Richard W. Blumenthal - Charles Wilkes and the Exploration of Inland Washington Waters

Richard W. Blumenthal - Charles Wilkes and the Exploration of Inland Washington Waters: Journals from the Expedition of 1841
Publisher: McFarland | 2009-06-13 | ISBN: 0786443162 | PDF | 320 pages | 2.97 MB

A follow-up to 2004's The Early Exploration of Inland Washington Waters: Journals and Logs from Six Expeditions, 1786-1792 and 2007's With Vancouver in Inland Washington Waters: Journals of 12 Crewmen, April-June 1792, this book offers another significant addition to maritime history in the Pacific Northwest. It follows naval officer and explorer Charles Wilkes, an experienced nautical surveyor who led the Wilkes Expedition through the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the Puget Sound, the Columbia River, and other inland Washington waters in 1841. This book includes the journals of Charles Wilkes and ten of his crewmen, including Augustus L. Case, George Colvocoresses, George T. Sinclair, and other esteemed naval officers. Special attention is given to the many place names that Wilkes originated. The book also includes eighteen of the Wilkes Expedition's charts, the quality of which reflects the crew's careful attention to accuracy. Finally, it includes a complete muster list of the officers and crewmen attached to the Wilkes Expedition, featuring name, title, and, in most cases, a brief synopsis of the man's activity within the expedition.

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Watching Earth from Space: How Surveillance Helps Us -- and Harms Us (Springer Praxis Books / Space Exploration) (repost)

Watching Earth from Space: How Surveillance Helps Us -- and Harms Us (Springer Praxis Books / Space Exploration)
Praxis; 1st Edition. edition (November 1, 2010) | ISBN: 1441969373 | 285 pages | PDF | 165 MB

Our planet is constantly monitored by hundreds of space-borne instruments. This book describes the technology of those instruments and the sciences that provide useful information from them. It also discusses the political implications of space-borne monitoring. From the moment satellites were launched into orbit their ability to see what was happening on a global scale was appreciated — and feared. This well researched book strives to answer such diverse questions as: Are satellites really a threat to individual privacy? How bad, really, is climate change and global warming? Why can’t we find Osama bin Laden? Does the world have enough fresh water? The military side of the story is linked to the big security issues that we face, such as terrorism and civil wars. The civilian side of the story involves numerous successful collaborations in weather forecasting, navigation, communications, and other such "peaceful" uses of satellite surveillance. How the world handles the knowledge gained from these Earth watchers will be critical in the years to come, and Norris skillfully leads us through the issues and possible paths we can take.

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