Responding to Oil Spills in the U.S. Arctic Marine Environment

Responding to Oil Spills in the U.S. Arctic Marine Environment

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2014-08-01

Total Pages: 350

ISBN-13: 030929889X

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

U.S. Arctic waters north of the Bering Strait and west of the Canadian border encompass a vast area that is usually ice covered for much of the year, but is increasingly experiencing longer periods and larger areas of open water due to climate change. Sparsely inhabited with a wide variety of ecosystems found nowhere else, this region is vulnerable to damage from human activities. As oil and gas, shipping, and tourism activities increase, the possibilities of an oil spill also increase. How can we best prepare to respond to such an event in this challenging environment? Responding to Oil Spills in the U.S. Arctic Marine Environment reviews the current state of the science regarding oil spill response and environmental assessment in the Arctic region north of the Bering Strait, with emphasis on the potential impacts in U.S. waters. This report describes the unique ecosystems and environment of the Arctic and makes recommendations to provide an effective response effort in these challenging conditions. According to Responding to Oil Spills in the U.S. Arctic Marine Environment, a full range of proven oil spill response technologies is needed in order to minimize the impacts on people and sensitive ecosystems. This report identifies key oil spill research priorities, critical data and monitoring needs, mitigation strategies, and important operational and logistical issues. The Arctic acts as an integrating, regulating, and mediating component of the physical, atmospheric and cryospheric systems that govern life on Earth. Not only does the Arctic serve as regulator of many of the Earth's large-scale systems and processes, but it is also an area where choices made have substantial impact on life and choices everywhere on planet Earth. This report's recommendations will assist environmentalists, industry, state and local policymakers, and anyone interested in the future of this special region to preserve and protect it from damaging oil spills.


Next Generation Earth System Prediction

Next Generation Earth System Prediction

Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2016-08-22

Total Pages: 351

ISBN-13: 0309388805

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

As the nation's economic activities, security concerns, and stewardship of natural resources become increasingly complex and globally interrelated, they become ever more sensitive to adverse impacts from weather, climate, and other natural phenomena. For several decades, forecasts with lead times of a few days for weather and other environmental phenomena have yielded valuable information to improve decision-making across all sectors of society. Developing the capability to forecast environmental conditions and disruptive events several weeks and months in advance could dramatically increase the value and benefit of environmental predictions, saving lives, protecting property, increasing economic vitality, protecting the environment, and informing policy choices. Over the past decade, the ability to forecast weather and climate conditions on subseasonal to seasonal (S2S) timescales, i.e., two to fifty-two weeks in advance, has improved substantially. Although significant progress has been made, much work remains to make S2S predictions skillful enough, as well as optimally tailored and communicated, to enable widespread use. Next Generation Earth System Predictions presents a ten-year U.S. research agenda that increases the nation's S2S research and modeling capability, advances S2S forecasting, and aids in decision making at medium and extended lead times.


Operational Oceanography

Operational Oceanography

Author: N.C. Flemming

Publisher: Elsevier

Published: 2002-06-05

Total Pages: 573

ISBN-13: 0080538053

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) is an international programme for a permanent global framework of observations, modelling and analysis of ocean variables that are needed to support operational services around the world. The EuroGOOS strategy has two streams: the first is to improve the quality of marine information in European home waters, and the second is to collaborate with similar organisations in other continents to create a new global ocean observing and modelling system that will provide the open ocean forecasts needed to achieve the best possible performance by local marine information services everywhere. EuroGOOS held its second international conference in The Hague in 1999. Here, the operational services already in place in the EuroGOOS regions were presented and evaluated. In addition, a "Forward Look" was presented, with targets for the next 5-10 years. The proceedings of the first EuroGOOS conference were published by Elsevier in the /locate/inca/600827EOS Series No. 62 Editors: Stel et al, ISBN 0-444-82892-3.


Coastal Hazards

Coastal Hazards

Author: Charles W. Finkl

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2012-12-11

Total Pages: 839

ISBN-13: 9400752342

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This book covers the gamut of coastal hazards that result from short-term low-frequency events and have high-magnitude and far-reaching impacts on coastal zones the world over. Much of the world’s population now lives in low-lying coastal zones that are inherently vulnerable to natural hazards such as flooding from hurricanes, tropical storms and northeastern storm surges; shoreline (beach and dune) erosion; cliff and bluff failures; and saltwater intrusion in coastal aquifers used for drinking water supplies. In addition to the usual range of hydrometeorological disasters in coastal zones, this book covers tsunami impacts and warning systems as well as global perspectives of sea-level rise impacts and human perceptions of potential vulnerabilities resulting from rip currents that cause many drownings each year on beaches. Today, the use of numerical models that help predict vulnerabilities and provide a basis for shore protection measures is important in modern scientific and engineering systems. Final considerations focus on human actions in the form of the urbanization and industrialization of the coast, shore protection measures, and indicate how environmental degradation around coastal conurbations exacerbates the potential for unwanted impacts. Strategies for environmental management in coastal zones, from low-lying wetlands to high cliffs and rocky promontories, are highlighted as a means of living in harmony with Nature and not trying to conquer it.


Measuring Discharge with Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers from a Moving Boat

Measuring Discharge with Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers from a Moving Boat

Author: David S. Mueller

Publisher: CreateSpace

Published: 2014-06-16

Total Pages: 82

ISBN-13: 9781500222666

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The mission of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Water Resources Discipline is to provide the information and understanding needed for wise management of the Nation's water resources. Inherent in this mission is the responsibility of collecting data that accurately describe the physical, chemical, and biological attributes of water systems. These data are used for environmental and resource assessments by the USGS, other government agencies and scientific organizations, and the general public. Reliable and quality-assured data are essential to the credibility and impartiality of the water-resources appraisals carried out by the USGS.


A Vast Machine

A Vast Machine

Author: Paul N. Edwards

Publisher: MIT Press

Published: 2010-03-12

Total Pages: 547

ISBN-13: 0262290715

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The science behind global warming, and its history: how scientists learned to understand the atmosphere, to measure it, to trace its past, and to model its future. Global warming skeptics often fall back on the argument that the scientific case for global warming is all model predictions, nothing but simulation; they warn us that we need to wait for real data, “sound science.” In A Vast Machine Paul Edwards has news for these skeptics: without models, there are no data. Today, no collection of signals or observations—even from satellites, which can “see” the whole planet with a single instrument—becomes global in time and space without passing through a series of data models. Everything we know about the world's climate we know through models. Edwards offers an engaging and innovative history of how scientists learned to understand the atmosphere—to measure it, trace its past, and model its future.


Isotopes in the Water Cycle

Isotopes in the Water Cycle

Author: Pradeep K. Aggarwal

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2006-01-16

Total Pages: 377

ISBN-13: 1402030231

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Environmental isotope and nuclear techniques provide unmatched insights into the processes governing the water cycle and its variability. This monograph presents state of the art applications and new developments of isotopes in hydrology, environmental disciplines and climate change studies. Coverage ranges from the assessment of groundwater resources in terms of recharge and flow regime to studies of the past and present global environmental and climate changes.