Mineralogy

This book investigates the mineralogy and shock effects of Yanzhuang chondrite, using modern micro-mineralogical experimental techniques, including SEM, TEM, EPMA, Raman microprobe spectroscopy, instrumental neutron activation analysis, X-ray micro-diffraction analysis, micro-PIXE analysis and laser ablation ICP-MS.

Derived from the content of the respected McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, Sixth Edition, each title provides thousands of definitions of words and phrases encountered in a specific discipline. All include:
* Pronunciation guide for every term
* Acronyms, cross-references, and abbreviations
* Appendices with conversion tables; listings of scientific, technical, and mathematical notation; tables of relevant data; and more
* A convenient, quick-find format

Zircon (ZrSiO4) is a common accessory mineral in nature, occurring in a wide variety of sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks. Known to incorporate an assortment of minor and trace elements, zircon has the ability to retain substantial chemical and isotopic information, leading to its use in a wide range of geochemical investigations, including studies on the evolution of Earth’s crust and mantle as well as age dating. The physical and chemical durability of zircon is a major factor in it being the mineral by which many of Earth’s oldest known rocks have been dated and is also an important factor in zircon being proposed as a candidate waste form for the geologic disposal of excess plutonium from dismantled nuclear weapons.

This comprehensive sourcebook describes the chemical, physical, and mineralogical aspects of fibrous inorganic materials, both synthetic and naturally occurring. A general description of the fibrous state, the range of compounds that can adopt this form, and an overview of the characteristics unique to such materials form the backbone of the book.

Phenomenal new observations from Earth-based telescopes and Mars-based orbiters, landers, and rovers have dramatically advanced our understanding of the past environments on Mars.