Environmental and Resources Geochemistry of Earth System, 2015 Mass Transfer Mechanism, Geochemical Cycle and the Influence of Human Activity

The Earth system consists of subsystems that include the atmosphere, hydrosphere (water), geosphere (rocks, minerals), biosphere, and humans. In order to understand these subsystems and their interactions, it is essential to clarify the mass transfer mechanism, geochemical cycle, and influence of human activity on the natural environment. This book presents fundamental theories (thermodynamics, kinetics, mass balance model, coupling models such as the kinetics-fluid flow model, the box model, and others) concerning mechanisms in weathering, formation of hydrothermal ore deposits, hydrothermal alteration, formation of groundwater quality, and the seawater system. The interaction between fluids (atmosphere, water) and solid phases (rocks, minerals) occurs both in low-temperature and also in high-temperature systems. This book considers the complex low-temperature cycle with the high-temperature cycle, a combination that has not been dealt with in previous books concerning Earth systems. Humanity is a small part of the biosphere; however, human activities greatly influence Earth?s surface environments (atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, soils, rocks). Thus, the influences of humans on other subsystems, particularly mass transfer in the deep underground geologic environment composed of host rocks and groundwater, are discussed in relation to high-level nuclear waste geologic disposal and CO₂ underground sequestration?topics that have not been included in other books on environmental science.

Presents applications of basic theories (thermodynamics, kinetics, mass balance model, coupling model) to interpret the compositional variations in water-rock interaction

Provides box models applying to the short-term and long-term atmospheric CO2 and climate changes

Discusses relationships between box model and mass transfer mechanism and also between humans and other subsystems