Description
Book SynopsisOngoing advances in Solar System exploration continue to reveal its splendour and diversity in remarkable detail. This undergraduate-level textbook presents fascinating descriptions and colour images of the bodies in the Solar System, the processes that occur upon and within them, and their origins and evolution. It highlights important concepts and techniques in boxed summaries, while questions and exercises are embedded at appropriate points throughout the text, with full solutions provided. Written and edited by a team of practising planetary scientists, this third edition has been updated to reflect our current knowledge. It is ideal for introductory courses on the subject, and is suitable for self-study. The text is supported by online resources, hosted at www.cambridge.org/solarsystem3, which include selected figures from the book, self-assessment questions and sample tutor assignments, with outlines of suggested answers.
Table of ContentsIntroduction; 1. A tour of the Solar System; 2. The internal structure of the terrestrial planets; 3. Planetary volcanism; 4. Planetary surface processes; 5. Atmospheres of terrestrial planets; 6. The giant planets; 7. Minor bodies of the Solar System; 8. The origin of the Solar System; 9. Meteorites: a record of formation; Answers and comments; Appendices; Glossary; Further reading; Acknowledgements; Figure references; Index.
