The vulnerability of our civilization to earthquakes is rapidly growing, rais ing earthquakes to the ranks of major threats faced by humankind. Earth quake prediction is necessary to reduce that threat by undertaking disaster preparedness measures. This is one of the critically urgent problems whose solution requires fundamental research. At the same time, prediction is a ma jor tool of basic science, a source of heuristic constraints and the final test of theories. This volume summarizes the state-of-the-art in earthquake prediction. Its following aspects are considered: - Existing prediction algorithms and the quality of predictions they pro vide. - Application of such predictions for damage reduction, given their current accuracy, so far limited. - Fundamental understanding of the lithosphere gained in earthquake prediction research. - Emerging possibilities for major improvements of earthquake prediction methods. - Potential implications for predicting other disasters, besides earthquakes. Methodologies. At the heart of the research described here is the inte gration of three methodologies: phenomenological analysis of observations; "universal" models of complex systems such as those considered in statistical physics and nonlinear dynamics; and Earth-specific models of tectonic fault networks. In addition, the theory of optimal control is used to link earthquake prediction with earthquake preparedness.

Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 83. The goal of this volume is to establish an understanding and interdisciplinary cooperation among geophysicists and nonlinear dynamicists. While the last thirty years has brought substantial progress in the study of the atmosphere and ocean as well as of convection in the Earth's mantle and core, the nonlinear revolution is only beginning to have an impact on the investigation of the solid Earth. The problem of predictability in chaotic nonlinear systems is one of the most important and difficult subjects in modern nonlinear science. In its application to geophysics and, especially, earthquake prediction, it presents both a profound intellectual problem and an issue with important societal implications.

This second part of a two-volume work contains 22 research articles on various aspects of computational earthquake physics. Coverage includes the promising earthquake forecasting model LURR (Load-Unload Response Ratio); pattern informatics and phase dynamics and their applications; computational algorithms, including continuum damage models and visualization and analysis of geophysical datasets; and assimilation of data.

Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 87. This volume provides a review of progress made in recent years in experimental and theoretical investigation of the upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere and coupling between these regions and the ionosphere. Detailed study of the mesosphere/lower thermosphere/ionosphere (MLTI) region has historically been difficult because of its relative inaccessibility to direct measurement techniques and the complex and highly coupled processes which occur there. Although we have still not successfully unraveled all these complex interactions, we have made significant recent progress toward a fuller understanding of the basic state of the MLTI and of the dominant wave and coupling processes. This monograph includes a set of tutorial papers, which review our current understanding of aspects of the MLTI. These tutorials are interspersed with a selection of papers describing research progress on various topics of current interest in this region. The book should therefore be useful both to the newcomer, as an introduction to this field of research, and to the more experienced researcher, providing an overview of research in progress as well as a convenient reference collection of papers describing our current understanding.

Exciting developments in earthquake science have benefited from new observations, improved computational technologies, and improved modeling capabilities. Designing models of the earthquake generation process is a grand scientific challenge due to the complexity of phenomena and range of scales involved from microscopic to global. Such models provide powerful new tools for the study of earthquake precursory phenomena and the earthquake cycle. Through workshops, collaborations and publications, the APEC Cooperation for Earthquake Simulations (ACES) aims to develop realistic supercomputer simulation models for the complete earthquake generation process, thus providing a "virtual laboratory" to probe earthquake behavior. Part II of the book embraces dynamic rupture and wave propagation, computational environment and algorithms, data assimilation and understanding, and applications of models to earthquakes. This part also contains articles on the computational approaches and challenges of constructing earthquake models.

The internet of things (IoT) has drawn great attention from both academia and industry, since it offers a challenging notion of creating a world where all things around us are connected to the internet and communicate with each other with minimal human intervention. Another component for helping IoT to succeed is cloud computing. The combination of cloud computing and IoT will enable new monitoring services and powerful processing of sensory data streams. These applications, alongside implementation details and challenges, should also be explored for successful mainstream adoption. IoT is also fueled by the advancement of digital technologies, and the next generation era will be cloud-based IoT systems. Integration and Implementation of the Internet of Things Through Cloud Computing studies, analyzes, and presents cloud-based IoT-related technologies, protocols, and standards along with recent research and development in cloud-based IoT. It also presents recent emerging trends and technological advances of cloud-based IoT, innovative applications, and the challenges and implications for society. The chapters included take a strong look at the societal and social aspects of this technology along with its implementations and technological analyses. This book is intended for IT specialists, technologists, practitioners, researchers, academicians, and students who are interested in the next era of IoT through cloud computing.

1 AUK ISMAIL-ZADEH ,2, TOM BEER3 1 International Institute of Earthquake Prediction Theory and Mathematical Geophysics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Warshavskoye shosse 79-2, Moscow 113556, Russia; e-mail: [email protected] 2 Geophysikalisches Institut, Universittit Karlsruhe, Hertzstr. 16, Karlsruhe 76187, Germany; e-mail: [email protected] 3 CSIRO Environmental Risk Network, CSIRO Atmospheric Research, Aspendale, Vic. 3195 Australia; e-mail: [email protected] The world faces major threats to the sustainability of our planet. These threats are accompanied by the immediate dangers of natural and man-made disasters. Our vulnerability to them is greatly magnified with each passing year undermining our ability to maintain a sustainable and productive world into the 21st Century and beyond. Both history and common sense teach us that science has a tremendous potential to find ways to cope with these threats. 1 The EUROSCIENCE working group "Science and Urgent Problems of Society" 2 and the IUGG Commission on Geophysical Risk and Sustainability were initiators of the EUROSCIENCE - IUGG Advanced Research Workshop "Science for Reduction of Risk and Sustainable Development of Society" sponsored by the NATO Science Program. The Workshop was held on 15-16 June 2002 in Budapest, Hungary. More than 40 participants from 17 countries took part in the Workshop. Talks and discussions addressed mainly the question of how science can help in reduction of risk and sustainable development of society.