Astrogeology
The Planetary Geology or Planetary Geology is the science of geological structure and the evolution of non-stellar solid celestial bodies ; these are
- the terrestrial planets of the solar system
- the moons of the planets
- other solid bodies such as asteroids (minor planets), cometary nuclei and meteorites
- extrasolar rock planets .
The term planetology, on the other hand, includes not only astro- or planetary geology, but also aspects of planet -related astronomy that are not tied to a solid crust, e.g. B. in the case of gas planets . The mutual delimitation of the terms planetary geology and planetology is not precisely defined.
Methods of astrogeology are:
- ground or space based measurements
- particularly imaging processes in astronomy in the areas of visible light , infrared and radar
- the dispatch of space probes , orbiters and landing devices to the objects of investigation (except to the exoplanets)
- the investigation of samples obtained on site or on earth (so far only from the earth's moon , solar wind and a comet)
- the study of meteorites
- Model calculations or modeling and theoretical considerations
- Conclusions by analogy based on the knowledge of geology , volcanology , glaciology , hydrology , geophysics and mineralogy on earth.
literature
- Claudio Vita-Finzi: Planetary geology - an introduction. Terra, Harpenden 2005, ISBN 1-903544-20-3
- Kathryn E. Fishbaugh: Geology and habitability of terrestrial planets. Springer, New York 2007, ISBN 978-0-387-74287-8
Web links
Wiktionary: Astrogeology - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations
