Solar System Astrophysics

The second edition of Solar System Astrophysics: Background Science and the Inner Solar System provides new insights into the burgeoning field of planetary astronomy. As in the first edition, this volume begins with a rigorous treatment of coordinate frames, basic positional astronomy, and the celestial mechanics of two and restricted three body system problems. Perturbations are treated in the same way, with clear step-by-step derivations. Then the Earth's gravitational potential field and the Earth-Moon system are discussed, and the exposition turns to radiation properties with a chapter on the Sun. The exposition of the physical properties of the Moon and the terrestrial planets are greatly expanded, with much new information highlighted on the Moon, Mercury, Venus, and Mars. All of the material is presented within a framework of historical importance. This book and its sister volume, Solar System Astrophysics: Background Science and the Inner Solar system, are pedagogically well written, providing clearly illustrated explanations, for example, of such topics as the numerical integration of the Adams-Williamson equation, the equations of state in planetary interiors and atmospheres, Maxwell’s equations as applied to planetary ionospheres and magnetospheres, and the physics and chemistry of the Habitable Zone in planetary systems. Together, the volumes form a comprehensive text for any university course that aims to deal with all aspects of solar and extra-solar planetary systems. They will appeal separately to the intellectually curious who would like to know how just how far our knowledge of the solar system has progressed in recent years.

It presents equations and derivations starting from a level that permits one to see the underlying physical ideas. There is no other book that does this on the market. The book presents an up-to-date overview on all essential topics but is concise where possible to keep it a practical resource for courses. The book is based on extensive experience in the class room. Its contents have been field-tested for years by students.

The book covers the field of solar system astrophysics beginning with basic tools of spherical astronomy and coordinate frames and celestial mechanics. It therefore presents equations and derivations starting from a level that permits one to see the underlying physical ideas. An up-to-date overview on all essential topics is presented, but is concise where possible. The text is based on extensive experience in the classroom and its contents have been field-tested by students for years. The material has been updated in the last few months to take advantage of the newer discoveries of the Mars Rover and the Saturn Cassini missions.

This book is aimed at several distinct audiences: first, the upper division science major who wants an up-to-date appreciation of the present state of the planetary sciences for 'cultural' purposes; second, the first-year graduate student from any of several undergraduate disciplines who intends to take graduate courses in specialized areas of planetary sciences; and third, the practicing Ph. D. scientist with training in physics, chemistry, geology, astronomy, meteorology, biology, etc., who has a highly specialized knowledge of some portion of this material, but has not had the opportunity to study the broad context within which that specialty might be applied to current problems in this field.

This exhaustive work covers solar system astrophysics beginning with basic tools of spherical astronomy, and celestial mechanics. Coverage includes the Earth-Moon system and the interior planets; rocks and minerals, including crystallography; atmospheres, with detailed discussions of circulation, applicable also to discussion of the gas giants. The three giant planets are discussed together. This is followed by chapters on moons and rings, comets and meteors, meteorites and asteroids, and a discussion of extrasolar planets. The material is updated to incorporate the latest discoveries of the Mars Rover and the Saturn Cassini missions.

This book attempts to broadly deal with the mechanics and dynamics of the Solar System with additional emphasis on celestial mechanics. Imoprtant planetary laws and theories like the Geocentric Thoery, Kepler's Laws, Newton's law of gravitation&..

From the reviews: ".....The book is a very good balance between theory and applications, of analysis and synthesis, keeping always the focus on the comprehension of the physics ruling our planetary system. In summary, this represents both an excellent textbook for students and a fundamental reference, and encyclopedic summary current knowledge, for researchers in the Solar System field." (Alessandro Rossi, Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy, 2005)