Geosciences Research Guide
Reference Materials

Reference materials provide background or factual information on a topic. Most reference sources reside in the Reference area of the Integrated Sciences and Engineering Library. Some particularly useful geosciences reference sources follow.

| Atlases | | Dictionaries | | Directories | | Encyclopedias | | Handbooks | | Tables |

Atlases

National Atlas of the United States of America (UM/Science Ref G 1200 .U5 1970 OVERSIZE)
Maps of physical features, resources, and human activities.

State Maps on File (UM/Science Ref G 1200 .F3 1984)
State maps on heavy paper suitable for copying.

The Times Atlas of the World  (UM/Science Ref G 1021 .T55 OVERSIZE)
Contains physical features of the world, climatology, and topics in earth history.

Dictionaries

Dictionary of Earth Sciences (UM/Science Ref QE5.D54 1977)
Compact volume with asterisks indicating cross-references. 

Dictionary of Geotechnics [1983] (UM/Science Ref QE601 .S65)
List of terms for practicing engineers and students.

Dictionary of Physical Geography (UM/Science Ref GB .D53 2000) and online
Handy compilation of American and British terms.

Dictionary of Weather (UM/Science Ref QC 854 .D86 2001)
Terms included based upon common usage rather than more specialized vocabulary of professional meteorologists.

Facts on File Dictionary of Earth Science (UM/Science Ref QE5 .F318 2000)
Contains3,400+ words in common use, with a short appendix of the chemical elements.

Facts on File Dictionary of Weather and Climate (UM/Science Ref QC 854 .F33 2001)
For use in schools and colleges interested in the area of meteorology and climatology. Not a professional text.

Field Guide to Geology. Eastern North America (UM/Science Ref QE78.3 .R62 1996)
Color photographs, drawings, and maps of the variety of landforms. 

Glossary of Geology (UM/Science Ref QE5 .B38 1997 +)
Contains some 37,000 entries, extensive bibliography.

International Dictionary of Geophysics [1967] (UM/Science Ref QC801.9 .I5)
Covers such topics as seismology, geomagnetism, aeronomy, oceanography, geodesy, gravity, marine geophysics, meteorology, and the earth as a planet and its evolution.

Directories

Directory of Geoscience Departments [1996-1997] (UM/Science Ref QE1.A392)
Lists 1,014 geoscience departments, 28 museums, and 57 research departments/institutes.

Earth & Astronomical Sciences Research Centres (UM/Science Ref QE40 .E25 1995 +)
World directory of organizations and programs active in all areas of engineering research from more than 5,000 entries grouped into headings such as geology, mineralogy, petrology, space technology.

Guide to Geoscience Departments in the United States and Canada [1996/1997] (UM/Science Ref QE47.A1G85)
A guide geoscience departments. Represents only 24% of the departments in the United States and Canada. 

Encyclopedias

Encyclopedia of Caves and Karst Science (UM/Science Ref GB 601 .E535 2004+)
Unique reference source on the subject, with articles on archeology, biospeleology, geosciences, history, etc.

Encyclopedia of Climatology (UM/Science Ref QC 854 .E525 1987)
Each entry written by an authority in the field, and includes bibliography.

Encyclopedia of Deserts (UM/Science Ref GB611 .E65 1999 +) and online
Covers all areas of the world, with arid lands of North America covered in greater depth than other regions. 

Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs (UM/Science Ref QE862.D5  C862 1997  +)
Presents 275 articles on the entire range of dinosaur study.

Encyclopedia of Earth System Science (UM/Science Ref QE5 .E514 1992 +)
Signed articles include bibliographies. Topics such as acoustical oceanography, aeolian dust, brines in sedimentary environments, etc.

Encyclopedia of Environmental Analysis and Remediation  (UM/Science Ref GE 10 .E49 1998)
Emphasis on sampling, analysis, and remediation topics.

Encyclopedia of Global Change (UM/Science Ref GE149 .E47 2002 +)
Here in a more rigorous definition of "Global Change" far more geocentric in focus than previously published compilations.

Encyclopedia of Quaternary Science (UM/Science Ref QE741 .E53 2007)

Encyclopedia of Sediments and Sedimentary Rocks (UM/Science Ref QE471.2 .E53 2003 +)
Devoted to the science of sediments and sedimentary rocks. Does not address the broader aspects of stratified rocks.

Encyclopedia of Volcanoes (UM/Science Ref QE522 .E53 2000 +)
Complete guide to the subject, including studies of the origin and transport of magma, eruptions, and effusive volcanism and explosive volcanism.

McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology (UM/Science Ref Q 121 .M3 2002)
Usual amassing of subjects, with new references to neuro and forensic sciences.

World Survey of Climatology (UM/Science Ref QC981.W67 +)
Includes such topics as climates of the free atmosphere, climates by regions of the earth, and in volume 16, future climates of the world. Vols 1-3 cover General Climatology.

Handbooks

Chemistry of the Elements (UM/Science Ref QD466 .G74 1986)
Systematic comprehtreatment of the properties and reactions of the elements and their compounds. Note: 1997 edition available in the W.E.B. Du Bois Library - Reserve (Floor 3).

Handbook of Geochemistry (UM/Science Ref QE515.W42)
Covers distribution of the chemical elements and their isotopes throughout the earth, in 6 volumes.

Handbook of Mineralogy (UM/Science Ref QE366.8 .H36 1990)
Convenient assemblage for the identification of mineral species.

Oxford Companion to the Earth (UM/Science Ref QE5 .O94 2000)
Unusual for its inclusion of topics not found in other geoscience dictionaries or handbooks; e.g., art and the earth sciences, geoscience and the media, wine and geology, etc.

Surface Crystallographic Information Service: A handbook of Surface Structures (UM/Science Ref QD921 .S87 1987 )
All structures reported in the same format. All reports taken from refereed publications.

Tables

Crystal Data; Determinative Tables (UM/Science Ref QD908.D6 1963)
Data is complete to December 31, 1960. Most alloys omitted. Cellulose compounds and compounds of high-molecular weight have been left out.

X-Ray Powder Data File (UM/Science Ref QD945.A4)
Mineral section includes extensive data on the occurrence, chemical composition, and physical properties.