Planetary habitability / Stephen R. Kane.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Kan, Stephen R., author.

Contributor:

Institute of Physics (Great Britain), publisher.

Series:

AAS-IOP astronomy. 2021 collection.

AAS-IOP astronomy. [2021 collection], 2514-3433

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Habitable planets.

Exobiology.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (various pagings) : illustrations (some color).

Place of Publication:

Bristol [England] (Temple Circus, Temple Way, Bristol BS1 6HG, UK) : IOP Publishing, [2021]

System Details:

Mode of access: World Wide Web.

System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader, EPUB reader, or Kindle reader.

Biography/History:

Stephen R. Kane is a Professor of Planetary Astrophysics at the University of California, Riverside who specializes in exoplanetary science and planetary habitability. He grew up in outback Australia where his view of the night sky and fascination with solar system exploration motivated his eventual career path. He received his Bachelor of Science (Honours) from Macquarie University in Sydney and his Doctorate from the University of Tasmania.

Summary:

Understanding planetary habitability is one of the major challenges of the current scientific era, and is a vast inter-disciplinary undertaking that combines planetary science, climate science, and stellar astrophysics. This book provides an overview of the many processes that influence the energy balance of planetary surface environments and control the sustainability of temperate conditions.

Contents:

1. Introduction

1.1. Why does habitability matter?

1.2. Defining habitability

1.3. The terrestrial planet demographic

2. Habitability factors

2.1. An intricate puzzle

2.2. Stellar astrophysics

2.3. Planetary properties

2.4. The planetary system

2.5. A statistical approach

3. Nature's fusion reactors

3.1. Key stellar parameters

3.2. Stellar activity and atmospheric erosion

3.3. Stellar evolution

3.4. Binary systems

4. Planetary fundamentals

4.1. Constructing an energy balance

4.2. Atmospheres

4.3. Interiors

4.4. Planetary evolution

4.5. A note on water worlds

5. Orbit, spin, and system effects

5.1. Keplerian orbits

5.2. Rotation and obliquity

5.3. Planet-planet interactions

5.4. Moons and exomoons

6. The habitable zone

6.1. Controversial terminology

6.2. Defining the search space

6.3. Evolution through time

6.4. Prime targets

7. The solar system

7.1. In situ data

7.2. The impact museums

7.3. A tale of two siblings

7.4. Exploring the lower limits

7.5. Jupiter : friend or foe?

7.6. Icy moons

8. The exoplanet opportunity

8.1. The statistical hammer

8.2. Data limitations

8.3. Notable exoplanet examples

9. The next steps

9.1. A strategic imperative

9.2. Local lessons

9.3. Unlocking achievements.

Notes:

"Version: 202112"--Title page verso.

Includes bibliographical references.

Title from PDF title page (viewed on January 18, 2022).

ISBN:

9780750321198

0750321199

9780750321204

0750321202

OCLC:

1291619676