Encyclopedia of the Solar System
- 1st Edition - September 11, 1998
- Editors: Paul Weissman, Lucy-Ann McFadden, Torrence Johnson
- Language: English
- Hardback ISBN:9 7 8 - 0 - 1 2 - 2 2 6 8 0 5 - 2
- eBook ISBN:9 7 8 - 0 - 0 8 - 0 5 7 3 1 3 - 7
The Encyclopedia of the Solar System provides a series of comprehensive and authoritative articles written by more than 50 eminent planetary and space scientists. Each chapte… Read more

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Request a sales quoteThe Encyclopedia of the Solar System provides a series of comprehensive and authoritative articles written by more than 50 eminent planetary and space scientists. Each chapter is self-contained yet linked by cross-references to other related chapters. This beautifully designed book is a must for the library of professional astronomers and amateur star-gazers alike, in fact for anyone who wishes to understand the nature of our solar system.
@introbul:Key Features
@bul:* Cross-referenced throughout for easy comprehension
* Superbly illustrated with over 700 photos, drawings, and diagrams, including 36 color plates
* Provides 40 thematically organized chapters by more than 50 eminent contributors
* Convenient glossaries of technical terms introduce each chapter
* Academic Press maintains a web site for the Encyclopedia at www.academicpress.com/solar; Author-recommended web resources for additional information, images, and research developments related to each chapter of this volume, are available here
@bul:* Cross-referenced throughout for easy comprehension
* Superbly illustrated with over 700 photos, drawings, and diagrams, including 36 color plates
* Provides 40 thematically organized chapters by more than 50 eminent contributors
* Convenient glossaries of technical terms introduce each chapter
* Academic Press maintains a web site for the Encyclopedia at www.academicpress.com/solar; Author-recommended web resources for additional information, images, and research developments related to each chapter of this volume, are available here
Scientists, teachers, interested laypeople, and students of planetary science, astronomy, astrophysics, planetary geology, meteorology, and atmospheric and magnetospheric sciences.
Contributors
Foreword, Sally K. Ride
Preface
Guide to the Encyclopedia
The Solar System and Its Place in the Galaxy, P. Weissman,
The Origin of the Solar System, P. M. Cassen and D.S. Woolum,
The Sun, J.B. Zirker,
The Solar Wind, J.T. Gosling
Mercury, R.G. Strom
Venus: Atmosphere, D.M. Hunten
Venus: Surface and Interior, J.W. Head and A. Basilevski
Earth as a Planet: Atmosphere and Oceans, T.E. Dowling
Earth as a Planet: Surface and Interior, D.C. Pieri and A.M. Dziewonski
The Moon, S.R. Taylor
Mars: Atmosphere and Volatile History, F.P. Fanale
Mars: Surface and Interior, M.H. Carr
Phobos and Deimos, P.C. Thomas
Atmospheres of the Giant Planets, R.A. West
Interiors of the Giant Planets, M.S. Marley
Io, D. Matson and D. Blaney
Titan, A. Coustenis and R. Lorenz
Triton, W.B. McKinnon and R.L. Kirk
Outer Planet Icy Satellites, B.J. Buratti Planetary Rings, C.C. Porco
Planetary Magnetospheres, M. Kivelson and F. Bagenal
Pluto and Charon, S.A. Stern and R.V. Yelle
Physics and Chemistry of Comets, D.C. Boice and W. Huebner
Cometary Dynamics, J. Fernandez
The Kuiper Belt, H. Levison and P. Weissman
Asteroids, D.T. Britt and L.A. Lebofsky
Near-Earth Asteroids, L.-A. McFadden
Meteorites, M.E. Lipschutz and L. Schultz
Interplanetary Dust and the Zodiacal Cloud, E. Grun
The Solar System at Ultraviolet Wavelenghts, R.M. Nelson and D.L. Domingue
Infrared Views the Solar System From Space, M.V. Sykes
The Solar System at Radio Wavelengths, I. de Pater
Planetary Radar, S. Ostro
Solar System Dynamics, M. Duncan and J. Lissauer
Chaotic Motion in the Solar System, C.D. Murray
Planetary Impacts, R.A.F. Grieve and M.J. Cintala
Planetary Volcanism, L. Wilson
Searching For Other Planetary Systems, D. Black
Planets and the Origin of Life, C.P. McKay and W.L. Davis
Planetary Exploration Missions, L. Freidman, J. Burke and R. Kraemer
Extra-Solar Planets: Searching for Other Planetary Systems, D.C. Black
Appendix
Index
Foreword, Sally K. Ride
Preface
Guide to the Encyclopedia
The Solar System and Its Place in the Galaxy, P. Weissman,
The Origin of the Solar System, P. M. Cassen and D.S. Woolum,
The Sun, J.B. Zirker,
The Solar Wind, J.T. Gosling
Mercury, R.G. Strom
Venus: Atmosphere, D.M. Hunten
Venus: Surface and Interior, J.W. Head and A. Basilevski
Earth as a Planet: Atmosphere and Oceans, T.E. Dowling
Earth as a Planet: Surface and Interior, D.C. Pieri and A.M. Dziewonski
The Moon, S.R. Taylor
Mars: Atmosphere and Volatile History, F.P. Fanale
Mars: Surface and Interior, M.H. Carr
Phobos and Deimos, P.C. Thomas
Atmospheres of the Giant Planets, R.A. West
Interiors of the Giant Planets, M.S. Marley
Io, D. Matson and D. Blaney
Titan, A. Coustenis and R. Lorenz
Triton, W.B. McKinnon and R.L. Kirk
Outer Planet Icy Satellites, B.J. Buratti Planetary Rings, C.C. Porco
Planetary Magnetospheres, M. Kivelson and F. Bagenal
Pluto and Charon, S.A. Stern and R.V. Yelle
Physics and Chemistry of Comets, D.C. Boice and W. Huebner
Cometary Dynamics, J. Fernandez
The Kuiper Belt, H. Levison and P. Weissman
Asteroids, D.T. Britt and L.A. Lebofsky
Near-Earth Asteroids, L.-A. McFadden
Meteorites, M.E. Lipschutz and L. Schultz
Interplanetary Dust and the Zodiacal Cloud, E. Grun
The Solar System at Ultraviolet Wavelenghts, R.M. Nelson and D.L. Domingue
Infrared Views the Solar System From Space, M.V. Sykes
The Solar System at Radio Wavelengths, I. de Pater
Planetary Radar, S. Ostro
Solar System Dynamics, M. Duncan and J. Lissauer
Chaotic Motion in the Solar System, C.D. Murray
Planetary Impacts, R.A.F. Grieve and M.J. Cintala
Planetary Volcanism, L. Wilson
Searching For Other Planetary Systems, D. Black
Planets and the Origin of Life, C.P. McKay and W.L. Davis
Planetary Exploration Missions, L. Freidman, J. Burke and R. Kraemer
Extra-Solar Planets: Searching for Other Planetary Systems, D.C. Black
Appendix
Index
- No. of pages: 992
- Language: English
- Edition: 1
- Published: September 11, 1998
- Imprint: Academic Press
- Hardback ISBN: 9780122268052
- eBook ISBN: 9780080573137
PW
Paul Weissman
Paul R. Weissman is a Senior Research Scientist at JPL, specializing in comets. He is the author of over 100 scientific papers and 30 popular articles. He is also the co-author, with Alan Harris, of a children’s book on the Voyager mission. Dr. Weissman received his doctorate in planetary and space physics from the University of California, Los Angeles. His work includes both theoretical and observational studies of comets, investigating their orbital motion, their physical make-up, and the threat they pose due to possible impacts on the Earth. Dr. Weissman is an Interdisciplinary Scientist on ESA’s Rosetta mission to comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko.
Affiliations and expertise
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, U.S.A.LM
Lucy-Ann McFadden
Lucy McFadden is a planetary scientist at the University of Maryland. She was the founding director of the College Park Scholars Program, Science, Discovery and the Universe. She has published over 75 articles in refereed journals and has been co-investigator on NASA’s NEAR, Deep Impact and Dawn missions exploring asteroids and comets. She has served on committees on solar system exploration for the National Academy of Sciences, and on the editorial board of Icarus.
Affiliations and expertise
University of Maryland, College Park, U.S.A.TJ
Torrence Johnson
Torrence V. Johnson is a specialist on icy satellites in the solar system. He has written over 130 publications for scientific journals. He received a Ph.D. in planetary science from the California Institute of Technology and is now the Chief Scientist for Solar System Exploration at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He was the Project Scientist for the Galileo mission and is currently an investigator on the Cassini mission. He is the recipient of two NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medals and the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal and has an honorary doctorate from the University of Padua, where Galileo made his first observations of the solar system.
Affiliations and expertise
Chief Scientist for Solar System Exploration at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.