Given the fundamental importance of and universal interest in whether extraterrestrial life has developed or could eventually develop in our solar system and beyond, it is vital that an examination of planetary habitability go beyond simple assumptions such as, "Where there is water, there is life." This book has resulted from a workshop at the International Space Science Institute (ISSI) in Bern, Switzerland which brought together planetary geologists, geophysicists, atmospheric scientists and biologists to discuss the multi-faceted problem of how the habitability of a planet co-evolves...
Given the fundamental importance of and universal interest in whether extraterrestrial life has developed or could eventually develop in our solar ...
This fascinating book reviews the progress made in Mercury studies since the flybys by Mariner 10 in 1974-75. Thus far, it is the only book on Mercury which balances a wide range of Earth-based observations, made under difficult conditions, with the only available space-based data. The text is based on continued research using the Mariner 10 archive, on observations from Earth, and on increasingly realistic models of this mysterious planet s interior evolution."
This fascinating book reviews the progress made in Mercury studies since the flybys by Mariner 10 in 1974-75. Thus far, it is the only book on Merc...
In every scientific discipline there are milestones - periods of significant accom plishment when it is appropriate to pause and summarize the state of the field. Such is the case for the study of the behavior of cosmic rays in the heliosphere. We are just passing through solar minimum conditions, when the heliosphere has a well-ordered and relatively simple configuration. We have been fortunate to have an array of spacecraft - unprecedented in the history of space exploration and unlikely to be repeated for generations - to provide comprehensive measurements of cosmic rays throughout the...
In every scientific discipline there are milestones - periods of significant accom plishment when it is appropriate to pause and summarize the state o...
This volume summarizes the recent results of the exploration of Venus, Mars and Titan in the field of space plasma physics. These are the only non-magnetic solar system bodies having dense atmospheres. A number of space missions investigated these objects; the past and the current missions are put in context with modern theoretical descriptions. The strength of the book is the comparison of the similarities and differences in the plasma interaction of Venus, Mars and Titan; such comparisons have not yet been published. This volume is aimed at graduate students and researchers working in...
This volume summarizes the recent results of the exploration of Venus, Mars and Titan in the field of space plasma physics. These are the only non-mag...
This book provides a comprehensive presentation of Earth's energy flows and their consequences for the climate. The Earth's climate as well as planetary climates in general, are broadly controlled by three fundamental parameters: the solar irradiance, the planetary albedo and the planetary emissivity. Space measurements indicate that these three quantities are remarkably stable. A minor decrease inplanetary emissivity is consistent with theoretical calculations. This is due to the ongoing increase of atmospheric greenhouse gases making the atmosphere more opaque to long wave terrestrial...
This book provides a comprehensive presentation of Earth's energy flows and their consequences for the climate. The Earth's climate as well as planeta...
A collection of 16 coordinated reviews on the origins of large-scale magnetic fields in the Universe, this book discusses magnetic fields in all relevant astrophysical contexts, from the interstellar medium to the scales of galaxies and clusters of galaxies.
A collection of 16 coordinated reviews on the origins of large-scale magnetic fields in the Universe, this book discusses magnetic fields in all relev...
Observing our Universe and its evolution with ever increasing sensitivity from ground-based or space-borne telescopes is posing great challenges to Fundamental Physics and Astronomy. The remnant cosmic microwave background, as beautifully measured by successive space missions COBE, WMAP, and now PLANCK, provides a unique probe of the very early stages of our Universe. The red-shift of atomic lines in distant galaxies, the dynamics of pulsars, the large scale structure of galaxies, and black holes are a few manifestations of the theory of General Relativity. Yet, today, we understand only 4%...
Observing our Universe and its evolution with ever increasing sensitivity from ground-based or space-borne telescopes is posing great challenges to Fu...
The review articles collected in this volume present a critical assessment of particle acceleration mechanisms and observations from suprathermal particles in the magnetosphere andheliosphere to high-energy cosmic rays, thus covering a range of energies over seventeen orders of magnitude, from 103 eV to 1020 eV. The main themes are observations of accelerated populations from the magnetosphere to extragalactic scales and assessments of the physical processes underlying particle acceleration in different environments (magnetospheres, the solar atmosphere, the...
The review articles collected in this volume present a critical assessment of particle acceleration mechanisms and observations from suprathermal p...
This volume explores the cross-linkages between the kinetic processes and macroscopic phenomena in the solar atmosphere, which are at the heart of our current understanding of the heating of the closed and open corona and the acceleration of the solar wind. The focus lies on novel data, on theoretical models that have observable consequences through remote sensing, and on near-solar and inner-heliosphere observations, such as anticipated by the upcoming Solar Orbiter and Solar Probe missions, which are currently developed by the international community. This volume is aimed at students and...
This volume explores the cross-linkages between the kinetic processes and macroscopic phenomena in the solar atmosphere, which are at the heart of our...
