High Frequency and Pulse Scattering investigates high frequency and pulse scattering, with emphasis on the phenomenon of echoes from objects. Geometrical and catastrophe optics methods in scattering are discussed, along with the scattering of sound pulses and the ringing of target resonances. Caustics and associated diffraction catastrophes are also examined. Comprised of two chapters, this volume begins with a detailed account of geometrically based approximation methods in scattering theory, focusing on waves transmitted through fluid and elastic scatterers and glory scattering; surface ray representations of scattering by shells and other smooth objects; and caustics and associated diffraction catastrophes. The second chapter deals with the relation between sound pulses and the vibrational spectra of elastic submerged objects. The theory of the scattering of sound pulses from elastic and impenetrable objects is described, together with the theory of surface wave pulses. Target resonances and the singularity expansion method are also analyzed. This book will be of interest to physicists.

The earth’s cryosphere, which includes snow, glaciers, ice caps, ice sheets, ice shelves, sea ice, river and lake ice, and permafrost, contains about 75% of the earth’s fresh water. It exists at almost all latitudes, from the tropics to the poles, and plays a vital role in controlling the global climate system. It also provides direct visible evidence of the effect of climate change, and, therefore, requires proper understanding of its complex dynamics. This encyclopedia mainly focuses on the various aspects of snow, ice and glaciers, but also covers other cryospheric branches, and provides up-to-date information and basic concepts on relevant topics. It includes alphabetically arranged and professionally written, comprehensive and authoritative academic articles by well-known international experts in individual fields. The encyclopedia contains a broad spectrum of topics, ranging from the atmospheric processes responsible for snow formation; transformation of snow to ice and changes in their properties; classification of ice and glaciers and their worldwide distribution; glaciation and ice ages; glacier dynamics; glacier surface and subsurface characteristics; geomorphic processes and landscape formation; hydrology and sedimentary systems; permafrost degradation; hazards caused by cryospheric changes; and trends of glacier retreat on the global scale along with the impact of climate change. This book can serve as a source of reference at the undergraduate and graduate level and help to better understand snow, ice and glaciers. It will also be an indispensable tool containing specialized literature for geologists, geographers, climatologists, hydrologists, and water resources engineers; as well as for those who are engaged in the practice of agricultural and civil engineering, earth sciences, environmental sciences and engineering, ecosystem management, and other relevant subjects.

In recent years, there has been an increased interest in the use of polarization effects for radar and electromagnetic imaging problems (References 1, 2, and 3). The problem of electro magnetic imaging can be divided into the following areas: (1) Propagation of the Stokes' vector from the transmitter to the target region through various atmospheric conditions (rain, dust, fog, clouds, turbulence, etc.). (2) Scattering of the Stokes' vector from the object. (3) Scattering of the Stokes' vector from the rough surface, terrain, and the volume scattering. (4) Propagation of the Stokes' vector from the target region to the receiver. (5) The characteristics of the receiver relating the Stokes' vector to the output. The propagation characteristics of the Stokes' vector through various media can be described by the equation of transfer. Even though the scalar equation of transfer has been studied extensively in the past, the vector equation of transfer has not received as much attention. In recent years, however, a need for further study of the vector radiative transfer theory has become increasingly evident and several important studies have been reported. This paper presents a general formulation of the vector theory of radiative transfer under general anisotropic scattering conditions. Some useful solutions are also presented 4 8 for several practical situations. - 2. GENERAL FORMULATION OF VECTOR RADIATIVE TRANSFER THEORY Let us consider the plane-parallel problem Shovlll in Figure 1.