Airless Bodies of the Inner Solar System: Understanding the Process Affecting Rocky, Airless Surfaces

Airless Bodies of the Inner Solar System: Understanding the Processes Affecting Rocky, Airless Surfaces focuses on the airless, rocky bodies in the inner solar system as a host unto themselves, with a unique set of processes, and requiring a specific set of investigative techniques. The book allows readers to understand both the basic and advanced concepts necessary to quickly become informed, and to employ that information as working scientists. Topics include past exploration of these surfaces, change with time, space weathering, impact cratering, creation and evolution of regolith and soils, comparison of sample and remote sensing data, dust characterization, surface composition, and thoughts for future exploration.

Together these authors represent the unique combination of skills and experience required to produce an excellent book on the subject of the surfaces of airless, rocky bodies in the solar system, which will be useful both for graduate students and for working scientists.

Written by experts with a unique combination of skills and experience on the subject of the surfaces of airless, rocky bodies in the solar systemAddresses the unique nature of airless bodies not done in any other referenceOrganized into subjects that can be easily translated into classroom lecture points, and represents topics that scientists will want to pinpoint and browse

1. Introduction
2. Common Characteristics of Airless Bodies
3. Rethinking the Moon, Mercury, and Asteroids (including Mars Moons, Phobos and Deimos)
4. Data and Techniques
5. Comparing Sample and Remote Sensing Data – Understanding Surface Composition
6. What is Space Weathering?
7. Impact Events Micro and Macro - The Creation of Regolith and Soils
8. The Nature and Movement of Dust
9. Unusual Issues
10. Future Exploration
11. Conclusion