Solar System Update (Springer Praxis Books Geophysical Sciences)

✍ Scribed by Philippe Blondel (Editor), John Mason (Editor)

• Year: 2006
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 341
• Edition: 1
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

This book, the first in a series of forthcoming volumes, consists of topical and timely reviews of a number of carefully selected topics in solar systemn science. Contributions, in form of up-to-date reviews, are mainly aimed at professional astronomers and planetary scientists wishing to inform themselves about progress in fields closely related to their own field of expertise.

✦ Table of Contents

Contents......Page 10
1 The Solar Atmosphere and Space Weather......Page 18
1.1 Early Concepts of Solar-Terrestrial Physics......Page 19
1.2 Discovery of the Solar Wind, its Source Regions and Geomagnetic Effects......Page 22
1.3 Structure of the Heliosphere......Page 28
1.4 The Changing Solar Magnetic Field and Dynamic Corona......Page 30
1.5 The Explosive Corona – Coronal Mass Ejections......Page 36
1.6 Space Storms and Space Weather Effects......Page 44
1.7 The Future – Forecasting Space Weather......Page 52
References......Page 62
2.1 Introduction and General Characteristics......Page 71
2.2 Motion and Temperature......Page 72
2.3 Mercury's Surface-bounded Exosphere......Page 76
2.4 Polar Deposits......Page 79
2.5 Interior and Magnetic Field......Page 80
2.6.1 Geologic surface units......Page 84
2.6.2 Surface composition......Page 89
2.6.3 Tectonic framework......Page 90
2.6.4 Thermal history......Page 92
2.6.5 Geologic history......Page 93
2.7 Origin......Page 94
2.8 The MESSENGER Mission......Page 97
References......Page 98
3.1 Introduction......Page 102
3.2.1 Temperature structure......Page 103
3.2.2 Composition and chemistry......Page 105
3.2.3 Cloud layer......Page 107
3.2.4 Radiative effects in the Venus atmosphere......Page 108
3.2.5 Atmospheric dynamics......Page 110
3.2.6 Plasma environment and solar wind-atmosphere interaction......Page 111
3.2.8 Evolution of the atmosphere and climate......Page 113
3.3 Venus Express and Future Missions to Venus......Page 115
3.3.1 Venus Express — the first European mission to Venus......Page 116
3.3.2 Planet-C — the Japanese meteorological mission to Venus......Page 118
3.3.3 Results expected from Venus Express and Planet-C......Page 119
3.3.4 Future Venus exploration......Page 120
3.4 Venus' Place in Comparative Planetology and Climatology......Page 121
References......Page 122
4.1 Introduction: The Consensus......Page 126
4.1.1 Origin......Page 127
4.1.2 Evolution......Page 128
4.2 Moon Origin by Giant Impact Unlikely......Page 130
4.3 Terrestrial Planets Had Early Chondritic Cores......Page 134
4.4 Melt from Huge Impacts Produced First Continents......Page 135
4.5 Lunar Cataclysm at 3.9 Gyr Faked by Late Basin-Forming Impacts......Page 137
4.6 Clay Minerals Dominated Earth's Crust Before Life Appeared......Page 141
References......Page 142
5.1 Introduction......Page 150
5.2 Martian Climate in the Present Epoch......Page 151
5.3.1 The ancient martian landscape......Page 153
5.3.2 The Mars Exploration Rovers......Page 157
5.3.3 Water ice in equatorial regions......Page 159
5.3.4 Polar layered deposits......Page 161
5.3.5 Martian Climate Change in the Present......Page 163
5.4.1 Climate change and early Mars......Page 166
5.4.2 Climate change with orbital parameters......Page 167
5.5.2 The SHARAD experiment......Page 170
References......Page 171
6.1 Introduction......Page 174
6.2.1 Water on Mars......Page 176
6.2.2 Energy for martian life......Page 182
6.3 Habitats for Life: The Present......Page 185
6.4 Habitats for Life: The Past......Page 186
6.5 Is There Anybody Out There?......Page 187
References......Page 188
7.1 Introduction......Page 191
7.2 Extrasolar Planets......Page 192
7.2.1 Radial velocity detections......Page 193
7.2.2 Transit detections......Page 197
7.2.3 Atmospheres and predicted spectra of EGPs......Page 199
7.2.4 Implications for Solar System formation models......Page 200
7.3 Further Methods of Detecting Extrasolar Planets......Page 202
7.3.2 Transit programmes......Page 203
7.3.4 Direct optical detection......Page 204
7.3.6 Conclusions......Page 206
References......Page 208
8.1 Introduction......Page 211
8.2.1 Europa......Page 214
8.2.2 Ganymede......Page 216
8.2.4 Amalthea......Page 218
8.3.1 Formation of the jovian system......Page 220
8.3.2 Tidal effects of the Laplace resonance......Page 221
8.4.1 Europa......Page 223
8.4.2 Ganymede......Page 224
8.5 Conclusions and Implications......Page 227
References......Page 229
9.1 Introduction......Page 231
9.2 Science En Route to Saturn......Page 234
9.4 Early Magnetospheric Findings......Page 236
9.5 Early Atmospheric Observations......Page 240
9.6 Early Findings on Saturn's Rings......Page 242
9.7.1 Huygens probe observations of Titan......Page 246
9.7.2 Cassini orbiter observations of Titan......Page 249
9.8 Early Findings on Iapetus......Page 252
9.9 Early Findings on Enceladus......Page 254
9.10 Other Preliminary Icy Satellite Findings......Page 256
References......Page 259
10.2 The Uranus System......Page 264
10.2.1 The atmosphere of Uranus at Equinox......Page 265
10.2.2 Perhaps a new ring and dusty old rings......Page 268
10.2.3 How many moons does Uranus have?......Page 269
10.2.4 The ionosphere of Uranus......Page 270
10.3.1 Neptune's evolving atmosphere......Page 271
10.3.2 Clumpy Rings......Page 274
10.3.4 More moons around Neptune......Page 275
10.4 Future Exploration of the Ice Giants......Page 276
References......Page 277
11.1.1 Resonant objects......Page 279
11.1.3 Scattered objects......Page 280
11.2.1 Pluto......Page 281
11.2.2 2003 UB[sub(313)]......Page 283
11.2.3 2005 FY[sub(9)]......Page 284
11.3 Binaries and Multiple Systems......Page 285
11.4.1 Inclination distribution and velocity dispersion......Page 287
11.4.3 Mass and size distribution......Page 289
11.4.4 Origin of the structure......Page 290
11.4.5 Problem of the missing mass......Page 291
11.5.1 Colors......Page 292
11.5.2 Spectra......Page 297
11.6.1 Centaurs......Page 299
11.6.3 Irregular satellites......Page 300
References......Page 302
12.1 Introduction......Page 306
12.2 Cometary Characteristics......Page 308
12.3 A Model Of A Cometary Nucleus......Page 312
12.4 Cometary Activity......Page 318
12.5 Cometary Missions And Early Results......Page 321
References......Page 326
C......Page 328
E......Page 330
G......Page 331
I......Page 332
M......Page 333
O......Page 336
S......Page 337
T......Page 338
V......Page 339
Z......Page 340