, politics, and crime, including the role of race in the Simpson trial. This startling look at the facts that so many choose to ignore is balanced by the voices of African Americans, and shows how race influences the attitudes and behavior of all Americans. Reasoned, accurate, and devastating, Two Nations demonstrates, better than emotional appeals can, how this great and dividing issue has defined America's history and, as Hacker forecasts it, will play a pivotal role in the coming century. "Provocatively enlightening. . . Probably the most candid book on present day American racism to be written in the 20th century. " --Claude Brown Author of Manchild in the Promised Land "A telling portrait of American life. . . of the very different ways the two races live. . . The numbers are stark and irrefutable. " --The Wall Street Journal EXPANDED AND UPDATED EDITION -- Including a new chapter on the O. J. trial
Predicting the Future
by Henry AbarbanelThrough the development of an exact path integral for use in transferring information from observations to a model of the observed system, the author provides a general framework for the discussion of model building and evaluation across disciplines. Through many illustrative examples drawn from models in neuroscience, geosciences, and nonlinear electrical circuits, the concepts are exemplified in detail. Practical numerical methods for approximate evaluations of the path integral are explored, and their use in designing experiments and determining a model's consistency with observations is explored.
Predicting the Unpredictable
by Susan HoughAn earthquake can strike without warning and wreak horrific destruction and death, whether it's the cataclysmic 2008 Sichuan quake in China that killed tens of thousands or a future great earthquake on the San Andreas Fault in California, which scientists know is inevitable. Yet despite rapid advances in earthquake science, seismologists still can't predict when the Big One will hit. Predicting the Unpredictable is the first book to explain why, exploring the fact and fiction behind the science--and pseudoscience--of earthquake prediction. Susan Hough traces the continuing quest by seismologists to forecast the time, location, and magnitude of future quakes--a quest fraught with controversies, spectacular failures, and occasional apparent successes. She brings readers into the laboratory and out into the field with the pioneers who have sought to develop reliable methods based on observable phenomena such as small earthquake patterns and electromagnetic signals. Hough describes attempts that have raised hopes only to collapse under scrutiny, as well as approaches that seem to hold future promise. She recounts stories of strange occurrences preceding massive quakes, such as changes in well water levels and mysterious ground fogs. She also ventures to the fringes of pseudoscience to consider ideas outside the scientific mainstream, from the enduring belief that animals can sense impending earthquakes to amateur YouTube videos purporting to show earthquake lights prior to large quakes. This book is an entertaining and accessible foray into the world of earthquake prediction, one that illuminates the unique challenges of predicting the unpredictable.
Predicting the Unpredictable: The Tumultuous Science of Earthquake Prediction
by Susan Elizabeth HoughAn earthquake can strike without warning and wreak horrific destruction and death, whether it's the catastrophic 2010 quake that took a devastating toll on the island nation of Haiti or a future great earthquake on the San Andreas Fault in California, which scientists know is inevitable. Yet despite rapid advances in earthquake science, seismologists still can't predict when the Big One will hit. Predicting the Unpredictable explains why, exploring the fact and fiction behind the science--and pseudoscience--of earthquake prediction. Susan Hough traces the continuing quest by seismologists to forecast the time, location, and magnitude of future quakes. She brings readers into the laboratory and out into the field--describing attempts that have raised hopes only to collapse under scrutiny, as well as approaches that seem to hold future promise. She also ventures to the fringes of pseudoscience to consider ideas outside the scientific mainstream. An entertaining and accessible foray into the world of earthquake prediction, Predicting the Unpredictable illuminates the unique challenges of predicting earthquakes.
Prediction and Control of Interaction Between Ground Building and Tunnel Construction Process
by Dan Meng Changfeng Yuan Guangming YuThis book covers tunnel construction and building construction and design. It has two parts. Part one is for the engineering practice of the subway tunnel through the base of the building in typical geological conditions, to study the mechanism and law of building damage caused by stratum deformation by in-situ monitoring, numerical simulation and theoretical analysis methods. At the same time, the risk management of subway tunnel through the bottom of the building is discussed. Second part, in view of the excavation and unloading of the foundation pit and the main structure loading in the process of high-rise building construction, discusses optimization of the construction scheme, systematic evaluation of the safety of the existing tunnel and control measures combined with the engineering practice. This book provides a valuable contribution to the field of tunnel construction and design and construction of building for both the engineering experts and graduate students as well.
Prediction And Performance In Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering
by Giovanni BarlaA collection of conference proceedings on rock mechanics and rock engineering covering such topics as: foundations of dams, bridges and large structures; mining structures; formulation of geotechnical models; rock mass characterization; and recent advances in modelling.
Predictive Analytics in Smart Agriculture
by Saravanan Krishnan A. Jose Anand Narayanan Prasanth Sam Goundar Christo AnanthPredictive Analysis in Smart Agricultureexplores computational engineering techniques and applications in agriculture development. Recent technologies such as cloud computing, IoT, big data, and machine learning are focused on for smart agricultural engineering. The book also provides a case-oriented approach for IoT-based agricultural systems.This book deals with all aspects of smart agriculture with state-of-the-art predictive analysis in the complete 360-degree view spectrum. The book includes the concepts of urban and vertical farming using Agro IoT systems and renewable energy sources for modern agriculture trends. It discusses the real-world challenges, complexities in Agro IoT, and advantages of incorporating smart technology. It also presents the rapid advancement of the technologies in the existing Agri model by applying the various techniques. Novel architectural solutions in smart agricultural engineering are the core aspects of this book. Several predictive analysis tools and smart agriculture are also incorporated.This book can be used as a textbook for students in predictive analysis, agriculture engineering, precision farming, and smart agriculture. It can also be a reference book for practicing professionals in cloud computing, IoT, big data, machine learning, and deep learning working on smart agriculture applications.
Predictive Species and Habitat Modeling in Landscape Ecology
by Falk Huettmann Yolanda F. Wiersma C. Ashton DrewMost projects in Landscape Ecology, at some point, define a species-habitat association. These models are inherently spatial, dealing with landscapes and their configurations. Whether coding behavioral rules for dispersal of simulated organisms through simulated landscapes, or designing the sampling extent of field surveys and experiments in real landscapes, landscape ecologists must make assumptions about how organisms experience and utilize the landscape. These convenient working postulates allow modelers to project the model in time and space, yet rarely are they explicitly considered. The early years of landscape ecology necessarily focused on the evolution of effective data sources, metrics, and statistical approaches that could truly capture the spatial and temporal patterns and processes of interest. Now that these tools are well established, we reflect on the ecological theories that underpin the assumptions commonly made during species distribution modeling and mapping. This is crucial for applying models to questions of global sustainability. Due to the inherent use of GIS for much of this kind of research, and as several authors' research involves the production of multicolored map figures, there would be an 8-page color insert. Additional color figures could be made available through a digital archive, or by cost contributions of the chapter authors. Where applicable, would be relevant chapters' GIS data and model code available through a digital archive. The practice of data and code sharing is becoming standard in GIS studies, is an inherent method of this book, and will serve to add additional research value to the book for both academic and practitioner audiences.
Prehistoric Life (A Whole World of... #1)
by Anna ClaybourneGet lost in the diverse and bustling world of prehistoric life - with more to explore than you ever imagined!A Whole World of Prehistoric Life presents the stunning breadth of animal and plant varieties that filled prehistoric Earth. Which types of animal could swim or fly? When did flowers start appearing? Where do the dinosaurs fit into all of it? Which living things look familiar, and which look absolutely alien? This book has the answers and so many more facts filling the beautifully illustrated pages.A Whole World of is a book series looking at the extraordinary diversity of life on Earth - the defining features and evolutionary branches - and encourages readers age 7 and up to consider why it is important to maintain biodiversity. Written by award-winning author, Anna Claybourne, with artwork by award-winning illustrator, Yekyung Kwon.Books in the series:A Whole World of Mammals/A Whole World of Prehistoric Life/A Whole World of Minibeasts/A Whole World of Birds/A Whole World of Rocks and Minerals/A Whole World of Plants and Fungi
Prehistoric Life: The Definitive Visual History of Life on Earth
by Dorling Kindersley Publishing StaffWith an extensive catalog at its heart, Prehistoric Life profiles hundreds of fascinating species in incredible detail. The story starts in earnest 3.8 billion years ago, with the earliest-known form of life on Earth, a bacteria that still exists today, and journeys through action-packed millennia, charting the appearance of new life forms as well as devastating extinction events. Of course, the ever-popular and endlessly intriguing dinosaurs feature large, but Prehistoric Life gives you the whole picture, and the plants, invertebrates, amphibians, birds, reptiles, and mammals that are the ancestors of today's species also populate its pages, making this book unprecedented in its coverage of prehistory. <P><P>Specially commissioned artworks use cutting-edge technology to render species in breathtakingly realistic fashion, with astonishing images of prehistoric remains, such as skeletons and fossils, to complete the story. To put all the evidence in context, the concept of geological time is explored, as is the classification of species and how the evidence for their evolution is preserved and can be deciphered.
Prehistoric Maritime Cultures and Seafaring in East Asia (The Archaeology of Asia-Pacific Navigation #1)
by Chunming Wu Barry Vladimir RolettThis book focuses on prehistoric East Asian maritime cultures that pre-dated the Maritime Silk Road, the "Four Seas" and "Four Oceans" navigation system recorded in historical documents of ancient China. Origins of the Maritime Silk Road can be traced to prosperous Neolithic and Metal Age maritime-oriented cultures dispersed along the coastlines of prehistoric China and Southeast Asia.The topics explored here include Neolithisation and the development of prehistoric maritime cultures during the Neolithic and early Metal Age; the expansion and interaction of these cultures along coastlines and across straits; the "two-layer" hypothesis for explaining genetic and cultural diversity in south China and Southeast Asia; prehistoric seafaring and early sea routes; the paleogeography and vegetation history of coastal regions; Neolithic maritime livelihoods based on hunting/fishing/foraging adaptations; rice and millet cultivation and their dispersal along the coast and across the open sea; and interaction between farmers and maritime-oriented hunter/fisher/foragers. In addition, a series of case studies enhances understanding of the development of prehistoric navigation and the origin of the Maritime Silk Road in the Asia-Pacific region.
Prehistoric Native Americans And Ecological Change: Human Ecosystems In Eastern North America Since The Pleistocene
by Paul A. Delcourt Hazel R. DelcourtThere has long been controversy between ecologists and archaeologists over the role of prehistoric Native Americans as agents of ecological change. Using ecological and archaeological data from the woodlands of eastern North America, Paul and Hazel Delcourt show that Holocene human ecosystems are complex adaptive systems in which humans have interacted with the environment on a series of spatial and time scales. Their work therefore has important implications for the conservation of biological diversity and for ecological restoration today, making it of great interest to ecologists and archaeologists alike.
Prehistoric River Saraswati, Western India
by K. S. ValdiyaThis book portrays the Himalayan-born River Saraswati, a legendary river that was the lifeline of a progressive and vibrant society for more than three thousand years. Written in simple language and richly illustrated, it highlights the events that resulted in the robbing of the Saraswati of its water and the end of a wonderful culture. The author weaves a geological narrative out of a mass of data generated by explorers, archaeologists, sedimentologists, geohydrologist, seismologists and remote-sensing specialists. The story explains how a great Himalayan river disappeared and how the Harappan Civilization vanished from the banks of the river Saraswati more than three and half thousand years ago in the wake of tectonic upheavals in the foothills of the Himalaya at a time when the rainfall had drastically declined. And it reveals that nowadays the Saraswati is an extraordinary wide water-less channel coursing through the vast but dry floodplain in western India.
The Prehistory of Rapa Nui: Towards an Integrative Interdisciplinary Framework (Developments in Paleoenvironmental Research #22)
by Valentí Rull Christopher M. StevensonThis book addresses the main enigmas of Easter Island’s (Rapa Nui, in the Polynesian language) prehistory from the time of initial settlement to European contact with a multidisciplinary perspective. The main topics include: (i) the time of first settlement and the origin of the first settlers; (ii) the main features of prehistoric Rapanui culture and their changes; (iii) the deforestation of the island and its timing and causes; (iv) the extinction of the indigenous biota, (v) the occurrence of climatic shifts and their potential effects on socioecological trends; (vi) the evidence for a cultural and demographic collapse before European contact; and (vii) the influence of Europeans on prehistoric Rapanui society. The book is subdivided into thematic sections and each chapter is written by renowned specialists in disciplines such as archaeology, anthropology, paleoecology, ethnography, linguistics, ethnobotany, phylogenetics/phylogeography and history. Contributors have been invited to provide an open and objective vision that includes as many views as possible on the topics considered. In this way, the readers may be able to compare different of points of view and make their own interpretations on each of the subjects considered. The book is intended for a wide audience including graduate students, advanced undergraduate students, university teachers and researchers interested in the subject. Given its multidisciplinary character and the topics included, the book is suitable for students and researchers from a wide range of disciplines and interests.