This book contains the proceedings of the NATO Advanced Research Workshop on Air, Water and Soil Quality Modelling for Risk and Impact Assessment. The aim of the workshop was to further joint environmental compartment modelling and applications of control theory to environmental management. It provides an overview of ongoing research in this field regarding assessment of environmental risks and impacts.
This book contains the proceedings of the NATO Advanced Research Workshop on Air, Water and Soil Quality Modelling for Risk and Impact Assessment. The aim of the workshop was to further joint environmental compartment modelling and applications of control theory to environmental management. It provides an overview of ongoing research in this field regarding assessment of environmental risks and impacts.
Covering a series of important topics, which are of current research interest and have practical applications, this book examines all aspects of risk analysis and hazard mitigation, ranging from specific assessment of risk to mitigation associated with both natural and anthropogenic hazards. Originally presented at the Fifth International Conference on Computer Simulation in Risk Analysis and Hazard Mitigation, the papers cover topics such as: Risk Mitigation; Estimation of Risk; Hazard Prevention; Management and Control; Data Collection and Analysis; Information Society Technologies in Risk; Man-made Risk; Seismic Hazard; Marine and Maritime Risk; Landslides and Slope Movements; Floods and Droughts; Soil, Water and Air Contamination; Health Issues; Policy and Decision Making; Risk and Sustainability and Operational Issues such as Energy Response; Risk Communication; Risk Perception.
Oxides and acids of nitrogen play an important role in regulating atmospheric radical levels, in particular, that of the OH radical the main initiator of the degradation of chemicals in the atmosphere. A comprehensive overview on the methods used to measure nitrogen oxides and acids in the troposphere is given and difficulties and artefacts associated with the use of the techniques for measurements in urban and mega city environments is illustrated. State-of-the-art methods for the measurement of OH and HO2 radicals are reviewed and recently recognised difficulties, in particular with the measurement of HO2 radicals, are highlighted. Other contributions to the book cover our present understanding of the gas, aqueous and particulate/aerosol phase atmospheric degradation chemistry of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) under NOx conditions typical of rural, urban and mega city environments. Examples of measurements of NOx and VOCs in the atmospheres of these environments are given, in particular for the megacities Cairo and Beijing, in conjunction with modelling studies which attempt to simulate the field observations using state-of-the art knowledge on the chemistry of the VOCs and radical levels.
High air pollution levels pose a significant threat to plants, animals and human beings. Efforts by researchers are directed towards keeping air pollution levels below well defined ‘critical‘ levels in order to maintain a sustainable atmosphere and environmental system. The application of advanced mathematical models is important for researchers to achieve this goal as efficiently as possible. Mathematical models can be used to predict answers to many important questions about the environment. This application comes with several complex theoretical and practical obstacles which need to be resolved. A successfully applicable mathematical model needs to enable researchers to • Mathematically describe all important physical and chemical processes. • Apply fast and sufficiently accurate numerical methods. • Ensure that the model runs efficiently on modern high speed computers. • Use high quality input data, both meteorological data and emission inventories, in the runs. • Verify the model results by comparing them with reliable measurements taken in different parts of the spatial domain of the model. • Carry out long series of sensitivity experiments to check the response of the model to changes of different key parameters. • Visualize and animate the output results in order to make them easily understandable even to non-specialists. This monograph thoroughly describes mathematical methods useful for various situations in environmental modeling - including finite difference methods, splitting methods, parallel computation, etc. - and provides a framework for resolving problems posed in relation to the points listed above. Chapters are written by well-known specialists making this book a handy reference for researchers, university teachers and students working and studying in the areas of air pollution, meteorology, applied mathematics and computer science.
This book provides a critical understanding of the challenges that exist in protecting the local and global environment through compliance efforts using existing environmental regulations. The best compliance measures with the most useful regulations from over 50 countries are surveyed and are combined with science-based quantitative analysis of geology, hydrogeology, and the chemistry of contaminants from anthropogenic sources. The results are presented as a model that establishes a means by which protection of the environment can be greatly improved. This is accomplished through a deeper understanding of our natural world and how anthropogenic activities and their management affect our planet. Features The first book that examines the successes of environmental regulation worldwide and highlights the areas that need improvement Presents a tested and verified scientific model for enhanced environmental protection with scalability from local parcels to global levels Describes and integrates the importance of understanding the geologic and hydrogeologic environment of urban and developed areas Explains the importance of understanding the different types of pollution and their behavior in the environment Identifies the need for consistency in banning chemicals that are harmful in not just one country but throughout the world
In this authoritative book, leading international experts examine the use of scenario analyses and modelling in environmental assessments. Including chapters with a global or regional focus as well as in-depth case studies from Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North and South America, contributors analyse the latest research on the applications of scenarios and models and explore the opportunities and challenges in using them for policy relevant research and action.
This book is open access under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license. This revised, updated textbook presents a systems approach to the planning, management, and operation of water resources infrastructure in the environment. Previously published in 2005 by UNESCO and Deltares (Delft Hydraulics at the time), this new edition, written again with contributions from Jery R. Stedinger, Jozef P. M. Dijkman, and Monique T. Villars, is aimed equally at students and professionals. It introduces readers to the concept of viewing issues involving water resources as a system of multiple interacting components and scales. It offers guidelines for initiating and carrying out water resource system planning and management projects. It introduces alternative optimization, simulation, and statistical methods useful for project identification, design, siting, operation and evaluation and for studying post-planning issues. The authors cover both basin-wide and urban water issues and present ways of identifying and evaluating alternatives for addressing multiple-purpose and multi-objective water quantity and quality management challenges. Reinforced with cases studies, exercises, and media supplements throughout, the text is ideal for upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses in water resource planning and management as well as for practicing planners and engineers in the field.
These are the proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Engineering Sciences and Technologies (ESaT 2016), held from 29th of June until the 1st of July 2016 in the scenic High Tatras Mountains, Tatranské Matliare, Slovak Republic. After the successful implementation and excellent feedback of the first international conference ESaT 2015, ESaT 2016 was organized under the auspices of the Faculty of Civil Engineering, Technical University of Košice, Slovak Republic in collaboration with the University of Miskolc, Hungary. The conference focused on a wide spectrum of topics and subject areas in civil engineering sciences. The proceedings bringing new and original advances and trends in various fields of engineering sciences and technologies that accost a wide range of academics, scientists, researchers and professionals from universities and practice. The authors of the articles originate from different countries around the world guaranteeing the importance, topicality, quality and level of presented results.
