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119 results in Planetary systems and astrobiology

Page 1 of 6

Martian Impact Craters
  • A Morphological Perspective
  • Peter J. Mouginis-Mark, Joseph M. Boyce
  • Coming soon
  • Expected online publication date:
    October 2025
    Print publication:
    31 October 2025
  • Our exploration of Mars has revealed a world as fascinating as Earth, with a changing climate, giant volcanoes, former oceans, polar ice caps, and numerous impact craters. This book provides a comprehensive summary of the morphology and distribution of meteorite craters on Mars, and the wealth of information these can provide on the crustal structure, surface geology, climate and evolution of the planet. The chapters present highly illustrated case studies of landforms associated with impact craters to highlight their morphological diversity, using high-resolution images and topographic data to compare these features with those on other bodies in the Solar System. Including research questions to inspire future work, this book will be valuable for researchers and graduate students interested in impact craters (both terrestrial and extra-terrestrial) and Mars geology, as well as planetary geologists, planetary climatologists and astrobiologists.

The International Atlas of Mars Exploration
  • Curiosity, InSight and Perseverance
  • Volume 3, 2015 to 2021
  • Philip J. Stooke
  • Coming soon
  • Expected online publication date:
    April 2025
    Print publication:
    22 May 2025
  • This third volume of the award-winning The International Atlas of Mars Exploration picks up the story where Volume 2 left off, after the first Martian year of Curiosity's mission in 2014. Covering the exploration of Mars from 2015 to 2021 and supported by a unique set of detailed annotated maps and graphics, this volume documents the activities of Opportunity, Curiosity, InSight, China's rover Zhurong, and the early activities of Mars 2020. This essential visual reference chronicles the day-to-day operations of each mission, recording future landing site planning, how landing sites were chosen and what happened during each mission. Like the previous volumes, the atlas is accessible to space enthusiasts, but the bibliography and meticulous detail make it a particularly valuable resource for academic researchers and students working in planetary science and planetary mapping.

Ganymede
  • Edited by Martin Volwerk, Melissa McGrath, Xianzhe Jia, Tilman Spohn
  • Published online:
    03 February 2025
    Print publication:
    20 February 2025
  • With ESA's upcoming JUpiter ICy moons Explorer (JUICE) mission to Jupiter and Ganymede, this book provides a fascinating and timely summary of our current knowledge about Ganymede: the largest moon in the Solar System and the only one with an intrinsic magnetic field. Written by a team of multidisciplinary experts spanning geology, space physics and habitability, it provides up-to-date knowledge about Ganymede. The history of its discovery, formation, surface, atmosphere and space environment are discussed in accessible language and supported by the enormous amount of data obtained by Galileo, the Hubble Space Telescope and earlier missions. The latest surface maps of Ganymede are also presented, providing an invaluable reference for graduate students and researchers working in planetary science.

From Stars to Life
  • A Quantitative Approach to Astrobiology
  • Manasvi Lingam, Amedeo Balbi
  • Published online:
    22 November 2024
    Print publication:
    05 December 2024
  • How did life originate? Is there life beyond Earth? What is the future of life on our planet? The rapidly growing multidisciplinary field of astrobiology deals with life's big questions. This text harnesses the authors' two decades' experience of teaching acclaimed courses in astrobiology, and adopts a novel quantitative approach towards this emergent discipline. It details the physical principles and chemical processes that have shaped the origins and distribution of molecules, stars, planets, and hence habitable environments, life, and intelligence in the Universe. By synthesising insights from domains as diverse as astronomy and physics to microbiology, biochemistry, and geology, the authors provide a cutting-edge summary of astrobiology, and show how answers to many fundamental questions are drawing closer than ever. Geared towards advanced undergraduates and graduate students in the physical sciences, the text contains more than 150 innovative problems designed to enhance students' knowledge and understanding.

Understanding Life in the Universe
  • Wallace Arthur
  • Published online:
    28 October 2022
    Print publication:
    17 November 2022
  • The two most fascinating questions about extraterrestrial life are where it is found and what it is like. In particular, from our Earth-based vantage point, we are keen to know where the closest life to us is, and how similar it might be to life on our home planet. This book deals with both of these key issues. It considers possible homes for life, with a focus on Earth-like exoplanets. And it examines the possibility that life elsewhere might be similar to life here, due to the existence of parallel environments, which may result in Darwinian selection producing parallel trees of life between one planet and another. Understanding Life in the Universe provides an engaging and myth-busting overview for any reader interested in the existence and nature of extraterrestrial life, and the realistic possibility of discovering credible evidence for it in the near future.

Vesta and Ceres
  • Insights from the Dawn Mission for the Origin of the Solar System
  • Edited by Simone Marchi, Carol A. Raymond, Christopher T. Russell
  • Published online:
    01 April 2022
    Print publication:
    31 March 2022
  • The NASA Dawn mission, launched in 2007, aimed to visit two of the most massive protoplanets of the main asteroid belt: Vesta and Ceres. The aim was to further our understanding of the earliest days of the Solar System, and compare the two bodies to better understand their formation and evolution. This book summarises state-of-the-art results from the mission, and discusses the implications for our understanding not only of the asteroid belt but the entire Solar System. It comprises of three parts: Part 1 provides an overview of the main belt asteroids and provides an introduction to the Dawn mission; Part 2 presents key findings from the mission; and Part 3 discusses how these findings provide insights into the formation and evolution of the Solar System. This is a definitive reference for academic researchers and professionals of planetary science, asteroid science and space exploration.

Cosmochemistry
  • 2nd edition
  • Harry McSween, Jr, Gary Huss
  • Published online:
    10 February 2022
    Print publication:
    03 March 2022
  • Cosmochemistry is a rapidly evolving field of planetary science and the second edition of this classic text reflects the exciting discoveries made over the past decade from new spacecraft missions. Topics covered include the synthesis of elements in stars, behaviour of elements and isotopes in the early solar nebula and planetary bodies, and compositions of extra-terrestrial materials. Radioisotope chronology of the early Solar System is also discussed, as well as geochemical exploration of planets by spacecraft, and cosmochemical constraints on the formation of solar systems. Thoroughly updated throughout, this new edition features significantly expanded coverage of chemical fractionation and isotopic analyses; focus boxes covering basic definitions and essential background material on mineralogy, organic chemistry and quantitative topics; and a comprehensive glossary. An appendix of analytical techniques and end-of-chapter review questions, with solutions available at www.cambridge.org/cosmochemistry2e, also contribute to making this the ideal teaching resource for courses on the Solar System's composition as well as a valuable reference for early career researchers.

Atlas of Meteorites
  • Monica M. Grady, Giovanni Pratesi, Vanni Moggi Cecchi
  • Published online:
    11 November 2021
    Print publication:
    24 March 2013
  • A complete visual reference for meteorite classification, this atlas combines high resolution optical microscope images with detailed descriptions. It provides a systematic account of meteorites and their most important classification parameters, making it an essential resource for meteorite researchers. Each chapter starts with a description of the meteorite class, with a summary of the mineralogical, chemical and isotopic characteristics of the group. The full-color images are taken in plane- and cross-polarized light and reflected light, and arranged to highlight textural variations in meteorites. Specimens are grouped to show the effects of increasing thermal alteration and shock, as well as variations in chondrule size and type. Chapters on iron meteorites, pallasites and mesosiderites are included, photographed as mounts in reflected light, to show the range of textural variations that accompany these meteorites. Images from the book can be downloaded from www.cambridge.org/9780521840354.

Meteorite Mineralogy
  • Alan Rubin, Chi Ma
  • Published online:
    11 August 2021
    Print publication:
    05 August 2021
  • Meteorites are fascinating cosmic visitors. Using accessible language, this book documents the history of mineralogy and meteorite research, summarizes the mineralogical characteristics of the myriad varieties of meteorites, and explains the mineralogical characteristics of Solar System bodies visited by spacecraft.  Some of these bodies contain minerals that do not occur naturally on Earth or in meteorites. The book explains how to recognize different phases under the microscope and in back-scattered electron images.  It summarizes the major ways in which meteoritic minerals form – from condensation in the expanding atmospheres of dying stars to crystallization in deep-seated magmas, from flash-melting in the solar nebula to weathering in the terrestrial environment. Containing spectacular back-scattered electron images, colour photographs of meteorite minerals, and with an accompanying online list of meteorite minerals, this book provides a useful resource for meteorite researchers, terrestrial mineralogists, cosmochemists and planetary scientists, as well as graduate students in these fields

The Biological Universe
  • Life in the Milky Way and Beyond
  • Wallace Arthur
  • Published online:
    24 September 2020
    Print publication:
    24 September 2020
  • Are we alone in the universe, or are there other life forms 'out there'? This is one of the most scientifically and philosophically important questions that humanity can ask. Now, in the early 2020s, we are tantalizingly close to an answer. As this book shows, the answer will almost certainly be that life forms are to be found across the Milky Way and beyond. They will be thinly spread, to be sure. Yet the number of inhabited planets probably runs into the trillions. Some are close enough for us to detect evidence of life by analysing their atmospheres. This evidence may be found within a couple of decades. Its arrival will be momentous. But even before it arrives we can anticipate what life elsewhere will be like by examining the ecology and evolution of life on Earth. This book considers the current state of play in relation to these titanic issues.

Astrophysics of Planet Formation
  • 2nd edition
  • Philip J. Armitage
  • Published online:
    27 January 2020
    Print publication:
    30 January 2020
  • Concise and self-contained, this textbook gives a graduate-level introduction to the physical processes that shape planetary systems, covering all stages of planet formation. Writing for readers with undergraduate backgrounds in physics, astronomy, and planetary science, Armitage begins with a description of the structure and evolution of protoplanetary disks, moves on to the formation of planetesimals, rocky, and giant planets, and concludes by describing the gravitational and gas dynamical evolution of planetary systems. He provides a self-contained account of the modern theory of planet formation and, for more advanced readers, carefully selected references to the research literature, noting areas where research is ongoing. The second edition has been thoroughly revised to include observational results from NASA's Kepler mission, ALMA observations and the JUNO mission to Jupiter, new theoretical ideas including pebble accretion, and an up-to-date understanding in areas such as disk evolution and planet migration.

Remote Compositional Analysis
  • Techniques for Understanding Spectroscopy, Mineralogy, and Geochemistry of Planetary Surfaces
  • Edited by Janice L. Bishop, James F. Bell III, Jeffrey E. Moersch
  • Published online:
    15 November 2019
    Print publication:
    28 November 2019
  • How do planetary scientists analyze and interpret data from laboratory, telescopic, and spacecraft observations of planetary surfaces? What elements, minerals, and volatiles are found on the surfaces of our Solar System's planets, moons, asteroids, and comets? This comprehensive volume answers these topical questions by providing an overview of the theory and techniques of remote compositional analysis of planetary surfaces. Bringing together eminent researchers in Solar System exploration, it describes state-of-the-art results from spectroscopic, mineralogical, and geochemical techniques used to analyze the surfaces of planets, moons, and small bodies. The book introduces the methodology and theoretical background of each technique, and presents the latest advances in space exploration, telescopic and laboratory instrumentation, and major new work in theoretical studies. This engaging volume provides a comprehensive reference on planetary surface composition and mineralogy for advanced students, researchers, and professional scientists.

Meteoroids
  • Sources of Meteors on Earth and Beyond
  • Edited by Galina O. Ryabova, David J. Asher, Margaret D. Campbell-Brown
  • Published online:
    04 October 2019
    Print publication:
    10 October 2019
  • This definitive guide provides advanced students and researchers with a detailed yet accessible overview of all of the central topics of meteor science. Leading figures from the field summarise their active research on themes ranging from the physical composition of meteoroids to the most recent optical and radar observations and ongoing theoretical developments. Crucial practical issues are also considered, such as the risk posed by meteoroids - to spacecraft, and on the ground - and future avenues of research are explored. Taking advantage of the latest dynamical models, insights are offered into meteor flight phenomena and the evolution of meteoroid streams and complexes, as well as describing the in-depth laboratory analysis of recovered material. The rapid rate of progress in twenty-first-century research makes this volume essential reading for anyone who wishes to understand how recent developments broaden our understanding of meteors, meteoroids and their origins.

The Quest for a Universal Theory of Life
  • Searching for Life As We Don't Know It
  • Carol E. Cleland
  • Published online:
    05 September 2019
    Print publication:
    12 September 2019
  • Integrating both scientific and philosophical perspectives, this book provides an informed analysis of the challenges of formulating a universal theory of life. Among the issues discussed are crucial differences between definitions and scientific theories and, in the context of examples from the history of science, how successful general theories develop. The central problem discussed is two-fold: first, our understanding of life is still tacitly wedded to an antiquated Aristotelian framework for biology; and second, there are compelling reasons for considering that familiar Earth life, which descends from a last universal common ancestor, is unrepresentative. What is needed are examples of life as we don't know it. Potential sources are evaluated, including artificial life, extraterrestrial life, and a shadow biosphere right here on Earth, and a novel strategy for searching for unfamiliar life in the absence of a definition or general theory is developed. The book is a valuable resource for graduate students and researchers studying the nature, origins, and extent of life in the universe.

The Atlas of Mars
  • Mapping its Geography and Geology
  • Kenneth S. Coles, Kenneth L. Tanaka, Philip R. Christensen
  • Published online:
    16 August 2019
    Print publication:
    22 August 2019
  • Planetary scientist and educator Ken Coles has teamed up with Ken Tanaka from the United States Geological Survey's Astrogeology team, and Phil Christensen, Principal Investigator of the Mars Odyssey orbiter's THEMIS science team, to produce this all-purpose reference atlas, The Atlas of Mars. Each of the thirty standard charts includes: a full-page color topographic map at 1:10,000,000 scale, a THEMIS daytime infrared map at the same scale with features labeled, a simplified geologic map of the corresponding area, and a section describing prominent features of interest. The Atlas is rounded out with extensive material on Mars' global characteristics, regional geography and geology, a glossary of terms, and an indexed gazetteer of up-to-date Martian feature names and nomenclature. This is an essential guide for a broad readership of academics, students, amateur astronomers, and space enthusiasts, replacing the NASA atlas from the 1970s.

Fundamental Planetary Science
  • Physics, Chemistry and Habitability
  • Jack J. Lissauer, Imke de Pater
  • Published online:
    26 July 2019
    Print publication:
    04 July 2019
  • A quantitative introduction to the Solar System and planetary systems science for advanced undergraduate students, this engaging textbook explains the wide variety of physical, chemical and geological processes that govern the motions and properties of planets. The authors provide an overview of our current knowledge and discuss some of the unanswered questions at the forefront of research in planetary science and astrobiology today. This updated edition contains the latest data, new references and planetary images and an extensively rewritten chapter on current research on exoplanets. The text concludes with an introduction to the fundamental properties of living organisms and the relationship that life has to its host planet. With more than 200 exercises to help students learn how to apply the concepts covered, this textbook is ideal for a one-semester or two-quarter course for undergraduate students.

Planetary Geoscience
  • Harry Y. McSween, Jr, Jeffrey E. Moersch, Devon M. Burr, William M. Dunne, Joshua P. Emery, Linda C. Kah, Molly C. McCanta
  • Published online:
    25 June 2019
    Print publication:
    11 July 2019
  • For many years, planetary science has been taught as part of the astronomy curriculum, from a very physics-based perspective, and from the framework of a tour of the Solar System - body by body. Over the past decades, however, spacecraft exploration and related laboratory research on extraterrestrial materials have given us a new understanding of planets and how they are shaped by geological processes. Based on a course taught at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, this is the first textbook to focus on geologic processes, adopting a comparative approach that demonstrates the similarities and differences between planets, and the reasons for these. Profusely illustrated, and with a wealth of pedagogical features, this book provides an ideal capstone course for geoscience majors - bringing together aspects of mineralogy, petrology, geochemistry, volcanology, sedimentology, geomorphology, tectonics, geophysics and remote sensing.

An Introduction to the Solar System
  • 3rd edition
  • Edited by David A. Rothery, Neil McBride, Iain Gilmour
  • Published online:
    11 May 2019
    Print publication:
    11 January 2018
  • Ongoing advances in Solar System exploration continue to reveal its splendour and diversity in remarkable detail. This undergraduate-level textbook presents fascinating descriptions and colour images of the bodies in the Solar System, the processes that occur upon and within them, and their origins and evolution. It highlights important concepts and techniques in boxed summaries, while questions and exercises are embedded at appropriate points throughout the text, with full solutions provided. Written and edited by a team of practising planetary scientists, this third edition has been updated to reflect our current knowledge. It is ideal for introductory courses on the subject, and is suitable for self-study. The text is supported by online resources, hosted at www.cambridge.org/solarsystem3, which include selected figures from the book, self-assessment questions and sample tutor assignments, with outlines of suggested answers.

Solving Fermi's Paradox
  • Duncan H. Forgan
  • Published online:
    25 April 2019
    Print publication:
    02 May 2019
  • The search for extra-terrestrial intelligence (SETI) has for sixty years attempted to solve Fermi's paradox: if intelligent life is relatively common in the universe, where is everybody? Examining SETI through this lens, this volume summarises current thinking on the prevalence of intelligent life in the universe, and discusses sixty-six distinct solutions to the so-called paradox. It describes the methodology of SETI, and how many disciplines feed into the debate, from physics and biology, to philosophy and anthropology. The presented solutions are organised into three key groups: rare-Earth solutions, suggesting planetary habitability, life and intelligence are uncommon; catastrophist solutions, arguing civilisations do not survive long enough to make contact; and non-empirical solutions, those that take theoretical approaches, such as that our methodology is flawed. This comprehensive introduction to SETI concludes by looking at the future of the field and speculating on humanity's potential fate.

An Introduction to Astrobiology
  • 3rd edition
  • Edited by David A. Rothery, Iain Gilmour, Mark A. Sephton
  • Published online:
    12 April 2019
    Print publication:
    01 March 2018
  • How did life on Earth begin? How common is it elsewhere in the Universe? Written and edited by planetary scientists and astrobiologists, this undergraduate-level textbook provides an introduction to the origin and nature of life, the habitable environments in our solar system and the techniques most successfully used for discovery and characterisation of exoplanets. This third edition has been thoroughly revised to embrace the latest developments in this field. Updated topics include the origins of water on Earth, the exploration of habitable environments on Mars, Europa and Enceladus, and the burgeoning discoveries in exoplanetary systems. Ideal for introductory courses on the subject, the textbook is also well-suited for self-study. It highlights important concepts and techniques in boxed summaries, with questions and exercises throughout the text, with full solutions provided. Online resources, hosted at www.cambridge.org/features/planets, include selected figures from the book, self-assessment questions and sample tutor assignments.

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