GeoJoumal 23.4 3 8 9 - 3 9 0 © 1991 (Apr) by Kluwer Academic Publishers
Book Review Leinen, M. ; Sarnthein, M. (eds.): Paleoclimatology and Paleometeorotogy: Modern and Past Patterns of Global Atmospheric Transport. Kluwer, Dordrecht - Boston - London 1989. US$ 180.00 ISBN 0-7923-0341-5 This inter-disciplinary theme was that of the NATO Advanced Research Workshop on Paleoclimatology and Paleometeorology which brought together 43 scientists from 9 countries at Oracle, Arizona, USA from 17 to 19 November 1987. The results of the meeting are here published in 41 articles covering a broad perspectives from 'Eolian dust collected in springtime (1979 and 1984 years) at the seawater-air interface of the Northern Red Sea' to a 'Geologic record of atmospheric cirulation on tectonic time scales'. Six sections are allocated to such different types of evidence and possibilities of solution as (1) Dust Formation, Injection and Continental Aridity, (2) Dust Transport and Transport Modelling, (3) Dust Composition and Factors Controlling it: Evidence from Aerosols and Sediments, (4) Modelling Atmospheric Circulation in the Past, (5) Inferences from the Sedimentary Record: Loess, Ices Cores, and other Land Evidence, (6) Report of the Group Studying: Inferences from the Marine Sedimentary Record. In a seventh section there follows 'Reports and Recommendations of Working Groups' which provide an overview of the state of research and an outlook on the aims of present projects. The index facilitates the finding of special thematic areas and greatly contributes to the value of the publication. The editors, M. Leinen and M. Sarnthein, in their preface hope that such an integration of different approaches will in future greatly contribute to an advancement of knowledge in the fields of Climatic Change and their forecasting. especially with regard to manmadc transformations of the earth's surface and the atmosphere. Though mathematical climatic models are being developed. confirmation of their validity and of their usefulness for longterm prognoses is only possible through their testing on former climatic fluctuations. The reconstruction of previous climatic developments however is only possible by using such indirect indicators as e. g. the eolian deposits of the geologic record. Yet these sedimentary signals may only be interpreted by reference to those current processes which generate, transport and deposit these specific materials. Such cycles of reciprocal clarification and confirmation should finally
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provide those definite scientific answers needed for any necessary corrective political action. Right now many fundamental questions have been specified but are in the need of further investigations: how far are dust deposits a result of mean atmospheric circulation patterns rather than simply the result of ephemeral seasonal events? Are changes in the rates of deposition evidence for the displacement of major circulation features of just results of changes in their relative strengths? Is the amount of dust flux related to the intensity or areal extension of continental aridity or to the frequency of change from semi-arid to arid conditions? What roles are played by the relief or the presence and areal arrangement of ice-sheets? In the various articles on these problems it is already clear that the answers are much too complex to be simply converted into mathematical models. It appears that the concrete climatic conditions are to a great deal the result of 'configurational causes' (Simpson 1970) that means they are based essentially upon random arrangements of factors similar to those which are known from the dynamics of biological systems (evolution theory) and in any case set definite bounds to prognosis. In view of a policy for which even the clear scientific evidence of the toxicity of emissions and effluents is obviously still not enough to force massive countermeasures it might be questionable whether paleoclimatology should hold out a prospect of decisive factors for political solutions since the systems addressed here are of such an individual, i.e. irreducible complexity, that the development of prognostic models on the base of generally valid algorithms suffers substantial restrictions. The unavoidable multi-significance of complex climatic events might well in contrast provide a welcome alibi for delaying inconvenient but urgent political decisions. In any case this volume provides a very up to date, comprehensive and carefully compiled selection of material which will be of interest to everybody concerned with climatic change and its causes. Matthias Kuhle, G6ttingen
Emmermann, R.; Wohlenberg, J. (eds.): The German Continental Deep Drilling Program (KTB). Site-selection Studies in the Oberpfalz and Schwarzwald. IX, 553 pp., 259 figs., Springer, Berlin - Heidelberg - New York - London - Paris - Tokyo Hong Kong 1989. Hardcover DM 160,00 ISBN 3-540-50922-4
The German Continental Deep Drilling Program (Kontinentales Tiefbohrprogramm der Bundesrepublik Deutschland KTB) is at the moment the most ambitious and expensive (500 Mio DM) project of the German geosciences. It is an important contribution to international research of the lithosphere for better unterstanding of its structure, dynamics, evolution, composition, physical properties, and of the thermodynamic state of the Central European Earth's crust by superdeep drilling. On September 8, 1990 the German Minister for Research and Technology, Dr. H. Riesenhuber, started the first superdeep research-borehole at Windisch-Eschenbach, Oberpfalz/Bavaria. It was a long and stony way to this event. More than 13 years ago the first steps were made to launch this program. Many details of the historical development of KTB are presented in the book. First, the intentions and goals of the program had to be precisely defined. Then, the technical and financial feasibility had to be proved, and an experienced management had to be installed; new drilling and logging techniques had to be developed and an optimum drilling site to be found. Among several possible drilling sites two Variscan areas in the Oberpfalz and in the Schwarzwald came into closer focus. For the final decision where the superdeep hole should be drilled, an intensive geological and geophysical field exploration in both target areas was necessary. The book summarizes in 19 papers (72 authors) the results of these multidisciplinary preliminary studies (gravity, magnetic and electrical resistivity investigations; deep seismic reflection survey; near vertical and wide-angle seismic surveys, and geothermal observations; a detailed geological survey of the area, petrographical, petrological, and mineralogical probings). The contribution from the geoscientific working groups involved in the pre-site exploration present a comprehensive picture of the actual state of knowledge about the structure, evolution, and geophysical characteristics of the basement in both areas, obtained by field observations. The book also presents the interpretations and models providing the basis for the final site-selection. High temperature gradients and near surface heatflow values in the Schwarzwald played a decisive role in the final decision in favour of the Oberpfalz as drill site. It was suggested that temperatures of about 300 °C might be reached in the Schwarzwald at depth of 7 - 8 km, limitting drilling and logging to a projected depth of 12-14 km. To prove a new drilling strategy, it seemed desirable to drill a pilot hole before
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starting the superdeep hole. It was spudded on September 22, 1987 and was terminated on April 4, 1989 at a depth of 4000,1 m. One paper presents more details about the geological frame of the drill site, of the research program, of drilling techniques, and of first results of this hole. KTB is a challenge both to science and technology and will be of high interest for all geoscientists over the next few years, for deep drilling is the most advanced technique and possibility to verify geologicalgeophysical models of the Earth's crust based on surface observations, laboratory experiments, and theory. Therefore this book can be recommended as a good introduction in a new age of the exploration of the continental Earth's crust. Helmut Vidal, Gauting
Fuchs, K.; Kozlovsky, Ye.A.; Krivtso\ A.I.; Zoback, M.D. (eds.): Super-dec I, Continental Drilling and Deep Geophysical Sounding. XVI, 436 pp., 206 figs., 57 tabs. Springer, Berlin - Heidelberg - New York - London - Paris - Tokyo - Hong Kong 1990. Hardcover DM 198,00 ISBN 3-540-51609-3 An International Seminar on "Superdeep Continental Drilling and Deep Geophysical Research" was held on August 23-29/1988 at Yarostawl/Wolga in the USSR. The exploration of the lithosphere is expanding rapidly from the investigation of its structure to that of physical properties, chemical composition, and endogene processes related with the transport of matter and energy on macro and micro style. Therefore the two leading international geoscientific organisations, the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) and the International Union for Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG) have, in 1980, established an International Commission on the Lithosphere (ICL) and authorised it to inaugurate and manage an International Lithosphere Program (ILP). It is the platform for international cooperation in the field of deep and super-deep continental drilling. It has cosponsored since 1984 several international conferences and the seminar at Yaroslawl, dealing with deep and super-deep drilling. Super-deep drilling provides direct access to deeper parts of the crystalline crust of the Earth. Therefore, it was recognised worldwide over the past ten years as an important instrument in the development of the Earth-sciences, in the
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analysis of causes for global changes, and in the solution of competent theoretic and applied problems. Furthermore, it is a challenge for an advanced drilling and logging technology under extreme conditions. The newest trend in the exploration of the lithosphere is a combination of deep seismic sounding along transects with super-deep research-holes at locations of high geoscientific interest, if possible at junctions of two or several transects, a technique developed in the USSR. At the seminar at Yaroslawl for the first time reports on drilling and logging technology under high temperature and pressure, as well as under hostile environmental conditions have been presented in combination with reports on geological and geophysical transects and deep seismic sounding. Therefore, in the 42 papers (115 authors), presented in the book, the reader will find, the latest achievements and information about the exploration of the continental crust of the Earth. Helmut Vidal, Gauting
Organization and European Economic Community. Besides explanation of the standard, you will find in the book all data and step-by-step procedures necessary to write new standards, which may become particularly useful in developing countries where standards are limited or incomplete. This book was written by an experienced professional engineer, who has exstensive practical sanitary engineering and administrative public health experience. It is written in a concise, easy-to-follow style, which should help the readers because they can utilize the information without consulting other related books. The author, and the publisher, should be congratulated for presenting and introducing this knowledgeable, comprehensive, and readable text. With its wealth of information, Drinking Water Quality is a practical handbook for quick reference for all water professionals, and especially, sanitary and public works engineers, waterworks and water treatment plant operators, public health officials, and teachers and graduate students in environmental health or public health engineering. A. Zaporozec, Madison, WI, USA
De Zuane, J.: Drinking water quality standards and controls. 523 p., tabs., figs. Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York 1990. US$ 69.95 ISBN 0-442-23909-2
Drinking
This publication is available in microform from University IS
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Water Quality provides a
comprehensive review of the complex subject of water quality control. You will learn how to sample for water quality and how to interpret laboratory analyses. The author examines the path of water through all stages of water-supply system waterworks intake, treatment plant, and distribution system. The bulk of the volume (its "handbook" part) contains detailed and specific information on how water quality standards are evaluated and issued for all major physical, chemical (inorganic and organic), microbiological, and radionuclide parameters. Especially valuable is the part on synthetic organics and volatile organic compounds, many of which appear today as contaminants in potable water, and which potential ill effects on public health were not known until 15-20 years ago. The book clearly explains the US National Primary Drinking Water Standards, issued by the US Environmental Protection Agency, which the author considers the best guidelines for interpretation of water quality. Standards issued by the EPA are compared with standards developed by the World Health
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