Mathematics of Planet Earth – Mathematicians Reflect on How to Discover, Organize, and Protect Our Planet
Mathematicians Reflect on How to Discover, Organize, and Protect our Planet

An accessible exploration of challenges facing the planet, based on outreach work by the 'Mathematics of Planet Earth' project.

Hans Kaper (Edited by), Hans Kaper (Author), Christiane Rousseau (Edited by), Christiane Rousseau (Author)

9781611973709

Paperback / softback, published 30 December 2015

218 pages
26.1 x 17.9 x 2.1 cm, 0.478 kg

Our planet faces many challenges. In 2013, an international partnership of more than 140 scientific societies, research institutes, and organizations focused its attention on these issues. This project was called 'Mathematics of Planet Earth' and featured English- and French-language blogs, accessible to non-mathematicians, as part of its outreach activities. This book is based on more than 100 of the 270 English-language blog posts and focuses on four major themes: A Planet to Discover; A Planet Supporting Life; A Planet Organized by Humans; and A Planet at Risk. Readers will learn about the challenges that confront the Earth today, and how mathematics and mathematicians can contribute to a better understanding of these challenges. This book is accessible to a general audience with a basic scientific background. Mathematicians will learn about some planetary challenges which provide mathematical and/or interdisciplinary research problems.

Preface
Part I. A Planet to Discover: 1. Planet Earth
2. Ocean and atmosphere
3. Weather and climate
4. Beyond Planet Earth
Part II. A Planet Supporting Life: 5. Biosphere
6. Ecology and evolution
Part III. A Planet Organized by Humans: 7. Communication and representation
8. Energy
9. Economics and finance
10. Human behavior
Part IV. A Planet at Risk: 11. Climate change
12. Biological threats
13. Predicting catastrophes and managing risk
Contributor index
Name index
Subject index.

Subject Areas: Miscellaneous items [WZ]