Atmospheric Evolution on Inhabited and Lifeless Worlds

A comprehensive and authoritative text on the formation and evolution of planetary atmospheres, for graduate-level students and researchers.

David C. Catling (Author), James F. Kasting (Author)

9780521844123, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 13 April 2017

592 pages, 263 b/w illus. 13 colour illus. 43 tables
25.2 x 19.4 x 3.1 cm, 1.46 kg

'This volume concentrates on the structure, constituents and evolution of planetary atmospheres, which are clearly crucial to the potential for life on those worlds … this book provides a detailed and comprehensive coverage of this fast-developing subject.' Room: The Space Journal

As the search for Earth-like exoplanets gathers pace, in order to understand them, we need comprehensive theories for how planetary atmospheres form and evolve. Written by two well-known planetary scientists, this text explains the physical and chemical principles of atmospheric evolution and planetary atmospheres, in the context of how atmospheric composition and climate determine a planet's habitability. The authors survey our current understanding of the atmospheric evolution and climate on Earth, on other rocky planets within our Solar System, and on planets far beyond. Incorporating a rigorous mathematical treatment, they cover the concepts and equations governing a range of topics, including atmospheric chemistry, thermodynamics, radiative transfer, and atmospheric dynamics, and provide an integrated view of planetary atmospheres and their evolution. This interdisciplinary text is an invaluable one-stop resource for graduate-level students and researchers working across the fields of atmospheric science, geochemistry, planetary science, astrobiology, and astronomy.

Preface
Part I. Principles of Planetary Atmospheres: 1. The structure of planetary atmospheres
2. Energy and radiation in planetary atmospheres
3. Essentials of chemistry of planetary atmospheres
4. Motions in planetary atmospheres
5. Escape of atmospheres to space
Part II. Evolution of the Earth's Atmosphere: 6. Formation of Earth's atmosphere and oceans
7. Volcanic outgassing and mantle redox evolution
8. Atmospheric and global redox balance
9. The prebiotic and early postbiotic atmosphere
10. The rise of oxygen and ozone in Earth's atmosphere
11. Long-term climate evolution
Part III. Atmospheres and Climates on Other Worlds: 12. Mars
13. Evolution of Venus' atmosphere
14. Giant planets and their satellites
15. Exoplanets: habitability and characterization
Bibliography
Appendix A. One-dimensional climate model
Appendix B. Photochemical models
Appendix C. Atomic states and term symbols
Index.

Subject Areas: Solar system: the Sun & planets [PGS], Astronomy, space & time [PG], Mathematics & science [P]