The frozen earth : fundamentals of geocryology /

The latest addition to the series "Studies in Polar Research" and, like others in the series, this is an advanced work intended for graduate students and researchers. It is the fruit of the decades of its authors' experience, two of the foremost Canadian earth science researchers on frozen ground. The book contains ten chapters, but its heart lies in the five that treat processes of ground freezing and thawing; the relationships between climate and frozen ground; thermal conditions in the ground; thermodynamics of frozen soils; hydrology; and the mechanics of frozen ground. These present the physics and thermodynamics of frozen ground in a clear, comprehensible way, for which the authors deserve high compliments. Two other chapters treat the surface features produced by freezing and thawing in a similarly clear fashion. The production of the book matches the high standard of its contents: it contains very few typographical errors; line figures are clear, simple, and relevant; the reference list is comprehensive; and the index is useful and usable. In all, this will be a fine addition to a library serving earth scientists and engineers; it should be a mandatory addition to one that emphasizes cold environments. Advanced undergraduates and up. -N. Caine, University of Colorado