Regolith Science


Book Description

This comprehensive reference on the fundamentals of regolith geoscience describes how regolith is developed from parental rocks and emphasises the importance of chemical, physical, water and biological processes in regolith formation. It provides details for mapping regolith landforms, as well as objective information on applications in mineral exploration and natural resource management. Regolith Science also provides a concise history of weathering through time in Australia. It includes previously unpublished information on elemental abundances in regolith materials along with detailed information on soil degradation processes such as acid sulfate soils. Written by experts in the field, Regolith Science summarises research carried out over a 13-year period within the Cooperative Research Centre for Landscape Environments and Mineral Exploration. This book will be a valuable resource for scientists and graduate/postgraduate students in geology, geography and soil science, professionals in the exploration industry and natural resources management. This paperback edition is a reprint of the original hardback published in October 2008.




Regolith Science


Book Description

This comprehensive reference on the fundamentals of regolith geoscience describes how regolith is developed from parental rocks and emphasises the importance of chemical, physical, water and biological processes in regolith formation. It provides details for mapping regolith landforms, as well as objective information on applications in mineral exploration and natural resource management. Regolith Science also provides a concise history of weathering through time in Australia. It includes previously unpublished information on elemental abundances in regolith materials along with detailed information on soil degradation processes such as acid sulfate soils. Written by experts in the field, Regolith Science summarises research carried out over a 13-year period within the Cooperative Research Centre for Landscape Environments and Mineral Exploration. This book will be a valuable resource for scientists and graduate/postgraduate students in geology, geography and soil science, professionals in the exploration industry and natural resources management. This paperback edition is a reprint of the original hardback published in October 2008.




Guidelines for Analysis and Description of Soil and Regolith Thin Sections


Book Description

A revised guide to the study and of soil and regolith thin sections A specialized system of terms and concepts must be used to accurately and effectively distinguish and name the microscopic features of soils and regoliths. With a comprehensive, consistent terminology at their disposal, researchers may compare, store and discuss new data easily and with less risk of error. The second edition of Guidelines for Analysis and Description of Soil and Regolith Thin Sections has been assembled to address this need, offering a practical system of analysis and description to those working with soil and regolith materials. This essential resource includes: An introduction to micromorphology and its practice Guidelines for the study of thin sections Sections covering the various microscopic features of soils and regoliths Illustrative graphics and colour micrographs Suggested description schemes and data presentation tips By providing an economical, navigable system for the study and documentation of soils and regoliths, Guidelines for Analysis and Description of Soil and Regolith Thin Sections, second edition, offers invaluable guidance for soil scientists, geologists, ecologists, archaeologists and all those concerned with micromorphology.




Lunar Sourcebook


Book Description

The only work to date to collect data gathered during the American and Soviet missions in an accessible and complete reference of current scientific and technical information about the Moon.




Regolith Geology and Geomorphology


Book Description

Providing fundamental discussion of regolith properties andchemistry, this book considers many landscape situations andfeatures, whilst linking process to position, geochemistry andtime. Presenting information from an Australian perspective itprovides new insights into the subject, which are developed awayfrom the yoke of traditional Northern Hemisphere ideas andconcepts. * Presents a new approach to the problems of understanding regolithgeology and landscapes * Presents the general aspects and principles of regolith * Chapters present views on landscapes and their evolution, thenature of minerals, the behaviour of water at a landscape level andthe exploration of water behaviour at various scales in regolithmaterials * Investigates methods of conveying information about regolith viamaps and in GIS packages




The Scientific Context for Exploration of the Moon


Book Description

Because of the Moon's unique place in the evolution of rocky worlds, it is a prime focus of NASA's space exploration vision. Currently NASA is defining and implementing a series of robotic orbital and landed missions to the Moon as the initial phase of this vision. To realize the benefits of this activity, NASA needs a comprehensive, well-validated, and prioritized set of scientific research objectives. To help establish those objectives, NASA asked the NRC to provide guidance on the scientific challenges and opportunities enabled by sustained robotic and human exploration of the Moon during the period 2008-2023 and beyond. This final report presents a review of the current understanding of the early earth and moon; the identification of key science concepts and goals for moon exploration; an assessment of implementation options; and a set of prioritized lunar science concepts, goals, and recommendations. An interim report was released in September 2006.




Electrostatic Dust Mitigation and Manipulation Techniques for Planetary Dust


Book Description

Electrostatic Dust Mitigation and Manipulation Techniques for Planetary Dust explains how to control and remove dust in space due to the presence of a vacuum, abrasiveness of dust particles and electrostatic charge on particles. The book introduces innovative technologies that use electrostatic and di-electrophoretic forces to remove and transport small particles away from surfaces. In addition, it discusses how to resolve thermal control problems and reduce lung inhalation and eye irritation problems. The book includes two abrasive wear test devices that were designed to study the rate of volume wear for di?erent materials when subjected to lunar dust simulant of di?erent size ranges. This will be an ideal resource for space system engineers, space exploration researchers, and advanced students and professionals in space engineering. Provides a comprehensive background on lunar and Martian dust properties and challenges and compares currently available mitigation strategies Highlights the problems from dust on various space systems and crew Features discrete element models which were created and calibrated based on experimental results to study the capacity of the proposed technique for removing and cleaning dust in a planetary environment




Geology at ANU (1959 - 2009)


Book Description

This history was undertaken to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Geology Department at ANU, and to honour its founding professor David A. Brown. It includes contributions from some 100 former students outlining their career successes. This history was compiled by Dr Mike Rickard, a staff member of the Department of Geology from 1963 to 1997, who also served as Head of Department for seven years. He graduated BSc and PhD from Imperial College London in 1957 and has specialised in mapping the structure of mountain chains in Ireland, Canada, Norway, and southern South America. He also mapped volcanic rocks for the Geological Survey of Fiji. He taught Structural Geology and Tectonics and has supervised field work in south eastern and central Australia. After retirement he has taught U3A courses in Earth Science.




Vesta and Ceres


Book Description

The NASA Dawn mission, launched in 2007, aimed to visit two of the most massive protoplanets of the main asteroid belt: Vesta and Ceres. The aim was to further our understanding of the earliest days of the Solar System, and compare the two bodies to better understand their formation and evolution. This book summarises state-of-the-art results from the mission, and discusses the implications for our understanding not only of the asteroid belt but the entire Solar System. It comprises of three parts: Part 1 provides an overview of the main belt asteroids and provides an introduction to the Dawn mission; Part 2 presents key findings from the mission; and Part 3 discusses how these findings provide insights into the formation and evolution of the Solar System. This is a definitive reference for academic researchers and professionals of planetary science, asteroid science and space exploration.




New Caledonia


Book Description

This memoir summarizes the current knowledge of New Caledonia’s geology, geodynamic evolution, and mineral resources, based on published and unpublished information. It comprises 10 research papers, each addressing a particular geological assemblage or topic. After an introductory chapter, and a review of the published geodynamic models of evolution of the SW Pacific, chapters 3 to 5 focus on the main geological assemblages of Grande Terre: the Pre-Late Cretaceous basement terranes, the Late Cretaceous to Eocene cover, and the Eocene subduction-obduction complex, one of the largest and best-preserved in the world. Chapter 6 is devoted to the Loyalty Islands and Ridge. Chapter 7 deals with the mostly terrestrial post-obduction units including regolith. Chapter 8 deals with palaeobiogeography and discuss plausible scenarios of biotic evolution. Chapters 9 and 10 provide an comprehensive review of New Caledonia’s mineral resources. The volume will interest stratigraphers, sedimentologists, marine geologists, palaeontologists, palaeogeographers, igneous and metamorphic petrologists, geochemists, geochronologists, and specialists in tectonics, geodynamic evolution, regolith, ophiolites, and economic geology.