Martin Beech – författare

This book provides a thorough scientific review of how Mars might eventually be colonized, industrialized, and transformed into a world better suited to human habitation.

The idea of terraforming Mars has, in recent times, become a topic of intense scientific interest and great public debate. Stimulated in part by the contemporary imperative to begin geoengineering Earth, as a means to combat global climate change, the terraforming of Mars will work to make its presently hostile environment more suitable to life—especially human life. Geoengineering and terraforming, at their core, have the same goal—that is to enhance (or revive) the ability of a specific environment to support human life, society, and industry. The chapters in this text, written by experts in their respective fields, are accordingly in resonance with the important, and ongoing discussions concerning the human stewardship of global climate systems. In this sense, the text is both timely and relevant and will cover issues relating to topics that will only grow in their relevance in future decades. The notion of terraforming Mars is not a new one, as such, and it has long played as the background narrative in many science fiction novels. This book, however, deals exclusively with what is physically possible, and what might conceivably be put into actual practice within the next several human generations.

Audience

Researchers in planetary science, astronomy, astrobiology, space engineering, architecture, ethics, as well as members of the space industry.

This book provides a thorough scientific review of how Mars might eventually be colonized, industrialized, and transformed into a world better suited to human habitation.

The idea of terraforming Mars has, in recent times, become a topic of intense scientific interest and great public debate. Stimulated in part by the contemporary imperative to begin geoengineering Earth, as a means to combat global climate change, the terraforming of Mars will work to make its presently hostile environment more suitable to life—especially human life. Geoengineering and terraforming, at their core, have the same goal—that is to enhance (or revive) the ability of a specific environment to support human life, society, and industry. The chapters in this text, written by experts in their respective fields, are accordingly in resonance with the important, and ongoing discussions concerning the human stewardship of global climate systems. In this sense, the text is both timely and relevant and will cover issues relating to topics that will only grow in their relevance in future decades. The notion of terraforming Mars is not a new one, as such, and it has long played as the background narrative in many science fiction novels. This book, however, deals exclusively with what is physically possible, and what might conceivably be put into actual practice within the next several human generations.

Audience

Researchers in planetary science, astronomy, astrobiology, space engineering, architecture, ethics, as well as members of the space industry.

This important and timely book assembles expert scientists from both sides of the debate to discuss Earth-based and space-based climate intervention technologies including the scale, deployment, risk management, and moral philosophy behind these technologies.

The role that geoengineering might play, within the context of global warming amelioration, has long been contentious. For all this, geoengineering is about getting down and dirty with respect to the issue of climate intervention. Often dismissed as an option of last resort, geoengineering is now emerging as a key component in humanity’s drive to bring the impacts of global warming under some form of mitigation and control. While geoengineering does not solve the fundamental problem of continued anthropomorphic carbon dioxide emissions, the root cause of global warming, it is an option that can effectively buy humanity some much-needed time. Time, that is, to act positively, and time to introduce meaningful emission reductions, and deploy large-scale sequestration technologies. Indeed, the failure to meaningfully corral greenhouse gas emission levels, and the slow development of large-scale carbon capture technologies, will, by the close of the 21st century, likely see global temperatures increase by at least 2 or 3 degrees above pre-industrial levels. What geoengineering can potentially do for us is to offset the more extreme climate change scenarios that are presently projected to come about. An integrated geoengineering program to cool Earth’s atmosphere, running in parallel with the development of sequestration technologies, and substantial emission reductions, can work to limit the worst effects of climate change that will, without geoengineering, surely come about. Geoengineering is not a neutral or benign action, however, and if it is to be deployed, then much more research, and field testing of ideas and technologies is urgently needed.

The authors in this book present a cross-section of philosophies, engineering approaches, and reactions to the idea of geoengineering. Through their words, the reader is introduced to the historical and contemporary debate concerning the potential deployment of geoengineering actions. Indeed, there are many ways in which geoengineering, as a grand worldwide initiative, or as a combined set of independent actions, might proceed in both the near, and the deep future, and here the reader is introduced to these topics by experts in their field.

Audience This book will be of interest to engineers, chemists, geologists, physicists, biologists, environmentalists, meteorologists, philosophers, mathematicians, computer modelers, and policy managers. General readers interested in geoengineering will find the book very readable and scientifically reliable.

This important and timely book assembles expert scientists from both sides of the debate to discuss Earth-based and space-based climate intervention technologies including the scale, deployment, risk management, and moral philosophy behind these technologies.

The role that geoengineering might play, within the context of global warming amelioration, has long been contentious. For all this, geoengineering is about getting down and dirty with respect to the issue of climate intervention. Often dismissed as an option of last resort, geoengineering is now emerging as a key component in humanity’s drive to bring the impacts of global warming under some form of mitigation and control. While geoengineering does not solve the fundamental problem of continued anthropomorphic carbon dioxide emissions, the root cause of global warming, it is an option that can effectively buy humanity some much-needed time. Time, that is, to act positively, and time to introduce meaningful emission reductions, and deploy large-scale sequestration technologies. Indeed, the failure to meaningfully corral greenhouse gas emission levels, and the slow development of large-scale carbon capture technologies, will, by the close of the 21st century, likely see global temperatures increase by at least 2 or 3 degrees above pre-industrial levels. What geoengineering can potentially do for us is to offset the more extreme climate change scenarios that are presently projected to come about. An integrated geoengineering program to cool Earth’s atmosphere, running in parallel with the development of sequestration technologies, and substantial emission reductions, can work to limit the worst effects of climate change that will, without geoengineering, surely come about. Geoengineering is not a neutral or benign action, however, and if it is to be deployed, then much more research, and field testing of ideas and technologies is urgently needed.

The authors in this book present a cross-section of philosophies, engineering approaches, and reactions to the idea of geoengineering. Through their words, the reader is introduced to the historical and contemporary debate concerning the potential deployment of geoengineering actions. Indeed, there are many ways in which geoengineering, as a grand worldwide initiative, or as a combined set of independent actions, might proceed in both the near, and the deep future, and here the reader is introduced to these topics by experts in their field.

Audience This book will be of interest to engineers, chemists, geologists, physicists, biologists, environmentalists, meteorologists, philosophers, mathematicians, computer modelers, and policy managers. General readers interested in geoengineering will find the book very readable and scientifically reliable.

This textbook introduces the reader to the basic concepts and equations that describe stellar structure. Various approximation techniques are used to solve equations, and an intuitive rather than rigorous approach is employed to interpret the properties of the stars. The book provides step-by-step instructions, helpful exercises and relevant historical lessons to familiarize students with key concepts and mathematical theories.

Based upon a series of one-semester (12 weeks) elective undergraduate courses offered at the University of Regina, this book is intended for students who are interested in seeing how basic calculus and introductory physics can be applied to the understanding of the stars from their formation to their death. The text provides an intermediate stepping stone between lower-level undergraduate classes and more specialized postgraduate texts on the subject of stellar structure.

This book provides a detailed biographical account of the industrious late nineteenth-century astronomer William Frederick Denning who, in later life, rose to be a celebrated public figure and a highly respected amateur astronomer. The book also examines Denning’s many contributions to the astronomy of his time.

As an indomitable promotor of amateur astronomy, Denning was closely involved in the formation of the short-lived, but historically pivotal, Observational Astronomy Society (OAS) in 1869. Readers will learn about the origins and the observational programs initiated by the OAS, and the author also presents a series of biographical sketches of its most industrious members. Furthermore, by examining Denning’s letters and publications, the author shows how he helped to nurture the growth of amateur astronomy, also teaching amateur observers how to make their efforts scientifically useful.

A stalwart observer and enthusiast himself, Denning was a key player in the development of meteor astronomy in England, culminating in his being invited, in 1922, to be the first President of Commission 22 (meteors, meteorites and interplanetary dust) of the newly formed International Astronomical Union. The text follows the development and rapid growth of meteor astronomy during the nineteenth century, focusing upon the key observations and important theoretical advances. In addition, it pays tribute to pioneering practitioners, who, along with Denning, set out to unravel the story and secrets of the shooting stars.

While not an openly forthright or strident figure, Denning, at the height of his career, became embroiled in two public and controversial issues. The first related to his pseudo-scientific theory of optical blurring, and his belief that large-aperture telescopes performed less efficiently than smaller-aperture telescopes when used in the study of planetary disks. The second concerned the mysterious issue of stationary meteor shower radiants—an apparent observational reduction that was completely at odds with both the standard theories of gravitational dynamics and the generally accepted notion of meteoroid stream structure. The book explores these two controversies and uses them to examine Denning’s outlook on scientific methodology.

As our closest stellar companion and composed of two Sun-like stars and a third small dwarf star, Alpha Centauri is an ideal testing ground of astrophysical models and has played a central role in the history and development of modern astronomy—from the first guesses at stellar distances to understanding how our own star, the Sun, might have evolved. It is also the host of the nearest known exoplanet, an ultra-hot, Earth-like planet recently discovered.

Just 4.4 light years away Alpha Centauri is also the most obvious target for humanity’s first directed interstellar space probe. Such a mission could reveal the small-scale structure of a new planetary system and also represent the first step in what must surely be humanity’s greatest future adventure—exploration of the Milky Way Galaxy itself.

For all of its closeness, α Centauri continues to tantalize astronomers with many unresolved mysteries, such as how did it form, how many planets does it contain andwhere are they, and how might we view its extensive panorama directly?

In this book we move from the study of individual stars to the study of our Solar System and our nearby galactic neighborhood. On the way we will review the rapidly developing fields of exoplanet formation and detection.

This book explores the mechanics of star formation, the process by which matter pulls together and creates new structures. Written for science enthusiasts, the author presents an accessible explanation of how stars are born from the interstellar medium and giant molecular clouds. Stars produce the chemicals that lead to life, and it is they that have enabled the conditions for planets to form and life to emerge.

Although the Big Bang provided the spark of initiation, the primordial universe that it sired was born hopelessly sterile. It is only through the continued recycling of the interstellar medium, star formation, and stellar evolution that the universe has been animated beyond a chaotic mess of elementary atomic particles, radiation, dark matter, dark energy, and expanding spacetime. Using the Milky Way and the Eagle Nebula in particular as case studies, Beech follows every step of this amazing process.