Exploring Space, Exploring Earth: New Understanding of the Earth from Space Research - Softcover

Lowman Jr, Paul D.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0521890624 ISBN 13: 9780521890625

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 2002

Synopsis

This book describes the impact of space flight on geology and geophysics, beginning with a foreword by Neil Armstrong, which illustrates how the exploration of space has lead us to a far deeper understanding of our own planet. Direct results from Earth-orbital missions include studies of Earth's gravity and magnetic fields. In contrast, the recognition of the economic and biological significance of impact craters on Earth is an indirect consequence of the study of the geology of other planets. The final chapter presents a new theory for the tectonic evolution of the Earth based on comparative planetology and the Gaia concept.

About this title

Book Description

Paul Lowman, a NASA scientist for over 40 years, describes how space exploration has provided new insights into the geology and geophysics of the Earth. A foreword by Neil Armstrong emphasizes that the exploration of space has lead us to a far deeper understanding of our own planet. Well illustrated with an extensive bibliography and technical glossary, this book is a valuable summary of research for geologists and geophysicists. It will serve as a supplementary text for students of tectonics, remote sensing and planetary science.

About the Author

Paul Lowman has been involved in a wide range of space research programs at the Goddard Space Flight Center. In 1963-4 he took part in planning for the Apollo missions. He was Principal Investigator for Synoptic Terrain Photography on the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo earth orbital missions, an experiment that laid the foundation for Landsat. Between 1965 and 1970 he taught lunar geology at the University of California, Catholic University of America, Washington DC, and the Air Force Institute of Technology. Dr Lowman was also involved with the Mariner 9 Mars mission, the Apollo X-ray fluorescence experiment and Apollo 11 and 12 sample analysis among others. His main research interest was and still is the origin of continental crust, as approached through comparative planetology. In 1974, Dr Lowman received the Lindsay Award from the Goddard Space Flight Center. He was elected a Fellow of the Geological Society of America in 1975, and of the Geological Society of Canada in 1988. Drawing on his dual career in terrestrial and lunar geology, he authored Space Panorama (1968), Lunar Panorama (1970), and The Third Planet (1972). He also contributed to Mission to Earth (1976), the first NASA compilation of Landsat pictures edited by N. M. Short.

Edition details

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0521890624
• ISBN 13: 9780521890625
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 408