Extreme Waves (signed)

Washington D. C: Joseph Henry Press, 2006. SIGNED by the AUTHOR directly on the title page (his signature only, NOT personalized to anyone). Appears unread. Fine condition in a bright and shiny Fine dust jacket. The jacket has only a tiny bit of very mild shelfwear (like you sometimes find in any new book store). NO chips, tears or fading. NOT price clipped ($27.95). Sharp corners. Pages are fresh, crisp, clean and unmarked - apparently never read. Illustrated with 8 pages of photos on glossy paper stock -- most in full color. Bound in the original black cloth, stamped in bright white on the spine. Complete with dust jacket. From the publisher: "Waves are hypnotic and beautiful. They can also be great fun. But Hurricanes Katrina and Rita taught us that they can be powerful and deadly while the 2004 tsunami proved that some waves are absolutely devastating. Science is the best tool for understanding and predicting the most extreme waves. Where do waves come from? Why are some big and some small? From winter to summer, the nature of the beach changes, sculpted by the tireless energy of waves. Most waves are simply rhythmic expressions of Earth’s movement through space and the changes they bring to our shorelines are gradual. But given the right weather conditions and combination of natural forces, waves can wreak havoc. These are extreme waves, waves that can stretch 100-feet highâ€"posing an imminent threat to large sea vessels and coastal structures. There are even waves that have stripped trees from mountains as they surged to an estimated 1,700 feet high. But even smaller waves are dangerous to ships and coastlines. Indeed, the lessons of the 2004 Bay of Bengal tsunami and the damage wrought by recent tidal surges in New Orleans underscore the need for better tracking and prediction of extreme waves. Extreme Waves is a fascinating history of waves. Covering both the headline stories as well as incidents that are less well-known but equally startling Craig Smith, author and amateur sailor, will have you riveted from the first chapter to the last. Table of Contents: FrontMatter; Introduction 1 The Calm Sea 2 The Four Winds and Waves 3 Over the Bounding Main 4 Tempests and Storm-Tossed Seas 5 Swell 6 Terror Waves: Tsunami 7 The Southeast Asia Tsunami of December 26, 2004 8 A Confused Sea 9 Freaks, Rogues, and Giants 10 When the Big Wave Comes: Are Ships Safe Enough? 11 Davy Jones’s Locker Appendix A Recent Research on Extreme Wave Models Appendix B Units of Measure and Conversion Factors Appendix C Glossary of Special Terms Endnotes Annotated Bibliography Permissions and Credits Acknowledgments Index Plates.". SIGNED by the AUTHOR. 1st ed? (No additional printings listed). Hardcover. Fine condition/Fine dust jacket. Illus. by NOT a library discard. 8vo. xx, 291pp. + 8 pages of photos. Great Packaging, Fast Shipping.