Books in the AGU Advanced Textbooks series

Understanding gemstones in a geological contextGemstones are colorful treasures of the Earth that have captivated humans for thousands of years. The physical and chemical characteristics of each type of gem provide insights into the geological processes that created them.Geology and Mineralogy of Gemstones is a textbook aimed at upper-level undergraduate and graduate students. It presents the basic mineralogical and geological knowledge needed to understand gemstones and examines the characteristics and geological origins of different types of gemstone.Volume highlights include:* Concepts in mineralogy* Structure and chemical composition of minerals* Geological processes that lead to the formation and movement of gemstones* Equipment and tools used to examine gemstones and their physical propertiesThe American Geophysical Union promotes discovery in Earth and space science for the benefit of humanity. Its publications disseminate scientific knowledge and provide resources for researchers, students, and professionals.

A comprehensive textbook presenting techniques for the analysis and characterization of shale playsSignificant reserves of hydrocarbons cannot be extracted using conventional methods. Improvements in techniques such as horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing have increased access to unconventional hydrocarbon resources, ushering in the "shale boom" and disrupting the energy sector.Unconventional Hydrocarbon Resources: Techniques for Reservoir Engineering Analysis covers the geochemistry, petrophysics, geomechanics, and economics of unconventional shale oil plays. The text uses a step-by-step approach to demonstrate industry-standard workflows for calculating resource volume and optimizing the extraction process.Volume highlights include:* Methods for rock and fluid characterization of unconventional shale plays* A workflow for analyzing wells with stimulated reservoir volume regions* An unconventional approach to understanding of fluid flow through porous media* A comprehensive summary of discoveries of massive shale resources worldwide* Data from Eagle Ford, Woodford, Wolfcamp, and The Bakken shale plays* Examples, homework assignments, projects, and access to supplementary online resources* Hands-on teaching materials for use in petroleum engineering software applicationsThe American Geophysical Union promotes discovery in Earth and space science for the benefit of humanity. Its publications disseminate scientific knowledge and provide resources for researchers, students, and professionals.

An introduction to the physical principles underlying Earth remote sensing.The development of spaceborne remote sensing technology has led to a new understanding of the complexity of our planet by allowing us to observe Earth and its environments on spatial and temporal scales that are unavailable to terrestrial sensors.Remote Sensing Physics: An Introduction to Observing Earth from Space is a graduate-level text that examines the underlying physical principles and techniques used to make remote measurements, along with the algorithms used to extract geophysical information from those measurements.Volume highlights include:* Basis for Earth remote sensing including ocean, land, and atmosphere* Description of satellite orbits relevant for Earth observations* Physics of passive sensing, including infrared, optical and microwave imagers* Physics of active sensing, including radars and lidars* Overview of current and future Earth observation missions* Compendium of resources including an extensive bibliography* Sample problem sets and answers available to instructorsThe American Geophysical Union promotes discovery in Earth and space science for the benefit of humanity. Its publications disseminate scientific knowledge and provide resources for researchers, students, and professionals.