Extreme Earth
3 total works
This book presents an oasis of information on the world's starkest deserts. ""Journey from Death Valley"", the lowest point in North America, to the Libyan desert, the hottest on Earth, where temperatures can reach 136[degrees]F, to Antarctica's vast polar deserts, which have not had ice cover for thousands of years. From trade wind and rainshadow deserts to interior and coastal deserts, ""Deserts"" spotlights 10 superlative examples and reveals why these astonishing landforms are never static, but always changing. A dramatic, full-color photographic insert adds visual appeal to this compelling title.
Ocean Ridges and Trenches immerses readers in the mysteries of the world's sea floors, from the surprising creatures of the Galapagos Rift to the devastating tsunamis of the Java Trench. This new volume in ""The Extreme Earth"" set reveals how 10 undersea mountain ranges and valleys came to be, how and why it has changed over the span of geologic time, and its contributions to the environment. The ridges and trenches covered span the Mariana Trench, the deepest point in the ocean, and the San Andreas Fault, site of many of California's earthquakes. Each chapter provides illuminating material on environmental challenges and expert reports on science in action, with details on field studies conducted at each sea-floor site. Additional articles cover related high-interest topics, such as giant squids, magnetic fields, and plate tectonics. This book is supported with photographs and line illustrations, a glossary of scientific terms, and suggestions for finding further information.