Introduction to Planetary Science. The Geological Perspective, astronomia
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Introduction to Planetary Science
The Geological Perspective
GUNTER FAURE
The Ohio State University,
Columbus, Ohio, USA
TERESA M. MENSING
The Ohio State University,
Marion, Ohio, USA
A C.I.P. Catalogue record for this book is available from the Library of Congress.
ISBN-13 978-1-4020-5233-0 (HB)
ISBN-13 978-1-4020-5544-7 (e-book)
Published by Springer,
P.O. Box 17, 3300 AA Dordrecht, The Netherlands.
www.springer.com
Cover art: The planets of the solar system.
Courtesy of NASA.
A Manual of Solutions for the end-of-chapter problems can be found at the book’s homepage at
www.springer.com
Printed on acid-free paper
All Rights Reserved
© 2007 Springer
No part of this work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, microfilming, recording or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher, with the exception of any material
supplied specifically for the purpose of being entered and executed on a computer system, for exclusive use by the purchaser of the work.
In memory of Dr. Erich Langenberg,
David H. Carr, and Dr. Robert J. Uffen
who showed me the way.
Gunter Faure
For Professor Tom Wells and
Dr. Phil Boger who taught me to
reach for the stars.
Teresa M. Mensing
Table of Contents
Preface
xvii
1. The Urge to Explore
1
1.1. The Exploration of Planet Earth
2
1.2. Visionaries and Rocket Scientists
4
1.3. Principles of Rocketry and Space Navigation
7
1.4. Summary
9
1.5. Science Briefs
10
1.6. Problems
11
1.7. Further Reading
11
2. From Speculation to Understanding
13
2.1. The Geocentric Cosmology of Ancient Greece
13
2.2. The Scientific Method
14
2.3. Units of Measurement
16
2.3.1. Distance
16
2.3.2. Time
17
2.3.3. Velocity and Speed
17
2.3.4. Mass
18
2.3.5. Temperature
18
2.3.6. Pressure
19
2.4. Summary
19
2.5. Science Briefs
20
2.6. Problems
21
2.7. Further Reading
21
3. The Planets of the Solar System
23
3.1. The Sun and the Planets of the Solar System
23
3.2. The Titius-Bode Rule
25
3.3. Average Orbital Velocities
27
3.4. Surface Temperatures
28
3.5. Bulk Densities
28
3.6. Summary
32
3.7. Science Briefs
32
3.8. Problems
34
3.9. Further Reading
34
4. Life and Death of Stars
35
4.1. The Big Bang
35
4.2. Stellar Evolution
39
4.3. Nucleosynthesis
41
vii
viii
table of contents
4.4. The Milky Way Galaxy
44
4.5. Summary
45
4.6. Science Briefs
46
4.7. Problems
47
4.8. Further Reading
48
5. Origin of the Solar System
49
5.1. The Solar Nebula
49
5.2. Origin of the Sun and Planets
50
5.3. The Sun
53
5.3.1. Internal Structure
53
5.3.2. Energy Production
56
5.3.3. Magnetism and Sunspots
57
5.3.4. Effect on Space
59
5.3.5. Life and Death of the Sun
59
5.4. Summary
61
5.5. Science Briefs
62
5.6. Problems
62
5.7. Further Reading
63
6. Earth: Model of Planetary Evolution
65
6.1. Growth from Planetesimals
65
6.2. Internal Differentiation
67
6.3. Atmosphere
69
6.4. Interior of the Earth
72
6.4.1. Temperature
72
6.4.2. Melting of Peridotite
72
6.4.3. Mantle Plumes
73
6.4.4. Plate Tectonics
74
6.4.5. Magnetic Field
76
6.5. Interactions with the Solar Wind
79
6.6. Summary
81
6.7. Science Briefs
82
6.8. Problems
85
6.9. Further Reading
85
7. The Clockwork of the Solar System
87
7.1. The Pioneers of Astronomy
87
7.2. Elliptical Orbits of Planets
89
7.2.1. Eccentricity
89
7.2.2. Average Distance
90
7.2.3. Revolution and Rotation
90
7.2.4. Plane of the Ecliptic
91
7.2.5. Axial Obliquity
91
7.2.6. Conjunctions and Oppositions
92
7.2.7. Sidereal and Synodic Periods of Revolution
95
7.2.8. Solar and Lunar Eclipses
96
7.2.9. Orbital Velocities
96
7.2.10. Launching Satellites into Orbit
98
7.2.11. Lagrange Points
99
7.3. Celestial Mechanics of the Earth
100
7.3.1. Rising and Setting of the Sun
100
7.3.2. Change in the Period of Rotation
101
7.3.3. Seasons of the Northern Hemisphere
101
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