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12%OFFSusan W. Kieffer - The Dynamics of Disaster - 9780393080957 - V9780393080957
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The Dynamics of Disaster

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Description for The Dynamics of Disaster Hardcover. Natural disasters bedevil our planet, and each appears to be a unique event. Leading geologist Susan W. Kieffer shows how all disasters are connected. Num Pages: 336 pages, 40 illustrations. BIC Classification: PDZ; RB; RNR. Category: (P) Professional & Vocational. Dimension: 162 x 241 x 27. Weight in Grams: 628.
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 ... Read more

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.

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Product Details

Format
Hardback
Publication date
2013
Publisher
WW Norton & Co United States
Number of pages
336
Condition
New
Number of Pages
336
Place of Publication
New York, United States
ISBN
9780393080957
SKU
V9780393080957
Shipping Time
Usually ships in 7 to 11 working days
Ref
99-1

About Susan W. Kieffer
Susan W. Kieffer is a professor emerita of geology at the University of Illinois and a recipient of the MacArthur Foundation “genius” grant. She is also a member of the National Academy of Sciences. Kieffer hosts a popular blog called Geology in Motion. She lives on Whidbey Island, Washington.

Reviews for The Dynamics of Disaster
"Fast-moving, interesting… Imparts a range of knowledge of the risks of natural hazards in a relatively painless way that educates but also entertains."
Donald Turcotte - Science "A clear, engagingly wonky introduction to the field."
Publishers Weekly "A study on natural disasters [that] puts fizz into the physics."
Nature "Photos enhance the drama of this highly accessible ... Read more

Goodreads reviews for The Dynamics of Disaster


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