"The scope of the investigation included a review of geologic maps of the area and a review of geologic and related literature, a reconnaissance of the proposed construction site, a review of many borings made previously in the Champaign-Urbana area, with particular emphasis on borings made on or near the University campus, subsurface exploration at the site consisting of 21 borings, field and laboratory soil testing, and engineering analysis and evaluation of the foundation materials."--P. 1.
A detailed overview of the Illinois basin is followed by less detailed reviews of six other selected interior cratonic basins: the Williston, Michigan, Baltic, Paris, Parana, and Carpentaria basins. The goal is to develop a better understanding of the basin-forming, basin-filling, and basin-modifying processes that control hydrocarbon plays and resultant oil and gas fields in this class of basins. The idea is to describe and document the variations, opportunities, and exploration problems that can be expected.
Natural disasters bedevil our planet, and each appears to be a unique event. Leading geologist Susan W. Kieffer shows how all disasters are connected. In 2011, there were fourteen natural calamities that each destroyed over a billion dollars’ worth of property in the United States alone. In 2012, Hurricane Sandy ravaged the East Coast and major earthquakes struck in Italy, the Philippines, Iran, and Afghanistan. In the first half of 2013, the awful drumbeat continued—a monster supertornado struck Moore, Oklahoma; a powerful earthquake shook Sichuan, China; a cyclone ravaged Queensland, Australia; massive floods inundated Jakarta, Indonesia; and the largest wildfire ever engulfed a large part of Colorado. Despite these events, we still behave as if natural disasters are outliers. Why else would we continue to build new communities near active volcanoes, on tectonically active faults, on flood plains, and in areas routinely lashed by vicious storms? A famous historian once observed that “civilization exists by geologic consent, subject to change without notice.” In the pages of this unique book, leading geologist Susan W. Kieffer provides a primer on most types of natural disasters: earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, landslides, hurricanes, cyclones, and tornadoes. By taking us behind the scenes of the underlying geology that causes them, she shows why natural disasters are more common than we realize, and that their impact on us will increase as our growing population crowds us into ever more vulnerable areas. Kieffer describes how natural disasters result from “changes in state” in a geologic system, much as when water turns to steam. By understanding what causes these changes of state, we can begin to understand the dynamics of natural disasters. In the book’s concluding chapter, Kieffer outlines how we might better prepare for, and in some cases prevent, future disasters. She also calls for the creation of an organization, something akin to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention but focused on pending natural disasters.
"Nearly 25% of the world's population lives in karst areas -- landscapes that are characterized by sinkholes, caves, and underground drainage. Living with Karst, the 4th booklet in the AGI Environmental Awareness Series, vividly illustrates what karst is and why these resource-rich areas are important. The booklet also discusses karst-related environmental and engineering concerns, guidelines for living with karst, and sources of additional information."--Provided by publisher.
