Noise-Induced Phenomena in the Environmental Sciences

Randomness is ubiquitous in nature. Random drivers are generally considered a source of disorder in environmental systems. However, the interaction between noise and nonlinear dynamics may lead to the emergence of a number of ordered behaviors (in time and space) that would not exist in the absence of noise. This counterintuitive effect of randomness may play a crucial role in environmental processes. For example, seemingly “random” background events in the atmosphere can grow into larger instabilities that have great effects on weather patterns. This book presents the basics of the theory of stochastic calculus and its application to the study of noise-induced phenomena in environmental systems. It will be an invaluable reference text for ecologists, geoscientists, and environmental engineers interested in the study of stochastic environmental dynamics.

Luca Ridolfi is professor and director of the Department of Hydraulics and Fluid Dynamics at Politecnico di Torino. He is the author or co-author of about 100 peer-reviewed articles in ecohydrology, fluvial morphodynamics and bio-geography, river water quality and hydrodynamic instabilities. He is co-author of the book Generalized Collocation Methods: Solutions to Nonlinear Problems (2008). His research areas are in environmental fluid mechanics and ecohydrology.

Paolo D'Odorico is associate professor in the Department of Environmental Sciences at the University of Virginia. He is author or co-author of about ninety peer-reviewed articles in ecohydrology, soil moisture dynamics, global environmental change and desertification. He is editor of the book Dryland Ecohydrology (2006). His research areas are in hydrology and the environmental sciences.

Francesco Laio is assistant professor in the Department of Hydrology at Politecnico di Torino. He is author or co-author of about sixty peer-reviewed research articles in ecohydrology, stochastic hydrology and surface water hydrology. His research areas are hydrology, stochastic processes and statistics.