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Applications of the Correlation Length
The correlation length is the system–dependent parameter, which defines the structure of the dominant current–carrying (electric or fluid) paths.... -
Pressure Saturation Curves and the Critical Volume Fraction for Percolation
The pressure-saturation curves of porous media give fundamental information about the pore space. In equilibrium, ignoring effects due to hysteresis,... -
Effects of Multi-Scale Heterogeneity
It is generally agreed that problems with multi-scale heterogeneity present the biggest challenge to computation and understanding. A few such... -
2. Definition of Life
The definition of life is a long-standing debate with no general scientific consensus to be expected any time soon. The underlying problem is that... -
4. Energy Sources and Life
An external energy source is a necessary condition for life, because living systems require a flow of energy to organize materials and maintain a low... -
5. Building Blocks of Life
Life is based on complex chemistry yet only a few of all the available elements participate in most life-supporting reactions on Earth: carbon,... -
8 Entropy Production of Atmospheric Heat Transport
We examine the rate of entropy produced by the atmospheric general circulation and the hypothesis that it adjusts itself towards a macroscopic state... -
10 Thermodynamics of the Ocean Circulation: A Global Perspective on the Ocean System and Living Systems
In this chapter, we investigate thermodynamics in a global-scale open ocean circulation and discuss the physical properties of “living systems”, that... -
16 Temperature, Biogenesis, and Biospheric Self-Organization
We argue that the biosphere has evolved deterministically as a selforganized system, given the initial conditions of the Sun-Earth system. With... -
18 Insights from Thermodynamics for the Analysis of Economic Processes
The laws of thermodynamics constrain transformation of materials and energy, and thus have implications for economic processes. This paper provides... -
1 Entropy Production by Earth System Processes
Degradation of energy to lower temperatures and the associated production of entropy is a general direction for Earth system processes, ranging from... -
15 Coupled Evolution of Earth’s Atmosphere and Biosphere
Earth’s climate has remained conducive to life for more than 3.5 billion years, probably because of higher concentrations of CO2 and CH4 greenhouse... -
12 Entropy Production in the Planetary Context
In this paper I review some applications of nonequilibrium thermodynamics to planetary science. Of particular importance are the horizontal and... -
The Applications of Photocatalytic Waste Minimisation in Nuclear Fuel Processing
Nuclear fuel processing has two main waste management requirements: (1) the disposal of waste organic solvent (secondary waste) generated by... -
Reactions Induced in Natural Waters by Irradiation of Nitrate and Nitrite Ions
This review describes the reaction mechanisms of nitrate and nitrite ions, which play a role in the photochemical processes occurring in natural... -
Small-Scale Mantle Plumes: Imaging and Geodynamic Aspects
Columnar, upwelling masses of hot rock in the Earth’s mantle, called mantle plumes, are spectacular features of our planet because they supply the... -
A Combined Geophysical/Engineering Approach for the Seismic Safety of Long-Span Bridges
The spatial distribution of the resonance frequency of the sedimentary cover in the Cologne area was estimated by the horizontal-to-vertical spectral... -
4 Specific Features of Coupled Fluid Flow and Chemical Reaction
In many geologic processes, water-rock interactions are driven by continues supply of reactants provided by flowing groundwater. When water that... -
5 Fossil Hydrothermal Systems
Reactive transport modeling of the history of fossil hydrothermal systems provides the basis for understanding genesis of ore deposits as well as... -
International Standardisation of Ground Investigation and Testing Methods
Three committees of the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) prepare common...