This book describes new techniques for making decisions in situations with uncertainty and new applications of decision-making techniques. The main emphasis is on situations when it is difficult to decrease uncertainty. For example, it is very difficult to accurately predict human economic behavior, so in economics, it is very important to take this uncertainty into account when making decisions. Other areas where it is difficult to decrease uncertainty are geosciences and teaching. The book analyzes the general problem of decision making and shows how its results can be applied to economics, geosciences, and teaching. Since all these applications involve computing, the book also shows how these results can be applied to computing, including deep learning and quantum computing. The book is recommended to researchers, practitioners, and students who want to learn more about decision making under uncertainty—and who want to work on remaining challenges.
This open access book focuses on both the theory and practice associated with the tools and approaches for decisionmaking in the face of deep uncertainty. It explores approaches and tools supporting the design of strategic plans under deep uncertainty, and their testing in the real world, including barriers and enablers for their use in practice. The book broadens traditional approaches and tools to include the analysis of actors and networks related to the problem at hand. It also shows how lessons learned in the application process can be used to improve the approaches and tools used in the design process. The book offers guidance in identifying and applying appropriate approaches and tools to design plans, as well as advice on implementing these plans in the real world. For decisionmakers and practitioners, the book includes realistic examples and practical guidelines that should help them understand what decisionmaking under deep uncertainty is and how it may be of assistance to them. Decision Making under Deep Uncertainty: From Theory to Practice is divided into four parts. Part I presents five approaches for designing strategic plans under deep uncertainty: Robust Decision Making, Dynamic Adaptive Planning, Dynamic Adaptive Policy Pathways, Info-Gap Decision Theory, and Engineering Options Analysis. Each approach is worked out in terms of its theoretical foundations, methodological steps to follow when using the approach, latest methodological insights, and challenges for improvement. In Part II, applications of each of these approaches are presented. Based on recent case studies, the practical implications of applying each approach are discussed in depth. Part III focuses on using the approaches and tools in real-world contexts, based on insights from real-world cases. Part IV contains conclusions and a synthesis of the lessons that can be drawn for designing, applying, and implementing strategic plans under deep uncertainty, as well as recommendations for future work. The publication of this book has been funded by the Radboud University, the RAND Corporation, Delft University of Technology, and Deltares.
Science is built on trust. The assumption is that scientists will conduct their work with integrity, honesty, and a strict adherence to scientific protocols. Written by geoscientists for geoscientists, Scientific Integrity and Ethics in the Geosciences acquaints readers with the fundamental principles of scientific ethics and shows how they apply to everyday work in the classroom, laboratory, and field. Resources are provided throughout to help discuss and implement principles of scientific integrity and ethics. Volume highlights include: Examples of international and national codes and policies Exploration of the role of professional societies in scientific integrity and ethics References to scientific integrity and ethics in publications and research data Discussion of science integrity, ethics, and geoethics in education Extensive coverage of data applications Scientific Integrity and Ethics in the Geosciences is a valuable resource for students, faculty, instructors, and scientists in the geosciences and beyond. It is also useful for geoscientists working in industry, government, and policymaking. Read an interview with the editors to find out more: https://eos.org/editors-vox/ethics-crucial-for-the-future-of-the-geosciences
Climate change is changing the context of spatial planning and shaping its priorities. It has strengthened its environmental dimension and has become a new rationale for coordinating actions and integrating different policy priorities. This book sets out the economic, social and environmental challenges that climate change raises for urban and regional planners and explores current and potential responses. These are set within the context of recent research and scholarly works on the role of spatial planning in combating climate change. Addressing both mitigation measures for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adaptation to the effects of climate change, the book provides an overview of emerging practice, with analysis of the drivers of policy change and practical implementation of measures. It scopes planning issues and opportunities at different spatial scales, drawing on both the UK and international experiences and highlighting the need to link global and local responses to shared risks and opportunities.
This Open Access handbook published at the IAMG's 50th anniversary, presents a compilation of invited path-breaking research contributions by award-winning geoscientists who have been instrumental in shaping the IAMG. It contains 45 chapters that are categorized broadly into five parts (i) theory, (ii) general applications, (iii) exploration and resource estimation, (iv) reviews, and (v) reminiscences covering related topics like mathematical geosciences, mathematical morphology, geostatistics, fractals and multifractals, spatial statistics, multipoint geostatistics, compositional data analysis, informatics, geocomputation, numerical methods, and chaos theory in the geosciences.
DEEP LEARNING FOR THE EARTH SCIENCES Explore this insightful treatment of deep learning in the field of earth sciences, from four leading voices Deep learning is a fundamental technique in modern Artificial Intelligence and is being applied to disciplines across the scientific spectrum; earth science is no exception. Yet, the link between deep learning and Earth sciences has only recently entered academic curricula and thus has not yet proliferated. Deep Learning for the Earth Sciences delivers a unique perspective and treatment of the concepts, skills, and practices necessary to quickly become familiar with the application of deep learning techniques to the Earth sciences. The book prepares readers to be ready to use the technologies and principles described in their own research. The distinguished editors have also included resources that explain and provide new ideas and recommendations for new research especially useful to those involved in advanced research education or those seeking PhD thesis orientations. Readers will also benefit from the inclusion of: An introduction to deep learning for classification purposes, including advances in image segmentation and encoding priors, anomaly detection and target detection, and domain adaptation An exploration of learning representations and unsupervised deep learning, including deep learning image fusion, image retrieval, and matching and co-registration Practical discussions of regression, fitting, parameter retrieval, forecasting and interpolation An examination of physics-aware deep learning models, including emulation of complex codes and model parametrizations Perfect for PhD students and researchers in the fields of geosciences, image processing, remote sensing, electrical engineering and computer science, and machine learning, Deep Learning for the Earth Sciences will also earn a place in the libraries of machine learning and pattern recognition researchers, engineers, and scientists.
The practical application of structural geology in industry is varied and diverse; it is relevant at all scales, from plate-wide screening of new exploration areas down to fluid-flow behaviour along individual fractures. From an industry perspective, good structural practice is essential since it feeds into the quantification and recovery of reserves and ultimately underpins commercial investment choices. Many of the fundamental structural principles and techniques used by industry can be traced back to the academic community, and this volume aims to provide insights into how structural theory translates into industry practice. Papers in this publication describe case studies and workflows that demonstrate applied structural geology, covering a spread of topics including trap definition, fault seal, fold-and-thrust belts, fractured reservoirs, fluid flow and geomechanics. Against a background of evolving ideas, new data types and advancing computational tools, the volume highlights the need for structural geologists to constantly re-evaluate the role they play in solving industrial challenges.
This book provides a practical perspective of all the processes involved in estimating mineral resources and reserves, including mine-to-mill reconciliation. It provides an integrated step-by-step explanation of processes for performing each step, including insight from academic and industry practitioners. Each chapter details a specific aspect of the estimation processes in a practical manner. It contains examples and case studies to illustrate the practical application of geostatistics in mineral resource estimation, mineral reserve conversion, and reconciliation. Features Provides a step-by-step guide with over 10,000 lines of Python code for hands-on demonstration, from start to finish, for both linear and non-linear geostatistical methods. Explains practical geostatistics processes and functionality. Simplifies explanation of mathematical /statistical concepts and application. Discusses generalised examples to aid the process steps. Reviews processes involved in the mineral resources’ estimation and ore reserve conversion. This book is intended for third-year and postgraduate students in Mineral Resources Management, Geology, Spatial Statistics, and Mining Engineering, as well as practising professionals.
New York City's municipal water supply system provides about 1 billion gallons of drinking water a day to over 8.5 million people in New York City and about 1 million people living in nearby Westchester, Putnam, Ulster, and Orange counties. The combined water supply system includes 19 reservoirs and three controlled lakes with a total storage capacity of approximately 580 billion gallons. The city's Watershed Protection Program is intended to maintain and enhance the high quality of these surface water sources. Review of the New York City Watershed Protection Program assesses the efficacy and future of New York City's watershed management activities. The report identifies program areas that may require future change or action, including continued efforts to address turbidity and responding to changes in reservoir water quality as a result of climate change.
This book gathers the peer-reviewed proceedings of the 1st congress on Geoethics & Groundwater Management (GEOETH&GWM'20), held in Porto, Portugal, in an online format on 18-22 May 2020. Hosted in School of Engineering (ISEP), Polytechnic of Porto based on Porto city (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), the international conference focused on what has now been dubbed “hydrogeoethics”, a novel transdisciplinary, scientific field integrating all dimensions of geoethics in groundwater science and practice. Given its scope, the book is of interest to all researchers and practitioners in the geosciences, hydrology, water resources, hydrogeology, natural resources management, environment, engineering, law, sociology, education, philosophy, culture, among others. This joint congress is the result of a collaborative agreement between the IAH (International Association of Hydrogeologists) and IAPG (International Association for Promoting Geoethics) and reflects the need for concerted actions to achieve sustainable development. The diversity, scale, significance and increasing magnitude of anthropogenic interactions with aquifers and groundwater, which often involve conflicting values or interests, call for analysis, discussions and decisions on the part of the agents involved, e.g. groundwater scientists, policymakers, managers, organisations, professionals and citizens. This approach calls for a responsible, sustainable and human approach to groundwater use and management. The groundwater community involved in the exploration and exploitation, use and management of this increasingly vital natural resource is becoming more and more aware that ethical issues pervade all our attitudes from concept to action and need to be addressed. Diverse values and cultures, science and education, law and policies, human and natural environments and the public and the economic sectors view groundwater and its value and/or role differently. The authors believe that in a globalised and interconnected world, common ground must be found in the interest of peace, human development and sustainability. The main topics covered here include: 1. Fundamentals of hydrogeoethics: cultures, principles and geoethical values on groundwater science and engineering 2. Lessons for a resilient and sustainable future with hydrogeoethics: case studies of geoethics in groundwater science-engineering, profession, and management 3. Scientific and humanistic components of hydrogeoethics in groundwater education and professional training 4. Socio-hydrogeology and ethical groundwater management 5. Geoethics of decision making under uncertainty and ethical issues in neglecting groundwater functioning 6. Groundwater: geological, legal, social, and ethical challenges of a unique natural resource
