Scientists have collected a wealth of physical and chemical data for the Sun, planets, and small bodies in our solar system, but until now this information has been scattered throughout the technical literature. The Planetary Scientist's Companion solves this problem, providing for the first time a single, extensive reference for the interdisciplinary fields of planetary science and cosmochemistry. he book begins with a summary of frequently used physical nd chemical constants, unit conversion factors, properties f some compounds and minerals, thermodynamic data, artition coefficients, and useful formulas. This is ollowed by an overview of the solar system, including omparative data for the planets and their satellites and bundances of the elements. Much of the book is devoted to a eries of chapters describing in turn the Sun, each of the lanets, and the groups of small bodies (asteroids, comets, eteorites, and Kuiper Belt and Centaur objects). Each hapter includes an introduction, followed by tables of hysical and chemical properties compiled from many sources, ncluding data on planetary atmospheres, surfaces, and nteriors. The book concludes with data on nearby stars, the nterstellar medium, and recently discovered brown dwarfs nd possible extrasolar planets, followed by a glossary. A nique and practical resource for anyone interested in ontemporary planetary science and cosmochemistry, this volume is likely to be an essential tool in future research.
