scholarly journals Land as a Basis for Recent Progress in the Study of Urbanization Dynamics

Land ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 118
Author(s):  
Iwona Cieślak ◽  
Andrzej Biłozor ◽  
Luca Salvati

Urbanization is one of the most dynamic processes occurring on the Earth [...]

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucie Tajcmanova ◽  
Yury Podladchikov ◽  
Evangelos Moulas

<p>Quantifying natural processes that shape our planet is a key to understanding the geological observations. Many phenomena in the Earth are not in thermodynamic equilibrium. Cooling of the Earth, mantle convection, mountain building are examples of dynamic processes that evolve in time and space and are driven by gradients. During those irreversible processes, entropy is produced. In petrology, several thermodynamic approaches have been suggested to quantify systems under chemical and mechanical gradients. Yet, their thermodynamic admissibility has not been investigated in detail. Here, we focus on a fundamental, though not yet unequivocally answered, question: which thermodynamic formulation for petrological systems under gradients is appropriate – mass or molar?  We provide a comparison of both thermodynamic formulations for chemical diffusion flux, applying the positive entropy production principle as a necessary admissibility condition. Furthermore, we show that the inappropriate solution has dramatic consequences for understanding the key processes in petrology, such as chemical diffusion in the presence of stress gradients.</p>


Author(s):  
William Lowrie

‘Gravity and the figure of the Earth’ discusses the measurement of gravity and its variation at the Earth’s surface and with depth. Gravity is about 0.5 per cent stronger at the poles than at the equator and it first increases with depth until the core–mantle boundary and then sinks to zero at the Earth’s centre. Using satellites to carry out geodetic and gravimetric observations has revolutionized geodesy, creating a powerful geophysical tool for observing and measuring dynamic processes on the Earth. The various measurement techniques employed fall in two categories: precise location of a position on the Earth (such as GPS) and accurate determination of the geoid and gravitational field. Bouguer and free-air gravity anomalies and isostasy are explained.


The aim of this review is to bring together and relate recent progress in three subjects - the internal structure of the Earth, the behaviour of materials at very high pressures and the dynamical properties of the planets. Knowledge of the internal structure of the Earth has been advanced in recent years, particularly by observations of free oscillations of the whole Earth excited by the very largest earthquakes; as a consequence, it is clear that K. E. Bullen’s hypothesis that bulk modulus is a smooth function of pressure irrespective of composition is close to the truth for the Earth. Understanding of the behaviour of materials at very high pressure has increased as a result both of experiments on the propagation of shock waves and of theoretical investigations along a number of lines and it can now be seen that Bullen’s hypothesis is not true irrespective of chemical composition and crystal structure but that it happens to apply to the Earth because of particular circumstances. Studies of the orbits of artificial satellites and space probes have led to better knowledge of the dynamics of the Moon, Mars and Venus, and there have also been recent improvements in the traditional studies of Uranus and Neptune. Our knowledge of the dynamics of the planets is on the whole rather restricted, and Bullen’s hypothesis only applies directly to the Moon (for which the application is trivial) and possibly to Mars; the dynamical properties do none the less set fairly restrictive limits to the models that can be constructed for other planets. It would be possible for all planets to have cores of similar composition to the Earth ’s, surrounded by mantles of different sorts, silicates for the terrestrial planets and mostly hydrogen for Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.


2016 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anatoli Ignatov

This article puts into conversation Friedrich Nietzsche’s perspectivism and a particular expression of “African animism,” drawn from my ethnographic fieldwork in Ghana. Nietzsche’s perspectivism extends interpretation beyond the human species into natural processes. Like perspectivism, African animism troubles the binaries—body/soul, nature/culture—that permeate anthropocentric thinking. Human-nonhuman relations are refigured as socio-ecological relations: the earth may be regarded as life-generating ancestors; baobab trees may approach humans as kin. These two images of the world intersect, but they do not mesh together. Nietzsche adopts perspectivism as active intersections between dynamic processes, within an open universe that has not been predesigned for humans. Animism tends toward a world of personalized relationships that would reach harmony if we would only lighten our ecological footprint. I draw upon such resonances to advance a new ethic of experiential environmentalism that treats ecological threats as lived risks and shared experiences with a lively and communicating “environment.”


First I would like to express some doubt about the suitability of the adjective ‘anomalous’, which in the present context can only mean ‘unusual’. Nothing in Nature can be truly anomalous in the broad scheme of things. Furthermore, the programme shows that what we are looking for is indication from known terrestrial biochemistry of directions in which we may find possible extensions to other bio-logical systems of a novel type, even to some in which the role of chemical elements may be modified or more drastically changed. Recent progress in organic chemistry offers many suggestions such as the boron-nitrogen and boron-carbon and phosphorus-nitrogen combinations. Silicon has often been suggested as a basis for life chemistry under non-terrestrial conditions. All these ideas have to be entertained as possibilities, but my own belief is that the carbon-oxygen-nitrogen-hydrogen structures would always be preferred as the basis of life in a range of conditions approximating to those of the Earth. This view is based on the fundamental properties of compounds of these elements and the nature of the chemical links between their atoms. Phosphorus, sulphur and various metals have essential parts to play, mainly in the promotion of biochemical transformations.


2013 ◽  
Vol 734-737 ◽  
pp. 2108-2112 ◽  
Author(s):  
De Juan Li ◽  
Ying Juan Fu ◽  
Meng Hua Qin

Cellulose is the most abundant, renewable, and biodegradable natural resource on the earth. Grafting copolymerization technique is one of the key methods to widen the application scope of cellulose. This paper concerned with the recent progress and application of living/controlled radical graft polymerization techniques such as NMP, ATRP, and RAFT in the grafting modification of cellulose. The advantages and disadvantage of them were also reviewed.


GeoTextos ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laysla Da Silva Xavier ◽  
Leonardo Figueiredo de Meneses ◽  
Márcio Balbino Cavalcante

O ensino e a divulgação das geociências são pouco disseminados não só no âmbito escolar, mas também para a sociedade em geral. No contexto das geociências está inserida a geodiversidade, que teve seu conceito introduzido na década de 1990 e vem crescendo nacional e internacionalmente. No entanto, diferente da biodiversidade, que é amplamente divulgada em toda a sociedade, a geodiversidade até hoje é desconhecida por grande parte da população, mesmo sabendo que seu estudo é importante para o entendimento dos processos da evolução e da dinâmica da Terra. A inserção da Educação Ambiental na divulgação desta temática pode evidenciar os aspectos abióticos muitas vezes esquecidos. Esse trabalho tem por objetivo inserir esse conteúdo em sala de aula através de uma metodologia mais alternativa: uma aula didática explicativa, porém mais dinâmica, e um jogo de tabuleiro, este ilustrando os elementos da geodiversidade (rochas, minerais, fósseis, formas de relevo, solos) e alguns locais com potencial geoturístico e maior visibilidade no estado da Paraíba, tais como, Vale dos Dinossauros, Lajedo do Pai Mateus, Pedra da Boca, Pedra do Ingá e as Falésias do Cabo Branco. Por fim, buscou-se verificar se a metodologia aplicada se apresenta como uma ferramenta facilitadora de aprendizagem. Espera-se contribuir para o ensino-aprendizagem dos alunos, de uma forma prazerosa e divertida, despertando a curiosidade e o interesse em aprender sobre geodiversidade e geociências. Para a obtenção dos dados utilizados na pesquisa, foi realizada uma visita na Escola Municipal Antônia Luna Lisboa, localizada no município de Rio Tinto-PB, na qual foram postas em prática as atividades. Para validar o jogo e a aula foi feita uma análise através de questionários, um pré-teste para avaliar o conhecimento prévio dos alunos e um pós-teste para averiguar se a metodologia aplicada em cada sala de aula contribuiu de maneira significativa como ferramenta para o ensino do conteúdo proposto. As metodologias aplicadas foram bem aceitas pelos alunos, os quais demonstraram interesse em aprender. Depois de aplicados, tanto a aula, quanto o jogo, verificou-se que as respostas dos questionários pós-teste foram mais satisfatórias e contribuíram significativamente para o conhecimento-aprendizagem dos alunos. A partir da análise dos resultados, constatou-se que novas alternativas pedagógicas são necessárias para o estímulo e a aprendizagem. Jogos podem e devem ser usados como recurso pedagógico, de modo que os alunos aprendam brincando, e aulas mais interativas, com uso de slides com imagens, também contribuem para o ensino-aprendizagem dos alunos. Abstract TEACHING GEODIVERSITY FROM DIDACTIC GAMES The education and the divulgation of the geosciences are poorly disseminated, not only in the educational range, but also for the society in general. Among the geosciences, there is the geodiversity, which had its concept introduced in the 90’s decade and has been growing worldwide ever since; however, unlike the biodiversity that is broadly disclosed for all society, the geodiversity is unknown for a large percentage of the population, even though such knowledge is very necessary for the understanding of the evolution and dynamic processes of the Earth. Bringing environmental education into the geodiversity divulgation might make the abiotic aspects, which are often forgotten, stand out. This work aims to introduce geodiversity themes in the schoolroom through a board game, illustrating the geodiversity elements (rocks, minerals, fossils, land forms, soils) and some places with geotouristic potencial and better visibility in the State of Paraíba, such as Vale dos Dinossauros (Dinosaur Valley), Lajedo de Pai Mateus, Pedra da Boca, Pedra do Ingá and the Cabo Branco cliffs, as well as verify if the methodology applied appears to be an efficient tool of learning. It is expected to contribute, for the teaching-learning process, in a fun and pleasant way, awakening the curiosity and interest to learn about geodiversity and geosciences. In order to obtain the data used in the search, a visit to the Municipal School Antonia Luna Lisboa, located in the county of Rio Tinto-PB, took place, in which the aforementioned exercises where put into practice. To validate the learning improvement achieved, an analysis through tests was held, where a pretest and an after test to assess the knowledge of the student were applied, to ascertain if the methodology contributed significantly as a tool of education of the geodiversity. The methodology was well-accepted by the students, and it was verified that the answers of the after test were satisfactory. Through the review of the results, it was found that new pedagogical alternatives are necessary for the motivation and learning of the students. Games can and must be used as a pedagogical resource, in a way that the students learn while playing; more interactive classes using slides with images also contribute for the teaching-learning of the students.


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