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3045 results in Planetary systems and astrobiology

Page 36 of 153

Astrobiology, Discovery, and Societal Impact
  • Steven J. Dick
  • Published online:
    26 April 2018
    Print publication:
    03 May 2018
  • The search for life in the universe, once the stuff of science fiction, is now a robust worldwide research program with a well-defined roadmap probing both scientific and societal issues. This volume examines the humanistic aspects of astrobiology, systematically discussing the approaches, critical issues, and implications of discovering life beyond Earth. What do the concepts of life and intelligence, culture and civilization, technology and communication mean in a cosmic context? What are the theological and philosophical implications if we find life - and if we do not? Steven J. Dick argues that given recent scientific findings, the discovery of life in some form beyond Earth is likely and so we need to study the possible impacts of such a discovery and formulate policies to deal with them. The remarkable and often surprising results are presented here in a form accessible to disciplines across the sciences, social sciences, and humanities.

The International Atlas of Mars Exploration
  • The First Five Decades
  • Volume 1, 1953 to 2003
  • Philip J. Stooke
  • Published online:
    23 March 2018
    Print publication:
    24 September 2012
  • Covering the first five decades of the exploration of Mars, this atlas is the most detailed visual reference available. It brings together, for the first time, a wealth of information from diverse sources, featuring annotated maps, photographs, tables and detailed descriptions of every Mars mission in chronological order, from the dawn of the space age to Mars Express. Special attention is given to landing site selection, including reference to some missions that were planned but never flew. Phobos and Deimos, the tiny moons of Mars, are covered in a separate section. Contemporary maps reveal our improving knowledge of the planet's surface through the latter half of the twentieth century. Written in non-technical language, this atlas is a unique resource for anyone interested in planetary sciences, the history of space exploration and cartography, while the detailed bibliography and chart data are especially useful for academic researchers and students.

  • 1 - Space Age Studies of Planetary Rings

  • from I - Introductory Material
  • Edited by Matthew S. Tiscareno, Carl D. Murray, Queen Mary University of London
  • Book:
    Planetary Ring Systems
    Published online:
    26 February 2018
    Print publication:
    22 March 2018, pp 3-29

  • Summary

    INTRODUCTION: THE ALLURE OF THE RINGED PLANETS

    One of the most enduring symbols of space exploration is a planet surrounded by a ring. This symbol inspires a celestial context: nothing on Earth is like it. It has been a wonderful surprise that the ringed planets are just as beautiful and scientifically compelling seen close up. Furthermore, the ringed planets are not just objects of beauty, but complicated physical systems that provide a local laboratory and analogy for other cosmic systems like galaxies and planet-forming disks. For a general review, see Esposito (2014). For more details, see the individual chapters that follow in this book.

    We now know that planetary rings, once thought unique to the planet Saturn, exist around all the giant planets. These rings are not solid objects, but are composed of countless particles with sizes from specks of dust to small moons. For each planet, the rings are quite different. Jupiter's ring is thin and composed of dust-like small particles. Saturn's rings are broad, bright, and opaque. Uranus has narrow, dark rings among broad lanes of dust that are invisible from Earth. Neptune's rings include incomplete arcs restricted to a small range of their circumference. All rings lie predominantly within their planet's Roche limit, where tidal forces would destroy a self-gravitating fluid body. They are also within the planet's magnetosphere and, in the case of Uranus, they are within the upper reaches of the planetary atmosphere.

    The common occurrence of ring material around the outer planets is one of the major scientific findings of the past 40 years. The new ring systems were discovered by both spacecraft and ground-based observers, often surprising us by contradicting our expectations. The rings’ appearance and composition differ among the various planets, and likewise within each ring system. The broadest set of rings and the most identified processes are found around the planet Saturn, which has been scrutinized by the US/European Cassini space mission since 2004.

Page 36 of 153