Claudio Vita-Finzi – författare

yet at the same time the ultraviolet (UV) part of the solar spectrum may damage DNA and human tissue, solar flares can destroy spacecraft, power systems and computers, and there is every indication that the Sun precipitated a mini Ice Age less than two centuries ago.

Planetary geology today extends far beyond the study of rocks, encompassing planetary origins, interiors, tectonics, atmospheres, oceans, and biology. It is not limited to the planets within our own solar system either. The past decade has witnessed groundbreaking missions to asteroids and comets, as well as the discovery of thousands of exoplanets orbiting distant stars.This book offers a comprehensive exploration of the intricate geological processes shaping planets both within and beyond our solar system. It introduces fundamental concepts while framing the latest developments in planetary science. With over 1,000 references from more than 170 journals, this fully updated 3rd edition: Focuses on geological processes rather than a planet-by-planet approach, essential for understanding the common mechanisms linking planetary bodies across the universe.Explains complex concepts in an accessible manner, avoiding undue reliance on mathematical formulas and equations.Takes into account the increasing globalisation and commercialisation of space exploration and planetary science.A best-selling student text, Planetary Geology serves as an approachable yet in-depth introduction to a field that can seem overwhelming in its scope. Throughout, authors Dominic Fortes and Claudio Vita-Finzi foster curiosity and critical thinking, driven by the belief that a deeper understanding of planetary processes will ultimately help us better understand Earth’s place in the universe.

There are several billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy. One of them is the middle-aged G2V yellow dwarf that rules our lives. The Sun Today discusses the Sun’s appearance and composition, its internal workings, and the various kinds of radiation it emits, and it puts forward a novel explanation for coronal heating. The book draws on the findings of telescopic observation, space missions, and technical and theoretical advances in many fields, and shows why we need to know more if we are to understand and manage our foothold in the Universe.From the reviews of other books by Claudio Vita-Finzi:The Sun – A User’s Manual (2008)….this, jargon-free, concise, beautifully illustrated and eminently readable book…D.W. Hughes, Times Literary SupplementSolar History (2013)....a book that is supremely informative, intensely stimulating and enjoyable to read...Ian Seymour, Astronomy NowA History of the Solar System (2016)...there is a huge amount of useful information in this book that would benefit anyone who needed more detail than is available in a typical popular science title.Brian Clegg, Popular Science

This well illustrated book presents a compact history of the Solar System from its dusty origins 4,600,000 years ago to the present day. Its primary aim is to show how the planets and their satellites, comets, meteors, interplanetary dust, solar radiation and cosmic rays continually interact, sometimes violently, and it reflects humanity's progress in exploring and interpreting this history. The book is intended for a general readership at a time when human and robotic exploration of space is often in the news and should also appeal to students at all levels. It covers the essentials but refers to a large literature which can be accessed via the internet.

bit about hydrogen and helium but my excuse is that they make up the bulk of the visible matter in the Universe. Similarly wavelengths, which, like frequency, can be used to describe the behaviour of different kinds of solar energy from X-rays to radio waves. You do not have to be a geek to appreciate such matters, witness a useful mnemonic for the relationship between wavelength and frequency to be found in one of the tales of diplomatic life by Lawrence Durrell: “ If there is anything worse than a soprano, ” said Antrobus judicially, as we walked down the Mall towards his club, “ it is a mezzo-soprano. One shriek lower in the scale, perhaps, b ut with higher candle-po wer . ” Just bear in mind that he got it the wrong way round. There are many paradoxes in my account. The Sun drives the weather and keeps the Earth’s temperature at tolerable levels, it is the basis of photosynthesis and thus the life of plants and the creatures they sustain, and its magnetic field shelters us from dangerous cosmic rays; yet at the same time the ultraviolet (UV) part of the solar spectrum may damage DNA and human tissue, solar flares can destroy spacecraft, power systems and computers, and there is every indication that the Sun precipitated a mini Ice Age less than two centuries ago. Sunshine allows us to generate vitamin D but too much of it can lead to skin cancer and cataracts. Etcetera etcetera.