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Essential Fish Biology: Diversity, Structure, and Function
by Derek Burton Margaret BurtonEssential Fish Biology provides an introductory overview of the functional biology of fish and how this may be affected by the widely contrasting habitat conditions within the aquatic environment. It describes the recent advances in comparative animal physiology which have greatly influenced our understanding of fish function as well as generating questions that have yet to be resolved. Fish taxa represent the largest number of vertebrates, with over 25,000 extant species. However, much of our knowledge, apart from taxonomy and habitat descriptions, has been based on relatively few of them , usually those which live in fresh water and/or are of commercial interest. Unfortunately there has also been a tendency to base our interpretation of fish physiology on that of mammalian systems, as well as to rely on a few type species of fish. This accessible textbook will redress the balance by using examples of fish from a wide range of species and habitats, emphasizing diversity as well as recognizing shared attributes with other vertebrates.
Topological Aspects of Condensed Matter Physics: Lecture Notes of the Les Houches Summer School: Volume 103, August 2014 (Lecture Notes of the Les Houches Summer School #103)
This book contains lecture notes by world experts on one of the most rapidly growing fields of research in physics. Topological quantum phenomena are being uncovered at unprecedented rates in novel material systems. The consequences are far reaching, from the possibility of carrying currents and performing computations without dissipation of energy, to the possibility of realizing platforms for topological quantum computation.The pedagogical lectures contained in this book are an excellent introduction to this blooming field. The lecture notes are intended for graduate students or advanced undergraduate students in physics and mathematics who want to immerse in this exciting XXI century physics topic. This Les Houches Summer School presents an overview of this field, along with a sense of its origins and its placement on the map of fundamental physics advancements. The School comprised a set of basic lectures (part 1) aimed at a pedagogical introduction of the fundamental concepts, which was accompanied by more advanced lectures (part 2) covering individual topics at the forefront of today's research in condensed-matter physics.
Environmental Chemistry: A global perspective
by Gary W. vanLoon Stephen J. DuffyChemical processes shape the world we live in; the air we breathe, the water we drink, the weather we experience. Environmental Chemistry: a global perspective describes those chemical principles which underpin the natural processes occurring within and between the air, water, and soil, and explores how human activities impact on these processes, giving rise to environmental issues of global concern. Guiding us through the chemical composition of the three key environmental systems - the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and terrestrial environment - the authors explain the chemical processes which occur within and between each system. Focusing on general principles, we are introduced to the essential chemical concepts which allow better understanding of air, water, and soil and how they behave; careful explanations ensure that clarity is not sacrificed at the expense of thorough coverage of the underlying chemistry. We then see how human activity continues to affect the chemical behaviour of these environmental systems, and what the consequences of these natural processes being disturbed can be. Environmental Chemistry: a global perspective takes chemistry out of the laboratory, and shows us its importance in the world around us. With illuminating examples from around the globe, its rich pedagogy, and broad, carefully structured coverage, this book is the perfect resource for any environmental chemistry student wishing to develop a thorough understanding of their subject.
Introduction to Nanophotonics (Oxford Graduate Texts)
by Henri Benisty Jean-Jacques Greffet Philippe LalanneThe aim of this textbook is to provide an overview of nanophotonics, a discipline which was developed around the turn of the millennium. This unique and rapidly evolving subject area is the result of a collaboration between various scientific communities working on different aspects of light-matter interaction at the nanoscale. These include near-field optics and super-resolution microscopy, photonic crystals, diffractive optics, plasmonics, optoelectronics, synthesis of metallic and semiconductor nanoparticles, two-dimensional materials, and metamaterials. The book is aimed at graduate students with a background in physics, electrical engineering, material science, or chemistry, as well as lecturers and researchers working within these fields.
Genomics: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)
by John M. ArchibaldGenomics has transformed the biological sciences. From epidemiology and medicine to evolution and forensics, the ability to determine an organism's complete genetic makeup has changed the way science is done and the questions that can be asked of it. Its most celebrated achievement was the Human Genome Project, a technologically challenging endeavor that took thousands of scientists around the world 13 years and over 3 billion US dollars to complete. In this Very Short Introduction John Archibald explores the science of genomics and its rapidly expanding toolbox. Sequencing a human genome now takes only a few days and costs as little as $1,000. The genomes of simple bacteria and viruses can be sequenced in a matter of hours on a device that fits in the palm of your hand. The resulting sequences can be used to better understand our biology in health and disease and to 'personalize' medicine. Archibald shows how the field of genomics is on the cusp of another quantum leap; the implications for science and society are profound. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
Genomics: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)
by John M. ArchibaldGenomics has transformed the biological sciences. From epidemiology and medicine to evolution and forensics, the ability to determine an organism's complete genetic makeup has changed the way science is done and the questions that can be asked of it. Its most celebrated achievement was the Human Genome Project, a technologically challenging endeavor that took thousands of scientists around the world 13 years and over 3 billion US dollars to complete. In this Very Short Introduction John Archibald explores the science of genomics and its rapidly expanding toolbox. Sequencing a human genome now takes only a few days and costs as little as $1,000. The genomes of simple bacteria and viruses can be sequenced in a matter of hours on a device that fits in the palm of your hand. The resulting sequences can be used to better understand our biology in health and disease and to 'personalize' medicine. Archibald shows how the field of genomics is on the cusp of another quantum leap; the implications for science and society are profound. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
Cognitive Neuroscience: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)
by Richard PassinghamUp to the 1960s, psychology was deeply under the influence of behaviourism, which focused on stimuli and responses, and regarded consideration of what may happen in the mind as unapproachable scientifically. This began to change with the devising of methods to try to tap into what was going on in the 'black box' of the mind, and the development of 'cognitive psychology'. With the study of patients who had suffered brain damage or injury to limited parts of the brain, outlines of brain components and processes began to take shape, and by the end of the 1970s, a new science, cognitive neuroscience, was born. But it was with the development of ways of accessing activation of the working brain using imaging techniques such as PET and fMRI that cognitive neuroscience came into its own, as a science cutting across psychology and neuroscience, with strong connections to philosophy of mind. Experiments involving subjects in scanners while doing various tasks, thinking, problem solving, and remembering are shedding light on the brain processes involved. The research is exciting and new, and often makes media headlines. But there is much misunderstanding about what brain imaging tells us, and the interpretation of studies on cognition. In this Very Short Introduction Richard Passingham, a distinguished cognitive neuroscientist, gives a provocative and exciting account of the nature and scope of this relatively new field, and the techniques available to us, focusing on investigation of the human brain. He explains what brain imaging shows, pointing out common misconceptions, and gives a brief overview of the different aspects of human cognition: perceiving, attending, remembering, reasoning, deciding, and acting. Passingham concludes with a discussion of the exciting advances that may lie ahead. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
Cognitive Neuroscience: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)
by Richard PassinghamUp to the 1960s, psychology was deeply under the influence of behaviourism, which focused on stimuli and responses, and regarded consideration of what may happen in the mind as unapproachable scientifically. This began to change with the devising of methods to try to tap into what was going on in the 'black box' of the mind, and the development of 'cognitive psychology'. With the study of patients who had suffered brain damage or injury to limited parts of the brain, outlines of brain components and processes began to take shape, and by the end of the 1970s, a new science, cognitive neuroscience, was born. But it was with the development of ways of accessing activation of the working brain using imaging techniques such as PET and fMRI that cognitive neuroscience came into its own, as a science cutting across psychology and neuroscience, with strong connections to philosophy of mind. Experiments involving subjects in scanners while doing various tasks, thinking, problem solving, and remembering are shedding light on the brain processes involved. The research is exciting and new, and often makes media headlines. But there is much misunderstanding about what brain imaging tells us, and the interpretation of studies on cognition. In this Very Short Introduction Richard Passingham, a distinguished cognitive neuroscientist, gives a provocative and exciting account of the nature and scope of this relatively new field, and the techniques available to us, focusing on investigation of the human brain. He explains what brain imaging shows, pointing out common misconceptions, and gives a brief overview of the different aspects of human cognition: perceiving, attending, remembering, reasoning, deciding, and acting. Passingham concludes with a discussion of the exciting advances that may lie ahead. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
Relativity in Modern Physics (Oxford Graduate Texts)
by Nathalie Deruelle Jean-Philippe UzanThis comprehensive textbook on relativity integrates Newtonian physics, special relativity and general relativity into a single book that emphasizes the deep underlying principles common to them all, yet explains how they are applied in different ways in these three contexts. Newton's ideas about how to represent space and time, his laws of dynamics, and his theory of gravitation established the conceptual foundation from which modern physics developed. Book I in this volume offers undergraduates a modern view of Newtonian theory, emphasizing those aspects needed for understanding quantum and relativistic contemporary physics. In 1905, Albert Einstein proposed a novel representation of space and time, special relativity. Book II presents relativistic dynamics in inertial and accelerated frames, as well as a detailed overview of Maxwell's theory of electromagnetism. This provides undergraduate and graduate students with the background necessary for studying particle and accelerator physics, astrophysics and Einstein's theory of general relativity. In 1915, Einstein proposed a new theory of gravitation, general relativity. Book III in this volume develops the geometrical framework in which Einstein's equations are formulated, and presents several key applications: black holes, gravitational radiation, and cosmology, which will prepare graduate students to carry out research in relativistic astrophysics, gravitational wave astronomy, and cosmology.
Calorimetry: Energy Measurement in Particle Physics (International Series of Monographs on Physics #168)
by Richard WigmansParticle physics is the science that pursues the age-old quest for the innermost structure of matter and the fundamental interactions between its constituents. Modern experiments in this field rely increasingly on calorimetry, a detection technique in which the particles of interest are absorbed in the detector. Calorimeters are very intricate instruments. Their performance characteristics depend on subtle, sometimes counter-intuitive design details. Written by one of the world's foremost experts, Calorimetry is the first comprehensive text on this topic. It provides a fundamental and systematic introduction to calorimetry. It describes the state of the art in terms of both the fundamental understanding of calorimetric particle detection, and the actual detectors that have been or are being built and operated in experiments. The last chapter discusses landmark scientific discoveries in which calorimetry has played an important role. This book summarizes and puts into perspective the work described in some 900 scientific papers, listed in the bibliography. This second edition emphasizes new developments that have taken place since the first edition appeared in 2000.
Optics f2f: From Fourier to Fresnel
by Charles S. Adams Ifan G. HughesThis textbook on optics provides an introduction to key concepts of wave optics and light propagation. It uniquely makes extensive use of Fourier methods and the angular-spectrum approach, especially to provide a unified approach to Fraunhofer and Fresnel diffraction. A recurring theme is that simple building blocks such as plane and spherical waves can be summed to construct useful solutions. The text pays particular attention to analysing topics in contemporary optics such as propagation, dispersion, laser beams and wave guides, apodisation, tightly-focused vector fields, unconventional polarization states, and light-matter interactions. Throughout the text, the principles are applied through worked examples, and the book is copiously illustrated with more than 240 figures. The 200 end-of-chapter exercises offer further opportunities for testing the reader's understanding.
Evolutionary Ecology of Marine Invertebrate Larvae
More than seventy percent of the earth's surface is covered by ocean - the home to a staggering and sometimes overwhelming diversity of organisms, a majority of which reside in pelagic form. Marine invertebrate larvae are an integral part of this pelagic diversity and have stimulated the curiosity of researchers for centuries. This book will provide an important, modern update on the topic of larval ecology, representing the first major synthesis of this interdisciplinary field for more than 20 years. The content will be structured around four major areas: evolutionary origins and transitions in developmental mode; functional morphology and ecology of larval forms; larval transport, settlement, and metamorphosis; climate change and larval ecology at the extremes. This novel synthesis will integrate traditional larval ecology with life history theory, evolutionary developmental biology, and modern genomics research.
Spin Current (Series on Semiconductor Science and Technology #22)
Since the discovery of the giant magnetoresistance (GMR) effect in magnetic multilayers in 1988, a new branch of physics and technology, called spin-electronics or spintronics, has emerged, where the flow of electrical charge as well as the flow of electron spin, the so-called "spin current", are manipulated and controlled together. Recent progress in the physics of magnetism and the application of spin current has progressed in tandem with the nanofabrication technology of magnets and the engineering of interfaces and thin films. This book is intended to provide an introduction and guide to the new physics and applications of spin current. The emphasis is placed on the interaction between spin and charge currents in magnetic nanostructures.
The Biology of Coral Reefs (Biology of Habitats Series)
by Charles Sheppard Simon Davy Graham Pilling Nicholas GrahamCoral reefs represent the most spectacular and diverse marine ecosystem on the planet as well as a critical source of income for millions of people. However, the combined effects of human activity have led to a rapid decline in the health of reefs worldwide, with many now facing complete destruction. Their world-wide deterioration and over-exploitation has continued and even accelerated in many areas since the publication of the first edition in 2009. At the same time, there has been a near doubling in the number of scientific papers that have been written in this short time about coral reef biology and the ability to acclimate to ocean warming and acidification. This new edition has been thoroughly revised and updated, incorporating the significant increase in knowledge gained over the last decade whilst retaining the book's focus as a concise and affordable overview of the field. The Biology of Coral Reefs provides an integrated overview of the function, physiology, ecology, and behaviour of coral reef organisms. Each chapter is enriched with a selection of 'boxes' on specific aspects written by internationally recognised experts. As with other books in the Biology of Habitats Series, the emphasis in this book is on the organisms that dominate this marine environment although pollution, conservation, climate change, and experimental aspects are also included. Indeed, particular emphasis is placed on conservation and management due to the habitat's critically endangered status. A global range of examples is employed which gives the book international relevance.
The Quantum Matrix: Henry Bar's Perilous Struggle for Quantum Coherence
by Gershon Kurizki Goren GordonIn this book, Henry Bar, physicist and the first quantum superhero, guides the reader through the amazing quantum world. His hair-raising adventures in his perilous struggle for quantum coherence are graphically depicted by comics and thoroughly explained to the lay reader. Behind each adventure lies a key concept in quantum physics. These concepts range from the basic quantum coherence and entanglement through tunnelling and the recently discovered quantum decoherence control, to the principles of the emerging technologies of quantum communication and computing. The explanations of the concepts are accessible, but nonetheless rigorous and detailed. They are followed by an account of the broader context of these concepts, their historic perspective, current status and forthcoming developments. Finally, thought-provoking philosophical and cultural implications of these concepts are discussed. The mathematical appendices of all chapters cover in a straightforward manner the core aspects of quantum physics at the level of a university introductory course. The Quantum Matrix presents an entertaining, popular, yet comprehensive picture of quantum physics . It can be read as a light-hearted illustrated tale, a philosophical treatise, or a textbook. Either way, the book lets the reader delve deeply into the wondrous quantum world from diverse perspectives and obtain glimpses into the quantum technologies that are about to reshape our lives. This book offers the reader an enjoyable and rewarding voyage through the quantum world.
Quantum Information Science
by Riccardo Manenti Mario MottaThis book provides an introduction to quantum information science, the science at the basis of the new quantum revolution of this century. It teaches the reader to build and program a quantum computer and leverage its potential. Aimed at quantum physicists and computer scientists, the book covers several topics, including quantum algorithms, quantum chemistry, and quantum engineering of superconducting qubits. Written by two professionals in the experimental and theoretical fields of quantum information science and containing over 200 figures and 100 exercises with solutions and summaries at the end of each chapter, this book is set to become a new standard in the field.
From Random Walks to Random Matrices (Oxford Graduate Texts)
by Jean Zinn-JustinTheoretical physics is a cornerstone of modern physics and provides a foundation for all modern quantitative science. It aims to describe all natural phenomena using mathematical theories and models, and in consequence develops our understanding of the fundamental nature of the universe. This books offers an overview of major areas covering the recent developments in modern theoretical physics. Each chapter introduces a new key topic and develops the discussion in a self-contained manner. At the same time the selected topics have common themes running throughout the book, which connect the independent discussions. The main themes are renormalization group, fixed points, universality, and continuum limit, which open and conclude the work. The development of modern theoretical physics has required important concepts and novel mathematical tools, examples discussed in the book include path and field integrals, the notion of effective quantum or statistical field theories, gauge theories, and the mathematical structure at the basis of the interactions in fundamental particle physics, including quantization problems and anomalies, stochastic dynamical equations, and summation of perturbative series.
Getting Started with R: An Introduction for Biologists
by Andrew P. Beckerman Dylan Z. Childs Owen L. PetcheyR is rapidly becoming the standard software for statistical analyses, graphical presentation of data, and programming in the natural, physical, social, and engineering sciences. Getting Started with R is now the go-to introductory guide for biologists wanting to learn how to use R in their research. It teaches readers how to import, explore, graph, and analyse data, while keeping them focused on their ultimate goals: clearly communicating their data in oral presentations, posters, papers, and reports. It provides a consistent workflow for using R that is simple, efficient, reliable, and reproducible. This second edition has been updated and expanded while retaining the concise and engaging nature of its predecessor, offering an accessible and fun introduction to the packages dplyr and ggplot2 for data manipulation and graphing. It expands the set of basic statistics considered in the first edition to include new examples of a simple regression, a one-way and a two-way ANOVA. Finally, it introduces a new chapter on the generalised linear model. Getting Started with R is suitable for undergraduates, graduate students, professional researchers, and practitioners in the biological sciences.
Getting Started with R: An Introduction for Biologists
by Dylan Z. Childs Andrew P. Beckerman Owen L. PetcheyR is rapidly becoming the standard software for statistical analyses, graphical presentation of data, and programming in the natural, physical, social, and engineering sciences. Getting Started with R is now the go-to introductory guide for biologists wanting to learn how to use R in their research. It teaches readers how to import, explore, graph, and analyse data, while keeping them focused on their ultimate goals: clearly communicating their data in oral presentations, posters, papers, and reports. It provides a consistent workflow for using R that is simple, efficient, reliable, and reproducible. This second edition has been updated and expanded while retaining the concise and engaging nature of its predecessor, offering an accessible and fun introduction to the packages dplyr and ggplot2 for data manipulation and graphing. It expands the set of basic statistics considered in the first edition to include new examples of a simple regression, a one-way and a two-way ANOVA. Finally, it introduces a new chapter on the generalised linear model. Getting Started with R is suitable for undergraduates, graduate students, professional researchers, and practitioners in the biological sciences.
Hybrid Phonons in Nanostructures (Series on Semiconductor Science and Technology #20)
by Brian K. RidleyThe book provides a technical account of the basic physics of nanostructures, which are the foundation of the hardware found in all manner of computers. It will be of interest to semiconductor physicists and electronic engineers and advanced research students. Crystalline nanostructures have special properties associated with electrons and lattice vibrations and their interaction. The result of spatial confinement of electrons is indicated in the nomenclature of nanostructures: quantum wells, quantum wires, quantum dots. Confinement also has a profound effect on lattice vibrations. The documentation of the confinement of acoustic modes goes back to Lord Rayleigh's work in the late nineteenth century, but no such documentation exists for optical modes. It is only comparatively recently that any theory of the elastic properties of optical modes exists, and a comprehensive account is given in this book. A model of the lattice dynamics of the diamond lattice is given that reveals the quantitative distinction between acoustic and optical modes and the difference of connection rules that must apply at an interface. The presence of interfaces in nanostructures forces the hybridization of longitudinally and transversely polarized modes, along with, in polar material, electromagnetic modes. Hybrid acoustic and optical modes are described, with an emphasis on polar-optical phonons and their interaction with electrons. Scattering rates in single heterostructures, quantum wells and quantum wires are described and the anharmonic interaction in quantum dots discussed. A description is given of the effects of dynamic screening of hybrid polar modes and the production of hot phonons.
From Classical to Quantum Fields
by Laurent Baulieu John Iliopoulos Roland SénéorQuantum Field Theory has become the universal language of most modern theoretical physics. This introductory textbook shows how this beautiful theory offers the correct mathematical framework to describe and understand the fundamental interactions of elementary particles. The book begins with a brief reminder of basic classical field theories, electrodynamics and general relativity, as well as their symmetry properties, and proceeds with the principles of quantisation following Feynman's path integral approach. Special care is used at every step to illustrate the correct mathematical formulation of the underlying assumptions. Gauge theories and the problems encountered in their quantisation are discussed in detail. The last chapters contain a full description of the Standard Model of particle physics and the attempts to go beyond it, such as grand unified theories and supersymmetry. Written for advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students in physics and mathematics, the book could also serve as a reference for active researchers in the field.
Bell Nonlocality (Oxford Graduate Texts)
by Valerio ScaraniThe development of quantum technologies has seen a tremendous upsurge in recent years, and the theory of Bell nonlocality has been key in making these technologies possible. Bell nonlocality is one of the most striking discoveries triggered by quantum theory. It states that in some situations, measurements of physical systems do not reveal pre-existing properties; rather, the property is created by the measurement itself. In 1964, John Bell demonstrated that the predictions of quantum theory are incompatible with the assumption that outcomes are predetermined. This phenomenon has been observed beyond any doubt in the last decades. It is an observation that is here to stay, even if quantum theory were to be replaced in the future. Besides having fundamental implications, nonlocality is so specific that it can be used to develop and certify reliable quantum devices. This book is a logical, rather than historical, presentation of nonlocality and its applications. Part 1 opens with a survey of the meaning of Bell nonlocality and its interpretations, then delves into the mathematical formalisation of this phenomenon, and finally into its manifestations in quantum theory. Part 2 is devoted to the possibility of using the evidence of nonlocality for certification of devices for quantum technologies. Part 3 explores some of the extensions and consequences of nonlocality for the foundations of physics.
Ecological and Environmental Physiology of Mammals (Ecological and Environmental Physiology Series)
by Philip C. Withers Christine E. Cooper Shane K. Maloney Francisco Bozinovic Ariovaldo P. Cruz NetoMammals are the so-called "pinnacle" group of vertebrates, successfully colonising virtually all terrestrial environments as well as the air (bats) and sea (especially pinnipeds and cetaceans). How mammals function and survive in these diverse environments has long fascinated mammologists, comparative physiologists and ecologists. Ecological and Environmental Physiology of Mammals explores the physiological mechanisms and evolutionary necessities that have made the spectacular adaptation of mammals possible. It summarises our current knowledge of the complex and sophisticated physiological approaches that mammals have for survival in a wide variety of ecological and environmental contexts: terrestrial, aerial, and aquatic. The authors have a strong comparative and quantitative focus in their broad approach to exploring mammal ecophysiology. As with other books in the Ecological and Environmental Physiology Series, the emphasis is on the unique physiological characteristics of mammals, their adaptations to extreme environments, and current experimental techniques and future research directions are also considered. This accessible text is suitable for graduate level students and researchers in the fields of mammalian comparative physiology and physiological ecology, including specialist courses in mammal ecology. It will also be of value and use to the many professional mammologists requiring a concise overview of the topic.
Ecological and Environmental Physiology of Mammals (Ecological and Environmental Physiology Series)
by Shane K. Maloney Philip C. Withers Christine E. Cooper Francisco Bozinovic Ariovaldo P. Cruz NetoMammals are the so-called "pinnacle" group of vertebrates, successfully colonising virtually all terrestrial environments as well as the air (bats) and sea (especially pinnipeds and cetaceans). How mammals function and survive in these diverse environments has long fascinated mammologists, comparative physiologists and ecologists. Ecological and Environmental Physiology of Mammals explores the physiological mechanisms and evolutionary necessities that have made the spectacular adaptation of mammals possible. It summarises our current knowledge of the complex and sophisticated physiological approaches that mammals have for survival in a wide variety of ecological and environmental contexts: terrestrial, aerial, and aquatic. The authors have a strong comparative and quantitative focus in their broad approach to exploring mammal ecophysiology. As with other books in the Ecological and Environmental Physiology Series, the emphasis is on the unique physiological characteristics of mammals, their adaptations to extreme environments, and current experimental techniques and future research directions are also considered. This accessible text is suitable for graduate level students and researchers in the fields of mammalian comparative physiology and physiological ecology, including specialist courses in mammal ecology. It will also be of value and use to the many professional mammologists requiring a concise overview of the topic.
Atomistic Spin Dynamics: Foundations and Applications
by Olle Eriksson Anders Bergman Lars Bergqvist Johan HellsvikThe purpose of this book is to provide a theoretical foundation and an understanding of atomistic spin-dynamics (ASD), and to give examples of where the atomistic Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation can and should be used. As argued in the text, a description of magnetism in an atomistic way is very natural and allows for an interpretation of experimental results in a clear and deep way. This description also allows for calculations, from first principles, of all parameters needed to perform the spin-dynamics simulations, without using experimental results as input to the simulations. As shown in the book, we are now at a very exciting situation, where it is possible to perform accurate and efficient atomistic simulations on a length- and time-scale which is balancing on the edge of what is experimentally possible. In this way, ASD simulations can both validate and be validated by state-of-the art experiments, and ASD simulations also have the possibility to act as a predictive tool that is able to explain the magnetization dynamics in experimentally inaccessible situations. The purpose of this book has been to communicate technically relevant concepts. An even larger motivation is to communicate an inspiration to magnetism and magnetization dynamics, and the emerging technological fields that one may foresee, e.g. in magnonics, solitonics and skyrmionics.