Encyclopedia of Earth and Space Science

Abstract

Encyclopedia of Earth and Space Science emphasizes physical processes involved in the formation and evolution of the Earth and universe, describes many examples of different types of geological and astrophysical phenomena, provides historical perspectives, and gives insight into the process of scientific inquiry by incorporating biographical profiles of people who have contributed significantly to the development of the sciences. The complex processes related to the expansion of the universe from the big bang are presented along with an evaluation of the physical principles and fundamental laws that describe these processes. The resulting structure of the universe, galaxies solar system, planets, and places on the Earth are all discussed, covering many different scales of observation from the entire universe to the smallest subatomic particles. The geological characteristics and history of all of the continents and details of a few selected important areas are presented, along with maps, photographs, and anecdotal accounts of how the natural geologic history has influenced people. other entries summarize the major branches and subdisciplines of Earth and space science or describe selected applications of the information and technology gleaned from Earth and space science research