Geophysical Monograph Series – serie

Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 100.Continental flood basalts, volcanic passive margins, and oceanic plateaus represent the largest known volcanic episodes on our planet, yet they are not easily explained by plate tectonics. Indeed, some are likely to record periods when the outward transfer of material and energy from the Earth's interior operated in a significantly different mode than at present. In recent years, interest in large-scale mafic magmatism has surged as high-precision geochronological, detailed geochemical, and increasingly sophisticated geophysical data have become available for many provinces. However, the sheer amount of recent material, often in the form of detailed collaborative research projects, can overwhelm newcomers to the field and experts alike as the literature continues to grow dramatically. The need for an up-to-date review volume on a sizable subset of the major continental and oceanic flood basalt provinces, termed large igneous provinces, was recognized by the Commission on Large-Volume Basaltic Provinces (International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior), and the co-editors were charged with organizing and implementing such a volume. We hope that this volume will be valuable to researchers and graduate students worldwide, particularly to petrologists, geochemists, geochronologists, geodynamicists, and plate-tectonics specialists; it may also interest planetologists, oceanographers, and atmospheric scientists.

Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 107.Bedrock river channels are sites of primary erosion in the landscape, fixing the baselevel for all points upstream. This volume provides for the first time an integrated view of the characteristics and operation of this important, though hitherto neglected, class of channels. Examples are provided from several continents and cover a wide range of spatial scales from the large river basins (such as the Colorado River in the United States and the Indus River in Pakistan) down to reach scales and individual sites. Likewise the geologic timescales considered range from erosion and transportation during individual flows to accumulated effects over periods of tens of millions of years.

Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 152.Sea salt aerosol (SSA) exerts a major influence over a broad reach of geophysics. It is important to the physics and chemistry of the marine atmosphere and to marine geochemistry and biogeochemistry generally. It affects visibility, remote sensing, atmospheric chemistry, and air quality. Sea salt aerosol particles interact with other atmospheric gaseous and aerosol constituents by acting as sinks for condensable gases and suppressing new particle formation, thus influencing the size distribution of these other aerosols and more broadly influencing the geochemical cycles of substances with which they interact. As the key aerosol constituent over much of Earth's surface at present, and all the more so in pre-industrial times, SSA is central to description of Earth's aerosol burden.

Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 156.Space is dominated by plasma and a myriad of physical processes through which it has been evolving for billions of years. In our effort to understand what the universe has been and what it will become, we turn to the nature of matter, space, and the various interactions that change this environment. Our contact with the remote regions of the universe is dominated by the photons and high-energy particles produced there long ago, with light often the result of physical processes that involve particles accelerated to high energy. Developing our knowledge of particle acceleration across all spatial scales and energies is one of the keys to understanding the evolving universe. It is also the subject of this book.

Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 160. Understanding the inner workings of our planet and its relationship to processes closer to the surface remains a frontier in the geosciences. Manmade probes barely reach ˜10 km depth and volcanism rarely brings up samples from deeper than ˜150 km. These distances are dwarfed by Earth's dimensions, and our knowledge of the deeper realms is pieced together from a range of surface observables, meteorite and solar atmosphere analyses, experimental and theoretical mineral physics and rock mechanics, and computer simulations. A major unresolved issue concerns the nature of mantle convection, the slow (1-5 cm/year) solid-state stirring that helps cool the planet by transporting radiogenic and primordial heat from Earth's interior to its surface.Expanding our knowledge here requires input from a range of geoscience disciplines, including seismology, geodynamics, mineral physics, and mantle petrology and chemistry. At the same time, with better data sets and faster computers, seismologists are producing more detailed models of 3-D variations in the propagation speed of different types of seismic waves; new instrumentation and access to state-of-the-art community facilities such as synchrotrons have enabled mineral physicists to measure rock and mineral properties at ever larger pressures and temperatures; new generations of mass spectrometers are allowing geo-chemists to quantify minute concentrations of diagnostic isotopes; and with supercomputers geodynamicists are making increasingly realistic simulations of dynamic processes at conditions not attainable in analogue experiments. But many questions persist. What causes the lateral variations in seismic wavespeed that we can image with mounting accuracy? How reliable are extrapolations of laboratory measurements on simple materials over many orders of magnitude of pressure and temperature? What are the effects of volatiles and minor elements on rock and mineral properties under extreme physical conditions? Can ab initio calculations help us understand material behavior in conditions that are still out of reach of laboratory measurement? What was the early evolution of our planet and to what extent does it still influence present-day dynamics? And how well do we know such first-order issues as the average bulk composition of Earth?

Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 161.In this book, we describe our current state of knowledge on circulation in the Gulf of Mexico through 22 papers at the forefront of research. The view is selective rather than all-inclusive, with primary focus on circulation at the sea surface and at depth, including nearshore flow. In choosing topics, we have attempted to avoid the distinction between observations and models, as both are essential to advance our understanding of this exceptional body of water. We have also written for specialists and non-specialists alike in both science and industry: for those who work directly on the science associated with the Gulf, and for those whose work depends on the Gulf. And we refer here to physical oceanography, marine geology, sedimentology, coastal and estuarine science, as well as to the petrochemical and fishing industries.

Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 165.Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are the most energetic events in the heliosphere. During solar cycle 23, the close connection between CMEs and solar energetic particles (SEPs) was studied in much greater detail than was previously possible, including effects on space weather. This book reviews extensive observations of solar eruptions and SEPs from orbiting and ground-based systems. From SOHO and ACE to RHESSI and TRACE, we now have measurements of unprecedented sensitivity by which to test assumptions and refine models.Discussion and analysis of: Coronal mass ejections and energetic particles over one solar cycleImplications of solar eruptions for space weather and human space explorationThe elemental, isotopic, and ionic charge state composition of accelerated particlesComplex interconnections among CMEs, flares, shocks, and energetic particles will make this book an indispensable resource for scientists working on the Sun-Earth connection, including space physicists, magnetospheric physicists, atmospheric physicists, astrophysicists, and aeronomists.

Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 166.New ocean crust is continuously created where tectonic plates diverge. A distinctive type of oceanic crust is formed by back-arc spreading systems that parallel oceanic island arcs on the side away from the subducting plate. Volatile-rich and spatially variable, back-arc spreading systems are a natural laboratory for multi-disciplinary studies of seafloor creation, the flow of magma from the deep earth, and the hydrothermal ecosystems that this flow sustains. Derived from the prestigious Ridge 2000 InterRidge Theoretical Institute held in 2004, Back-Arc Spreading Systems: Geological, Biological, Chemical, and Physical Interactions reviews the state of the science, with select case studies.Experienced researchers in, and students of, marine geology, biological oceanography, marine geochemistry, volcanology, petrology, and geo- and paleomagnetism will find this volume a significant resource now and for the near future.

Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 168.The distribution of H2O in the Earth is under debate. Although liquid water covers 70% of the surface, the oceans represent only about 0.025% of the planet's mass-far less water than thought to have been present during Earth's formation. If our planet is "missing" most of its original water, could it reside in the mantle? Can we detect it seismically?Recognition of the capacity of some deep-mantle minerals to absorb water has propelled an interdisciplinary field of research addressing these two questions, and more. Earth's Deep Water Cycle advances the field with experimental, modeling, and seismic studies that focus on the physical characteristics of "hydrated" minerals, the potentially H2O-rich transition zone (410-660 km depth), and our detection abilities.Integrated perspectives from four fields of research are featured: Mineral physics and geochemistrySeismology and electrical conductivityProperties of deep hydrous mantleGlobal models and consequences of a deep-Earth water cycleFrom experimental synthesis and physical properties measurements to geophysical observations and geodynamic modeling, we are beginning to understand what parameters and data are needed to detect or refute the possibility of water in the deep Earth.

Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 175.A Continental Plate Boundary offers in one place the most comprehensive, up-to-date knowledge for researchers and students to learn about the tectonics and plate dynamics of the Pacific-Australian continental plate boundary in South Island and about the application of modern geological and geophysical methods. It examines what happens when convergence and translation occur at a plate boundary by Describing the geological and geophysical signature of a continental transform fault;Identifying the diverse vertical and lateral patterns of deformation at the plate boundary;Assessing an apparent seismicity gap on the plate boundary fault and fast-moving plate motions;Comparing this plate boundary to other global convergent continental strike-slip plate boundaries;Documenting the utility of the double-sided, onshore-offshore seismic method for exploration of a narrow continental island; andProviding additional papers presenting previously unpublished results.This volume will prove invaluable for seismologists, tectonophysicists, geodesists and potential-field geophysicists, geologists, geodynamicists, and students of the deformation of tectonic plates.

Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 176.With the search for extra-solar planets in full gear, it has become essential to gain a more detailed understanding of the evolution of the other earth-like planets in our own solar system. Space missions to Venus, including the Soviet Veneras, Pioneer Venus, and Magellan, provided a wealth of information about this planet' enigmatic surface and atmosphere, but left many fundamental questions about its origin and evolution unanswered.This book discusses how the study of Venus will aid our understanding of terrestrial and extra-solar planet evolution, with particular reference to surface and interior processes, atmospheric circulation, chemistry, and aeronomy. Incorporating results from the recent European Venus Express mission, Exploring Venus as a Terrestrial Planet examines the open questions and relates them to Earth and other terrestrial planets. The goal is to stimulate thinking about those broader issues as the new Venus data arrive.

Magma to Microbe Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 178. Hydrothermal systems at oceanic spreading centers reflect the complex interactions among transport, cooling and crystallization of magma, fluid circulation in the crust, tectonic processes, water-rock interaction, and the utilization of hydrothermal fluids as a metabolic energy source by microbial and macro-biological ecosystems. The development of mathematical and numerical models that address these complex linkages is a fundamental part the RIDGE 2000 program that attempts to quantify and model the transfer of heat and chemicals from “mantle to microbes” at oceanic ridges. This volume presents the first “state of the art” picture of model development in this context. The most outstanding feature of this volume is its emphasis on mathematical and numerical modeling of a broad array of hydrothermal processes associated with oceanic spreading centers. By examining the state of model development in one volume, both cross-fertilization of ideas and integration across the disparate disciplines that study seafloor hydrothermal systems is facilitated. Students and scientists with an interest in oceanic spreading centers in general and more specifically in ridge hydrothermal processes will find this volume to be an up-to-date and indispensable resource.

Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 179.This multidisciplinary monograph provides the first modern integrative summary focused on the most spectacular active tectonic systems in North America.Encompassing seismology, tectonics, geology, and geodesy, it includes papers that summarize the state of knowledge, including background material for those unfamiliar with the region; address global hypotheses using data from Alaska; and test important global hypotheses using data from this region.It is organized around four major themes: subduction and great earthquakes at the Aleutian Arc,the transition from strike slip to accretion and subduction of the Yakutat microplate,the Denali fault and related structures and their role in accommodating permanent deformation of the overriding plate, andregional integration and large-scale models and the use of data from Alaska to address important global questions and hypotheses.The book's publication near the beginning of the National Science Foundation's EarthScope project makes it especially timely because Alaska is perhaps the least understood area within the EarthScope footprint, and interest in the region can be expected to rise with time as more EarthScope data become available.

Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 184.Carbon Cycling in Northern Peatlands examines the role that northern peatlands play in regulating the atmospheric carbon budget. It summarizes current research in four interconnected areas: large-scale peatland dynamics and carbon cycling; plant and microbial dynamics and their effect on carbon fluxes to the atmosphere; methane accumulation in, and loss from, peatlands; and water and dissolved carbon fluxes through peatlands. The volume highlights include A thorough assessment of the challenges involved in incorporating carbon cycling in northern peatlands into global climate models;A conceptual model to examine the partitioning of terminal carbon mineralization into production of CO2 and CH4;A comprehensive review of the evidence for the accumulation of methane in deep and shallow peat; andA description of the hydrologic changes induced by peat harvesting and associated challenges in restoring altered peatlands to their natural hydrologic regime.Carbon Cycling in Northern Peatlands will be of interest to research scientists and graduate and undergraduate students, particularly those who wish to know more about the role of peatlands in the global carbon cycle and their role as modifiers of climate.

Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 190.The Stratosphere: Dynamics, Transport, and Chemistry is the first volume in 20 years that offers a comprehensive review of the Earth's stratosphere, increasingly recognized as an important component of the climate system. The volume addresses key advances in our understanding of the stratospheric circulation and transport and summarizes the last two decades of research to provide a concise yet comprehensive overview of the state of the field.This monograph reviews many important aspects of the dynamics, transport, and chemistry of the stratosphere by some of the world's leading experts, including up-to-date discussions of Dynamics of stratospheric polar vorticesChemistry and dynamics of the ozone holeRole of solar variability in the stratosphereEffect of gravity waves in the stratosphereImportance of atmospheric annular modesThis volume will be of interest to graduate students and scientists who wish to learn more about the stratosphere. It will also be useful to atmospheric science departments as a textbook for classes on the stratosphere.

Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 191.Rainfall: State of the Science offers the most up-to-date knowledge on the fundamental and practical aspects of rainfall. Each chapter, self-contained and written by prominent scientists in their respective fields, provides three forms of information: fundamental principles, detailed overview of current knowledge and description of existing methods, and emerging techniques and future research directions.The book discusses Rainfall microphysics: raindrop morphodynamics, interactions, size distribution, and evolutionRainfall measurement and estimation: ground-based direct measurement (disdrometer and rain gauge), weather radar rainfall estimation, polarimetric radar rainfall estimation, and satellite rainfall estimationStatistical analyses: intensity-duration-frequency curves, frequency analysis of extreme events, spatial analyses, simulation and disaggregation, ensemble approach for radar rainfall uncertainty, and uncertainty analysis of satellite rainfall productsThe book is tailored to be an indispensable reference for researchers, practitioners, and graduate students who study any aspect of rainfall or utilize rainfall information in various science and engineering disciplines.

Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 192. Antarctic Subglacial Aquatic Environments is the first volume on this important and fascinating subject. With its underlying theme of bridging existing knowledge to future research, it is a benchmark in the history of subglacial lake exploration and study, containing up-to-date discussions about the history and background of subglacial aquatic environments and future exploration. The main topics addressed are identification, location, physiography, and hydrology of 387 subglacial lakes; protocols for environmental stewardship and protection of subglacial lake environments; details of three programs aiming to explore Vostok Subglacial Lake, Ellsworth Subglacial Lake, and Whillans Subglacial Lake over the next 3–5 years; assessment of technological requirements for exploration programs based on best practices for environmental stewardship and scientific success; and knowledge of subglacial lakes as habitats for microbial life and as recorders of past climate and ice sheet change. Its uniqueness, breadth, and inclusiveness will appeal to microbiologists and those interested in life in extreme environments, paleoclimatologists and those interested in sedimentary records of past changes, glaciologists striving to understand how water beneath glaciers affects their flow, and those engaged in developing technology to undertake direct measurement and sampling of extreme environments on Earth and in the solar system.

Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 193.Abrupt Climate Change: Mechanisms, Patterns, and Impacts brings together a diverse group of paleoproxy records such as ice cores, marine sediments, terrestrial (lakes and speleothems) archives, and coupled ocean-atmosphere climate models to document recent advances in understanding the mechanisms of abrupt climate changes. Since the discovery of the Dansgaard-Oeschger events in Greenland ice cores and the subsequent discovery of their contemporary events in the marine sediments of the North Atlantic, the search for these abrupt, millennial-scale events across the globe has intensified, and as a result, the number of paleoclimatic records chronicling such events has increased. The volume highlights include discussions of records of past climate variability, meridional overturning circulation, land-ocean-atmosphere interactions, feedbacks in the climate system, and global temperature anomalies. Abrupt Climate Change will be of interest to students, researchers, academics, and policy makers who are concerned about abrupt climate change and its potential impact on society.

Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 196.Extreme Events and Natural Hazards: The Complexity Perspective examines recent developments in complexity science that provide a new approach to understanding extreme events. This understanding is critical to the development of strategies for the prediction of natural hazards and mitigation of their adverse consequences. The volume is a comprehensive collection of current developments in the understanding of extreme events. The following critical areas are highlighted: understanding extreme events, natural hazard prediction and development of mitigation strategies, recent developments in complexity science, global change and how it relates to extreme events, and policy sciences and perspective. With its overarching theme, Extreme Events and Natural Hazards will be of interest and relevance to scientists interested in nonlinear geophysics, natural hazards, atmospheric science, hydrology, oceanography, tectonics, and space weather.

Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 197.Many of the most basic aspects of the aurora remain unexplained. While in the past terrestrial and planetary auroras have been largely treated in separate books, Auroral Phenomenology and Magnetospheric Processes: Earth and Other Planets takes a holistic approach, treating the aurora as a fundamental process and discussing the phenomenology, physics, and relationship with the respective planetary magnetospheres in one volume. While there are some behaviors common in auroras of the different planets, there are also striking differences that test our basic understanding of auroral processes. The objective, upon which this monograph is focused, is to connect our knowledge of auroral morphology to the physical processes in the magnetosphere that power and structure discrete and diffuse auroras. Understanding this connection will result in a more complete explanation of the aurora and also further the goal of being able to interpret the global auroral distributions as a dynamic map of the magnetosphere. The volume synthesizes five major areas: auroral phenomenology, aurora and ionospheric electrodynamics, discrete auroral acceleration, aurora and magnetospheric dynamics, and comparative planetary aurora. Covering the recent advances in observations, simulation, and theory, this book will serve a broad community of scientists, including graduate students, studying auroras at Mars, Earth, Saturn, and Jupiter. Projected beyond our solar system, it may also be of interest for astronomers who are looking for aurora-active exoplanets.

Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 199.Dynamics of the Earth's Radiation Belts and Inner Magnetosphere draws together current knowledge of the radiation belts prior to the launch of Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RPSP) and other imminent space missions, making this volume timely and unique. The volume will serve as a useful benchmark at this exciting and pivotal period in radiation belt research in advance of the new discoveries that the RPSP mission will surely bring. Highlights include the following: a review of the current state of the art of radiation belt science; a complete and up-to-date account of the wave-particle interactions that control the dynamical acceleration and loss processes of particles in the Earth's radiation belts and inner magnetosphere; a discussion emphasizing the importance of the cross-energy coupling of the particle populations of the radiation belts, ring current, and plasmasphere in controlling the dynamics of the inner magnetosphere; an outline of the design and operation of future satellite missions whose objectives are to discover the dominant physical processes that control the dynamics of the Earth's radiation belts and to advance our level of understanding of radiation belt dynamics ideally to the point of predictability; and an examination of the current state of knowledge of Earth's radiation belts from past and current spacecraft missions to the inner magnetosphere. Dynamics of the Earth's Radiation Belts and Inner Magnetosphere will be a useful reference work for the specialist researcher, the student, and the general reader. In addition, the volume could be used as a supplementary text in any graduate-level course in space physics in which radiation belt physics is featured.

Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 201. Modeling the Ionosphere-Thermosphere System brings together for the first time a detailed description of the physics of the IT system in conjunction with numerical techniques to solve the complex system of equations that describe the system, as well as issues of current interest. Volume highlights include discussions of: Physics of the ionosphere and thermosphere IT system, and the numerical methods to solve the basic equations of the IT systemThe physics and numerical methods to determine the global electrodynamics of the IT systemThe response of the IT system to forcings from below (i.e., the lower atmosphere) and from above (i.e., the magnetosphere)The physics and numerical methods to model ionospheric irregularitiesData assimilation techniques, comparison of model results to data, climate variability studies, and applications to space weatherProviding a clear description of the physics of this system in several tutorial-like articles, Modeling the Ionosphere-Thermosphere System is of value to the upper atmosphere science community in general. Chapters describing details of the numerical methods used to solve the equations that describe the IT system make the volume useful to both active researchers in the field and students.

Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 123.In recent years, two separate geophysical research cultures have developed in the United States to study the atmosphere: one of space scientists, who focus on the mesosphere, thermosphere and ionosphere, and the other of atmospheric scientists, who focus on the troposphere and stratosphere. The boundary between these two research domains roughly coincides with the stratopause (50 km). While the division ofthe atmosphere into layers and boundaries serves as a useful way to characterize the various chemical and dynamical processes that distinguish these layers, these boundaries are not impermeable. To understand such critical issues as global change, geophysicists must study the atmosphere as an integrated system. The purpose of this monograph is to highlight those studies that consider the coupling of these two regions and thus bring together two scientific specialties (atmospheric science and space science) that are often considered separately.

Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 125.This volume provides a comprehensive overview of our current observational knowledge, theoretical understanding, and numerical capability with regard to the phenomena known as space weather. Space weather refers to conditions on the Sun and in the solar wind, magnetosphere, ionosphere, and thermosphere that can influence the performance and reliability of space-borne and ground-based technological systems, and can endanger human life or health. The rapid advance in these technologies has provided us with unprecedented capability and convenience, and we have come to rely on them more and more. Technology has reduced society's risk to many kinds of natural disasters, but through its own vulnerability, it has actually increased society's risk to space weather. Adverse conditions in the space environment can cause disruption of satellite operations, communications, navigation, and electric power distribution grids, leading to a variety of socioeconomic losses.

Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 126.Until a few decades ago, scientists generally believed that significant large-scale past global and regional climate changes occurred at a gradual pace within a time scale of many centuries or millennia. A secondary assumption followed: climate change was scarcely perceptible during a human lifetime. Recent paleoclimatic studies, however, have proven otherwise: that global climate can change extremely rapidly. In fact, there is good evidence that in the past at least regional mean annual temperatures changed by several degrees Celsius on a time scale of several centuries to several decades.

Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 133. We imagine the reader of this preface standing at the AGU bookstall wondering if the tome in hand is worth buying. The answer is “no”, except for certain trifling exceptions. Those who wish to learn about the exciting pioneering years of LLBL research should buy the book for Tim Eastman's excellent historical review, our opening chapter. When did the term “LLBL” first enter the field? Eastman will tell you, and much else besides.

Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 136.A singular event in Earth's history occurred roughly 200 million years ago, as rifting of the largest and most recent supercontinent was joined by basaltic volcanism that formed the most extensive large igneous province (LIP) known. A profound and widespread mass extinction of terrestrial and marine genera occurred at about the same time, suggesting a causal link between the biological transitions of the Triassic-Jurassic boundary and massive volcanism. A series of stratigraphic, geochronologic, petrologic, tectonic, and geophysical studies have led to the identification of the dispersed remnants of this Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP) on the rifted margins of four continents. Current discoveries are generally interpreted to indicate that CAMP magmatism occurred in a relative and absolute interval of geologic time that was brief, and point to mechanisms of origin and global environmental effects. Because many of these discoveries have occurred within the past several years, in this monograph we summarize new observations and provide an up-to-date review of the province.

Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 138. Subduction zones helped nucleate and grow the continents, they fertilize and lubricate the earth's interior, they are the site of most subaerial volcanism and many major earthquakes, and they yield a large fraction of the earth's precious metals. They are obvious targets for study—almost anything you learn is likely to impact important problems—yet arriving at a general understanding is notoriously difficult: Each subduction zone is distinct, differing in some important aspect from other subduction zones; fundamental aspects of their mechanics and igneous processes differ from those in other, relatively well-understood parts of the earth; and there are few direct samples of some of their most important metamorphic and metasomatic processes. As a result, even first-order features of subduction zones have generated conflict and apparent paradox. A central question about convergent margins, for instance—how vigorous magmatism can occur where plates sink and the mantle cools—has a host of mutually inconsistent answers: Early suggestions that magmatism resulted from melting subducted crust have been emphatically disproved and recently just as emphatically revived; the idea that melting is fluxed by fluid released from subducted crust is widely held but cannot explain the temperatures and volatile contents of many arc magmas; generations of kinematic and dynamic models have told us the mantle sinks at convergent margins, yet strong evidence suggests that melting there is often driven by upwelling. In contrast, our understanding ofwhy volcanoes appear at ocean ridges and "hotspots"—although still presenting their own chestnuts—are fundamentally solved problems.

All magnetized planets in our solar system (Mercury, Earth, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune) interact strongly with the solar wind and possess well developed magnetotails. It is not only the strongly magnetized planets that have magnetotails. Mars and Venus have no global intrinsic magnetic field, yet they possess induced magnetotails. Comets have magnetotails that are formed by the draping of the interplanetary magnetic field. In the case of planetary  satellites (moons), the magnetotail refers to the wake region behind the satellite in the flow of either the solar wind or the magnetosphere of its parent planet. The largest magnetotail of all in our solar  system  is  the  heliotail,  the  “magnetotail” of  the heliosphere. The variety of solar wind conditions, planetary rotation rates, ionospheric conductivity, and physical dimensions provide an outstanding opportunity to extend our understanding of the influence of these factors on magnetotail processes and structures.Volume highlights include: Discussion on why a magnetotail is a fundamental problem of magnetospheric physicsUnique collection of tutorials on a large range of magnetotails in our solar systemIn-depth reviews comparing magnetotail processes at Earth with other magnetotail structures found throughout the heliosphereCollectively, Magnetotails in the Solar System brings together for the first time in one book a collection of tutorials and current developments addressing different types of magnetotails. As a result, this book should appeal to a broad community of space scientists, and it should also be of interest to astronomers who are looking at tail-like structures beyond our solar system.