From the Paper
"This paper will be concerned with earthquakes caused by the San Andreas Fault in the state of California. There are numerous earthquake fault systems to be found throughout California; however, the San Andreas Fault is by far the largest and "most conspicuous in the state".

Approximately 650 miles long, it is clearly the longest fault in the state. In addition, it is one of the deepest, dropping as far as 20 or 30 miles into the earth's crust at certain points. The San Andreas Fault varies widely in width throughout its stretch. In some sections, the fault is less than 100 yards wide. However, in other locations, the San Andreas Fault is "several hundred yards to a mile or more in width and is interlaced with any number of sub-parallel fault lines". The San Andreas Fault basically runs along the Coast Mountains which follow the ... "

Abstract
This paper examines the growing threat of maritime piracy taking place of the coast of Somalia. The paper first explains that the pirates, who operate off the coast of Somalia, are assumed to be members of warring rebel factions within the war-torn nation. The paper then reviews the history of attacks and the world reaction to them. Specific acts of piracy off the coast of Somalia are also described. With no official naval or coast guard forces and a weak central government at best, Somalia is helpless to deal with the problem of maritime piracy off of its own coastline. The paper concludes that, if the international community does not respond to quell these attacks, the piracy problem will continue.

From the Paper
"For instance, the Dutch ship Zeven Provincien and the USS Roosevelt were called to intervene in the April 2006 hijacking of a South Korean fishing trawler, but the pirates were able to get the vessel into Somali waters before any sufficient response could be mounted. The pirates have become increasingly sophisticated and aggressive in their attempts to capture the crews and the ships that they are operating. In one reported attack, pirates faked a distress signal in order to lure good Samaritan vessels into a vulnerable position where they could be captured."

Tags:brazenness, trade routes, modus operandi, aggressive response, territorial waters

Abstract
An examination of the climatic global changes taking place. The author discusses the types of climatic changes occurring and their effects on certain geographical areas and on the environment. Also, a look at their long term impacts on society as a whole.

From the Paper
"Since the mid-1970's, scientists reported, the average global surface temperature has increased at a rate of about 3.5 degrees per century -- about the same rate estimated for the 21st century if emissions of waste industrial gases that trap heat in the atmosphere are not reduced. By comparison, the world has warmed by 5 to 9 degrees since the depths of the last ice age, 18,000 to 20,000 years ago."

Tags:geography, environment

Abstract
In this paper the 3 major regions of India are analyzed geographically, looking at the weather patterns, topographical regions, agriculture and climate. The impact of geography on the people of India is also looked at, primarily by looking at the geographic problems in the nation They include population density and a heavy dependence on few industries.

From the Paper
"When studying the land that makes up India, it is important to realize the diversity that abounds in the different regions of the nation. There are three main sections that India can be split into: the Himalayas, the Indo-Gangetic Plain, and the Peninsula. The Himalayan Mountain range is present in India along the northern border, and especially in the northwest corner of the country. There are numerous peaks of various sizes, but the most notable are Mount Nanda Devi and the Godwin-Austen, which lies in disputed territory. There is also an area known as the Lesser Himalayas, which serves as a transition area between the mountainous regions of the north and the central plains. The Himalayas are a key component in the weather dynamics of all of Southern Asia, and India especially depends on them. India has 4 major seasons: winter in December until February; summer from March until May; monsoons from the southwest in June until September; and monsoons from the northeast in October and November."

Tags:density, himalayan, population, problems, soil

Abstract
This paper describes how greenhouse gases contribute to global warming. It begins by describing how greenhouse gases occur in the atmosphere. It discusses the importance of greenhouse gases and then describes what causes the harmful greenhouse effect. Finally, the paper describes the negative impact of the greenhouse effect on the Earth's environment.

From the Paper
"Greenhouse gases are components of the atmosphere that contribute to the warming of the Earth. Some greenhouse gases occur naturally in the atmosphere, such as: water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone. Human activities have increased the concentrations of these gases over time. The burning of fossil fuels such as oil, coal, and natural gas as well as other activities like deforestation, has lead to higher concentrations of Carbon dioxide. Live stock, paddy rice farming and losses of pipelines have lead to higher concentration of methane in the atmosphere. Activities, such as the use of nitrogenous fertilizers for agricultural reasons, and the burning of vegetation, have increased the nitrous oxide concentrations. The only greenhouse gas that is not directly affected by human activity is water vapor (Greenhouse gas, 2007)."

Tags:global, warming, fossil, fuels, methane

Abstract
The ever changing nature of urban morphology of cities throughout the world are often the result of the complex inter-relationships that have evolved in both a temporal and spatial format. This paper examines how diversification, agglomeration, specialization, concentration and urbanization all complement and contradict each other in relation to the urban mosaic. It also attempts to evaluate the role of the multitude of deterministic factors that give rise to distinctive areas of specialization within the city. In particular, reference is made to the CBD, inner cities and zones of industrial development.

From the Paper
"The development of twilight zones are synonomous with the transitional zone and the inner city. Twilight zones have high levels of crime, are popular with foreign migrants and offer low-cost housing in the older parts of the city. Accessibility again is also one factor influencing their development. Many of the residents in twilight zones are working class and need to live in close proximity to their place of work. Transport costs take up a large proportion of their very low incomes and to minimize this they live close to their employment. However land values are still high and specialization in cities will be linked to bid rents."

Tags:industrial, development, mosaic, urban, twilight

Abstract
Arrival of the original Australians has long been a topic of debate amongst anthropologists and archaeologists. The questions of why, how and when Greater Australia was colonized are often asked. The biogeographic colonization model proposed by Peter Veth has galvanized archaeologists into pursuing specific questions at regional levels. This paper looks at that model using the following format.

Table of Contents:
Abstract
Introduction
Arid Region
Paleoenvironment
Islands in the Interior
Central Refuge
Corridors
Barriers
Dissecting the Islands
Biogeographic Regions
Technology
Social Transformation
Summary
Future Research
Conclusion
References

From the Paper
"Paleoenvironment information is derived from 'geomorphological and paleoecological research in Australia and New Guinea? (Mulvaney and Kamminga 1999). Sites at Lake Fromme, Lake Eyre and Willandra indicate higher precipitation rates from 40,000 to 25,000 BP, followed by a colder drier climate c. 21,000 - 15,000 BP, known as the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). During the LGM sea levels were 130 metres below present shorelines increasing Australia's overall land area, connecting New Guinea in the North and Tasmania to the South. Mulvaney (1999:116) suggests a reduction in warm surrounding ocean and increased landmass was responsible for creating intense inland aridity. Paradoxically, the intense aridity associated with the LGM palaeoenvironment coincides with human occupation dates for the arid region. Although, Ross et al., (Lourandos 1992) maintains "The arid interior has always been dry, in geomorphic terms." During this period, inland lake levels fluctuated until c. 14,000 BP when most inland lakes became dry, possibly extending the arid area into present day semi arid boundaries (Fig. 1) until "a general climatic amelioration [began] towards the start of the Holocene" (Lourandos 1997)."

Tags:archaeology, geology, biogeographic, arid

Abstract
This essay discusses the history, geography and ecology of the introduction of the European rabbit into Australia. Special focus on eradication techniques and a discussion on whether the complete eradication of rabbits from Australia is feasible.

Contents:
Introduction and subsequent spread
Implications of invasion
Previous attempts for control
The future
Is eradication feasible?

From the Paper
"Although European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) were first introduced into Australia with the arrival of the First Fleet, they did not become feral until an English settler by the name of Thomas Austin introduced 24 rabbits on to his homestead near Geelong in 1858 (EPA, 1999). It is difficult to exactly quantify the rate of spread of European rabbits, since liberation occurred independently in Victoria, South Australia and northern New South Wales, however figure 1 shows a plausible suggestion as to the progressive distribution of rabbit populations in Australia over time (AGPL, 1996)."

Tags:calicivirus, cuniculus, eradication, haemmorhagic, introduced, myxomatosis, oryctolagus, rhd, species

Abstract
The Central Business District(CBD) of any city represents the functional heart of the city. It looks at how, as the focus of intra-urban connectivity, this zone has been deserted, undergone extensive makeovers and been seriously challenged by young up-starts in the form of Out-of-Town Shopping Centres and Hypermarkets at the rural-urban fringe. This paper attempts to examine the hopes, prospects and possible re-birth of the city's most recognized zone. Examples from Singapore, the U.K., the U.S.A. and Japan help put together the pieces of this complicated jig-saw together producing a picture of the fascinating reveal of the new CBD.

From the Paper
"The biggest competitor to the CBD in the 1980s onwards was the Out-of-Town Shopping Centre. Now, ironically, the situation seems to be reversed based on the problems of these peripheral centres and the advances made within the central area. Out-of-Town Centres are not ideal for shoppers interests as the drive to them can be quite time
consuming and interestingly small access roads may be jammed with traffic! In addition, older age groups, the young and poor may not use these centres due to their inability to drive or to purchase in bulk. For these groups the CBD may be a better option. Out-of-Town developments will initially eliminate the local competition in the form of small neighbourhood shops selling low order goods."

Tags:shopping, hypermarkets, city

Abstract
Compared to the ancient landmass, humans are a recent arrival to what is considered the state of Virginia. This essay documents the extent to which human land use has impacted the Virginian landscape.

Table of Contents:
Ancient Virginia
Arrival of Humans
Archaic Woodland Period
Europeans
Conclusion

From the Paper
"Undoubtedly, Virginia is old with complex geology, to the west lies the ancient Appalachian and Blue Ridge province, formed on the margin of Laurentia during the Proterozoic over 1,100 million years ago. The largest physiographic province in Virginia is the Piedmont (appendix 1) comprised of weathered bedrock, overlain with saprolite, eroded in stream valleys. The Coastal plain is a terraced landscape, the bedrock consists of igneous and metamorphic rock, with various layers above comprised of sediment deposited in warm shallow seas, and eroded clay, sand, and gravel stripped from the Appalachians (Roberts and Bailey 2001). Remaining temperate forests seen below, possibly began forming about 10,000 years ago, when the Virginian shoreline extended some 30 miles further east onto the continental shelf, and glaciers withdrew as the climate warmed, though temperatures were still much colder than today (Riparian Forest Buffers 1996). The piedmont to the west, and coastal plain to the east is a dynamic environment, continually undergoing change through natural processes."

Tags:archaeology, burial, earthen, extinction, landuse, pollutants