This book begins with a basic introduction to three major areas of hydrodynamic stability: thermal convection, rotating and curved flows, and parallel shear flows. There follows a comprehensive account of the mathematical theory for parallel shear flows. A number of applications of the linear theory are discussed, including the effects of stratification and unsteadiness. The emphasis throughout is on the ideas involved, the physical mechanisms, the methods used, and the results obtained. Wherever possible, the theory is related to both experimental and numerical results. A distinctive feature...

The conclusions of the Global Biodiversity Assessment are presented in this 1995 Summary for Policy-Makers.