Military Geosciences and Desert Warfare ― Past Lessons and Modern Challenges

This book is a collection of papers presented at the 9th International Conference of Military Geoscience that was held in 2011. The conference included discussion on a diverse range of geosciences, including military history, military geology, teaching geology from a military prospective, geological influence on the battlefield, and environmental and cultural issues related to management of military lands. Geology and geography have played a significant role in military history, from providing the stone for primitive tools and weapons, to the utilization of terrain in offensive and defensive strategies. Specific to this volume, deserts comprise nearly a third of the Earth's surface and have been the site of numerous battles where the dust, heat, and a lack of food and water have provided challenges to military leaders and warriors. This book examines the role of deserts in past and modern warfare, the problems and challenges in managing military lands in desert regions, and how desert environmental conditions can impact military equipment and personnel. This proceedings volume should be of interest to scholars, professionals, and those interested in military history, warfare, geology, geography, cultural resources, general science, and military operations.

Dr. Eric V. McDonald is a research professor specializing in Earth and Ecosystem Sciences at the Desert Research Institute. His Research Areas of Interest and Expertise include Climate change, Environmental restoration and site characterization, Geochemical and hydrological analysis of soils and sediments, Landscape evolution, Quaternary geology, Soil landscape relations, Surface process geomorphology, Soil stratigraphy, Soil and surface water hydrology, and Vegetation and landscape dynamics.

Dr. Thomas F.

Bullard has more than 35 years of academic and professional experience in basic and applied research in geology and geomorphology related to landscape evolution, fluvial system behavior, landscape restoration, geologic hazards and hazardous waste disposal that includes: soils-geomorphic applications to landscape evolution in arid, semi-arid, alpine, and tropical regions; fluvial geomorphology; applied tectonic geomorphology research on blind thrust faults for earthquake hazard assessment; landslide investigations; geoarchaeology and cultural resources management. Research field areas include the southeast, southwest and western United States, Alaska, Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Panama, Suriname, and Philippines.