|
Could you eat a comet? Planetary geologist Harry McSween asks
and answers such questions in his folksy, anecdotal introduction to planetary
geology. McSween has a knack for imparting hard scientific fact with a light,
entertaining touch, as he takes the amateur astronomer or student on a tour of
the solar system, exploring the geological forces at work on the planets, moons,
asteroids, comets, and the sun. The fundamental concepts
of planetary geology -- stratigraphy, volcanism, cratering, and crust formation
-- are illuminated through case studies of specific bodies where these traits
are observed. Professor McSween takes the reader from the heavily impacted lunar
surface past the newly understood Comet Halley, to the "fire and ice"
volcanoes of Io and Triton, and beyond, with a fascinating exploration of the
possible links between the emergence of life on earth and the fierce bombardment
of our planet by countless meteorites. Harry Y. McSween,
Jr., Ph. D., is professor and head of the Department of Geological Sciences at
the University of Tennessee, and is actively involved in NASA-sponsored research.
His previous books are Meteorites and Their Parent Planets, and Geochemistry:
Pathways and Processes. He lives with his family in Knoxville, Tennessee.
|
