Энциклопедия Ли Дэвиса состоит из 12 разделов, повествующих о природных катастрофах и стихийных бедствиях, обрушивавшихся на человечество на протяжении многих столетий. Автор рассматривает наиболее известные случаи извержения вулканов, наводнений, ураганов и эпидемий, которые сопровождались самыми драматическими последствиями.
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Accuracy is a measure of how close a measured value of a variable is to its true value. In the context of the mathematical geosciences, it could also be a measure of how close an estimated value of a variable is to the unknown true value at a given location when the estimate is obtained as some function of the measured data values.

Engineering geology provides a vital link between the established, traditional, and relevant disciplines that link its identity and name; that is, “engineering” and “geology.” More recently, a variety of other fields of study are viewed as synonymous with engineering geology including but not limited to geotechnics, geological engineering, environmental engineering, environmental geology, applied geology, and so on.

'The Encyclopedia of Geomorphology" appears as the first alphabetic, encyclopedic treatment of the science of Geomorphology—the analytic physiography of the Earth's surface. It is numbered, for convenience in cross-referencing, as Volume III of the "Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences'* series that Reinhold is publishing under the present editor. At this time eight volumes either have appeared or are in preparation. Each volume is completely autonomous and runs from A to Z within its own subdisciplines.

The major geomorphological divisions of the United States, the Rocky Mountain ranges, the Great Plains and the Appalachian ranges, do not have a major influence on coastal features. The Pacific coast follows the alignment of the Coast Ranges on the western side of the Rocky Mountains, the Great Plains run southward to the lowlying coast of the Gulf of Mexico, and the Appalachians extend north-eastward to the coast of Maine. Useful background is provided by Shepard and Wanless (1971), Sherman (2005), Thornbury (1965) and Graf (1987). <...>

The great 19th-century geologist and natural historian, Charles Lyell (1830), is generally credited as being the author of the concept of Uniformitarianism (see History of Quaternary Science). Simply stated, this concept says that ‘‘the present is the key to the past.’’ In other words, we may interpret the ancient history of the planet through our understanding of modern-day processes. This concept represented a major step forward in scientific thought, greatly influencing contemporary scientists, such as Charles Darwin (see History of Quaternary Science).

As with the publication of the first edition in 2007, the publication of the second edition of the Encyclopedia of Quaternary Science represents a landmark in the history of publishing in the field of Quaternary Science. Quaternary Science is a multidisciplinary endeavor which seeks to establish as detailed a picture as possible of the manifold environmental changes that have occurred during the most recent geological period, the Quaternary – an interval of time that spans the past 2.59 million years or the past 0.056% of geological time. It is a period of significant climate and environmental change and witnessed the widespread dispersal of our species, Homo sapiens, across the planet.

This volume is offered in tribute to the memory of Rhodes W. Fairbridge, Senior Editor of the Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series, who sadly passed away before this encyclopedia could be completed. It was upon his recommendation and inspiration that this project was undertaken. Rhodes Fairbridge took a keen interest in paleoclimatology, which ties together many aspects of the geosciences. He wrote several articles especially for this encyclopedia, including a detailed history of paleoclimatology and “Earth Laws and Paleoclimatology”, which summarizes many of the ideas he had covered in his long and distinguished career. He was way ahead of his time in his early acceptance of Wegener's theory of continental drift, the role of orbital cycles in climate change (i.e., the Milankovitch theory), solar influences on climate, and recognition of general aridity during glacial periods.

Volcanoes are compelling evidence that the Earth is a dynamic planet characterized by endless change and renewal. Study of volcanoes is thus fundamental to understanding the evolution of the Earth and the surface environments. On an ever more crowded planet the exposure to natural hazards is increasing. An estimated 800 million people live within 100 km of an active volcano in 86 countries worldwide. Volcanoes provide favorable environments for life and bring many benefits to society: eruptions fertilize soils; elevated topography provides good sites for infrastructure (e.g., telecommunications on elevated ground); water resources are commonly plentiful; volcano tourism can be lucrative; and volcanoes can acquire spiritual, aesthetic, or religious significance. Some volcanoes are also associated with geothermal resources, making them a target for exploration and a potential energy resource.