Searching for habitable worlds : an introduction / Abel M�endez, Wilson Gonz�alez-Espada.
Material type:
TextSeries: IOP (Series). Release 2. | IOP concise physicsPublisher: San Rafael [California] (40 Oak Drive, San Rafael, CA, 94903, USA) : Morgan & Claypool Publishers, [2016]Distributor: Bristol [England] (Temple Circus, Temple Way, Bristol BS1 6HG, UK) : IOP Publishing, [2016]Description: 1 online resource (various pagings) : illustrations (some color)Content type: - text
- electronic
- online resource
- 9781681744018
- 9781681744032
- 576.8/39 23
- QB54 .M467 2016eb
| Item type | Current library | Call number | Status | Date due | Barcode | Item holds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Institue of Physics
|
BITS Pilani Hyderabad | 576.8/39 (Browse shelf(Opens below)) | Available | IOP00041 |
"Version: 20160401"--Title page verso.
"A Morgan & Claypool publication as part of IOP Concise Physics"--Title page verso.
Includes bibliographical references.
Preface -- 1. Exploring Earth and beyond -- 1.1. Curiosity -- 1.2. Observations from afar -- 1.3. Personal visits -- 1.4. Robotic visits
2. The ABC of exoplanets -- 2.1. What is a planet? -- 2.2. What is an exoplanet? -- 2.3. Detecting exoplanets
3. When is a planet habitable? -- 3.1. What is life? -- 3.2. The concept of habitability -- 3.3. Measuring habitability
4. Cataloguing habitable exoplanets -- 4.1. The first habitable worlds? -- 4.2. The habitable exoplanets catalog -- 4.3. The periodic table of exoplanets
5. Potentially habitable worlds -- 5.1. The planets we know by mass -- 5.2. The planets we know by size
6. And the search goes on ... -- 6.1. The observatories -- 6.2. NASA's Kepler -- 6.3. NASA's TESS -- 6.4. ESA's Plato -- 6.5. NASA JWST.
What does it take to consider a planet potentially habitable? If a planet is suitable for life, could life be present? Is life on other planets inevitable? The Search for Habitable Worlds answers these questions and provides both the general public and astronomy enthusiasts with a richly-illustrated discussion of the most current knowledge regarding the search for extrasolar planets. Nearly everyone wants to know if we are alone in the universe. This book might not have the answers, but shows where we should look. The Search for Habitable Worlds is a fun and accessible book for everyone from middle schoolers to amateur astronomers of all ages. The use of non-technical language and abundant illustrations make this a quick-read to inform everyone about the latest movement in the search for other planets we might be able to inhabit. After a brief discussion on why humans are hard-wired to be curious and to explore the unknown, the book describes what extrasolar planets are, how to detect them, and how to pin down potential targets. In addition, a data-driven list of the best candidates for habitability is profiled and the next generation of exoplanet-hunting scientific instruments and probes are identified.
General interested trade science audience to advanced.
Also available in print.
Mode of access: World Wide Web.
System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Prof. Abel M�endez is an Associate Professor of Physics and Director of the Planetary Habitability Laboratory, Department of Physics and Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico at Arecibo, Puerto Rico. He does research about planetary habitability, exoplanets, and astrobiology in general. Dr. Wilson Gonz�alez-Espada is an Associate Professor of Physics and Science Education, department of Mathematics and Physics, Morehead State University, Morehead, Kentucky. His scholarly interests include science communication, the public understanding of science, and physics education research.
Title from PDF title page (viewed on May 6, 2016).
There are no comments on this title.