Teresa M. Mensing – författare

Covering radiogenic, radioactive, and stable isotopes, this comprehensive text contains five sections that present fundamentals of atomic physics; dating methods for terrestrial and extraterrestrial rocks by means of radiogenic isotopes; geochemistry of radiogenic isotopes; dating by means of U, Th-series and cosmogenic radionuclides; and the fractionation of the stable isotopes of H, C, N, O, and S, as well as Li, B, Si, and Cl. Additionally, this edition provides: Expanded coverage of the U-Pb methods –the most accurate available dating techniqueApplications to the petrogenesis of igneous rocksSummaries of the use of isotopic data for study of the oceansNew examples from the fields of archeology and anthropologyRadiation-damage methods of dating including fission tracks, thermoluminescence, and electron spin resonance (ESR)Information on the dispersal of fission-product radionuclides and the disposal of radioactive wasteExtensive chapter-by-chapter problems and solutions

This textbook emphasizes key basic principles of planetary science that help to unify the study of the solar system. It is organized in a hierarchical manner so that every chapter builds upon preceding ones.

This book is intended for Earth scientists who want to do fieldwork in the Transantarctic Mountains or who are interested in the geology of this region. The Transantarctic Mountains are relevant even from a global perspective because most of the rocks of which they are composed formed at a time when Antarctica was an integral part of the supercontinent of Gondwana, which subsequently broke apart during the Mesozoic Era to form the continents of the southern hemisphere. The first two chapters summarize the history of exploration of Antarctica leading up to the signing of the Antarctic Treaty (Chapter 1) and describe the present environmental conditions including the ozone hole (Chapter 2). The geology of the Transantarctic Mountains is described in the next five chapters: Basement rocks (Chapter 3), Beacon Supergroup (Chapter 4), Ferrar Supergroup (Chapter 5), Break-up of Gondwana (Chapter 6), and McMurdo Volcanics (Chapter 7). The descriptions of the present state and past history of the East Antarctic ice sheet (Chapter 8) is followed by presentations of the glacial geomorphology and aqueous geochemistry of the ice-free areas of the Transantarctic Mountains (Chapter 9).The book concludes with a review of the occurrence and relevance of the tens of thousands of meteorite specimens that have been recovered on the bare ice of the ablation areas of the East Antarctic ice sheet adjacent to the Transantarctic Mountains (Chapter 10).The ten chapters are each self-contained and include extensive lists of references and tables of relevant data in the form of appendices. The book ends with author and subject indexes that will enhance its use as an encyclopedia of the diverse subjects that constitute the Transantarctic Mountains. In addition, the book is illustrated with a largenumber of original diagrams and photographs, and it features the water-color art of D.Molenaar.

This textbook is intended to be used in a lecture course for college students majoring in Earth Sciences. Planetary science provides an opportunity for these students to apply a wide range of subject matter pertaining to the Earth to the study of other planets and their principal satellites. In this way, planetary science tends to unify subjects in the Earth Sciences that are traditionally taught separately. Therefore, planetary science is well-suited to be taught as a capstone course for senior undergraduates in geology departments and as an introduction to the solar system in astronomy departments. Both groups of students will benefit because planetary science bridges the gap between geology and astronomy and it prepares geologists and astronomers to participate actively in the on-going exploration of the solar system.The subject matter is presented in 24 chapters that lead the reader through the solar system starting with historical perspectives on space exploration and the development of the scientific method. The presentations concerning the planets and their satellites emphasize that their origin and subsequent evolution can be explained by applications of certain basic principles of physics, chemistry, and celestial mechanics and that the surface features of the solid bodies in the solar system can be interpreted by means of the principles of geology.