Journey from the Center of the Sun (Princeton Science Library)

Book Description

Jack Zirker takes us on an imaginary voyage from the center of the sun to its surface, showing us how sunlight is made and finally following the sun's energy to the far reaches of the solar system. Along the way, he introduces the basic processes at work in our nearest star and the exciting answers solar scientists are finding to problems that have long perplexed astronomers.

Journey from the Center of the Sun describes how theory and practice are coming together to provide a new understanding of this old star. At this moment, solar physicists are collecting the best observations ever obtained about the sun's interior and dynamic atmosphere, while a new breed of theorists is interpreting these data using computer simulations. Zirker reports on cutting-edge advances and looks at the tough questions solar physicists are beginning to crack. How can we account for the solar wind that causes the sun to lose mass at an astonishing rate? Where have all the neutrinos gone? How does the sun generate magnetic sunspots, and why does it have a sunspot cycle? What causes a solar flare to explode? How does the sun affect the earth's climate? What is a sunquake?

For the armchair astronomer or the student of astrophysics, this book provides an unusually complete picture of solar physics today.

Customer Reviews:

Some of the explanations of solar physics confusing.......2005-12-19

In contrast to the other reviewers, I found some of the explanations of the physics behind solar processes rather confusing. For example, I couldn't quite understand the points made in the notes to chapter 5 about standing waves, modes and nodes. Also, the captions to the figures often don't explain what the axes of the graphs are supposed to represent.

A Stellar Journey (pun intended).......2002-06-10

This book takes you through an incredible journey inside our nearest star. If you ever thought the sun was just a big nuclear furnace, here you will learn of the amazing complexities and mysteries of this star that gives us all life. Along the way you will meet many of the great scientist that contributed to the wealth of knowledge that we have amassed about the sun over the short time (relative to the sun's life) that we have inhabited this third planet from it.

Dr. Zirker begins with many of the questions we still have about the sun; such as - Why the thin corona outer atmosphere is much hotter that the surface (photosphere)? How is the solar wind accelerated to velocities of 800 km/s? What causes the huge coronal mass ejections and solar flares that have direct consequences on earth? Why does the sun follow solar cycles? Where are the missing neutrinos that should be produced from the proton-proton chain reaction taking place in the core?

The book gives the latest research on these and many other aspects of solar science such as the relatively new fields of helioseismology, chaos theory, fractal geometry, and others. Along the way you will learn why the light produced in the core by the thermonuclear process takes a million years to reach the surface (and then only another 8.3 minutes to reach the earth), why the intense activity in the convection zone (the zone that reaches some 200,000 km below the surface) is attributed to sound waves, and how the sunspots are related to the intense magnetic storms occurring on the sun.

One of the subtle things you will get from this book is how the scientific process works - how theories are proposed, experiments designed and preformed and theories revised (or abandoned) and how our scientific knowledge is perpetuated by "standing on the shoulders of giants" - all the works and sacrifices of those that have come before us.
An inspiring book if ever there was one!

Popular Science Writing at its Best.......2002-02-14

I loved this book. As a biochemistry professor I always particularly appreciate good popular science writing, the kind that can engage and excite my students. Clearly written and beautifully illustrated, Journey strikes a perfect balance between too simple and too heavy--with a few technical appendices for those who need more details. I highly recommend it as supplementary reading for college astronomy courses, or just fun reading for science buffs at all levels.

A Long, Well Documented and Interesting Journey It Is!.......2002-02-06

For science, always read the latest available information. For the sun, this book has it. Contains excellent summary descriptions of solar theories, both proven and proposed. The author is familiar with most solar research and the researchers involved. The writing is clear. The science is accurate. A "must read" for armchair astronomers wanting the latest about the sun.

For the armchair astronomer.......2002-01-06

"Journey from the Center of the Sun" hits the right level for me in describing the science of the sun; it uses words, pictures, and word-pictures (no math) to describe how the complex physics of nuclear reactions, plasmas, and enormous magnetic explosions all work to make the sun provide us with energy - and also blast the earth with solar wind storms. I am a reader of Scientific American and love to read layman books on science because there is no way that I could understand the technical, mathematical papers of the experts, and yet am fascinated by the rapidly unfolding developments in physics, astronomy, and cosmology. I would highly recommend this book for those readers who want a well-written explanation of the sun, the on-going work on solar cycles, sunspots, the "missing neutrino" problem, the "coronal heating" conundrum, and the new studies in helioseismology. I will also add that I enjoyed Jack Zirker's first book "Total Eclipses of the Sun" which inspired me to travel to an eclipse - an experience I would like to repeat.

From Space to Earth: The Story of Solar Electricity

Average customer rating:

Surveys the fascinating evolution of photovoltaics
Hooray for Photovoltaics!
From Space to Earth: The Story of Solar Electricity

From Space to Earth: The Story of Solar Electricity
John Perlin
Manufacturer: Harvard University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Astronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

History of Technology | Technology | Science | Subjects | Books

Renewable Energy | Technology | Science | Subjects | Books

Applied | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

Ecology | Environment | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Outdoors & Nature Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

A Forest Journey: The Story of Wood and Civilization
Solar Revolution: The Economic Transformation of the Global Energy Industry
Practical Photovoltaics: Electricity from Solar Cells
Natural Capitalism: Creating the Next Industrial Revolution
The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals

ASIN: 0674010132

Book Description

From Space to Earth tracks the evolution of the technology of photovoltaics, the use of solar cells to convert the sun's energy into electricity. John Perlin's painstaking research results in a fascinating account of the development of this technology, from its shaky nineteenth-century beginnings mired in scientific controversy to its high-visibility success in the space program, to its current position as a versatile and promising power source.

Customer Reviews:

Surveys the fascinating evolution of photovoltaics.......2001-07-04

From Space To Earth: The Story Of Solar Electricity surveys the fascinating evolution of photovoltaics from its problematic and controversial nineteenth century beginnings to its outstanding technological success in the space program, to the indispensable and versatile role as a power source for contemporary daily life. More than the story of a technology, From Space To Earth is also a chronicle of the individuals who, for the most part unrecognized in the history of science) persevered, took chances, bucked authority, innovated, invented, and crusaded to provide humanity with an infallible power source in the form of solar cells and the safe, clean, renewable energy they provide for everything from satellite communication systems to hot water heaters for the home. Informative and thoroughly "reader friendly", John Perlin's From Space To Earth is highly recommended reading and an important addition to any academic or public library history of science collection.

Hooray for Photovoltaics!.......2000-04-06

Finally, here is a book about an environmental topic that isn't depressing. In fact, it's so uplifting that you may find yourself pumping your arm and cheering. Perlin keeps it light on the solid-state physics and instead chronicles the social, economical, and political issues surrounding the application of photovoltaics. He explains advances in technology clearly and with no jargon. This book should be highly enjoyable even for those who flunked P-chem.

From Space to Earth: The Story of Solar Electricity.......2000-03-27

Have you ever asked yourself "Who discovered the photovoltaic effect?". Or maybe you are interested in knowing how the PV industry started and who were the early PV pioneers. Well, look no further, because all of this information and much more make up From Space To Earth: The Story of Solar Electricity by John Perlin.

Several years after writing his first book on solar energy, Mr. Perlin uses From Space to Earth to reflect on the challeges the PV industry and it's early pioneers faced in developing, implementing and introducing a new technology to the World. Personal interviews and historical information are utilized to relay the story of PV technology and the people who helped turn it into a thriving industry that helps to meet the electrical needs of people around the globe.

The future of the PV industy is also addressed and the author expresses his opinions on what the future should hold for photovoltaics. From his support for Building Intergrated Photovoltaics (BI-PV) and distributed generation, to the easy to understand reviews of advances in solar-electric cell and module production, the author provides up to date information on where the industry stands and where it is heading.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the application of solar-electricity or solar energy in general.

From Black Land to Fifth Sun (Helix Books)
Average customer rating:

From Black Land To Fifth Sun

Are we like those who lived 30,000 years ago?

Cultural conclusions from ancient physical evidence?

From Black Land to Fifth Sun (Helix Books)
Brian M., Fagan
Manufacturer: Basic Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Cultural | Anthropology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
General | Archaeology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
General | Earth Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
General | Science | Subjects | Books
General | Earth Sciences | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Archaeological Theory Today

The Great Journey: The Peopling of Ancient America

Floods, Famines, and Emperors : El Nino and the Fate of Civilizations

Archaeology and Text (Duckworth Debates in Archaeology)

Reading the Past: Current Approaches to Interpretation in Archaeology

ASIN: 0738201413

Book Description

Until recently, archaeology was concerned mainly with piecing together the material lives of our ancestors. In this groundbreaking book, master storyteller and respected archaeologist Brian Fagan explains how cutting-edge science can now take us beyond the artifacts-into the mystical realm of shamans and spirit mediums, ancestor worship, and ritual sacrifice. From the Nile's black land to the Aztec's world of the Fifth Sun, from Stonehenge to Jericho, Fagan describes how Accelerator Mass Spectrometry, Geographic Information Systems, Computer Automated Design-mapping and other sophisticated scientific methods are helping us to decode the religious and spiritual beliefs of our forebears. This new "archaeology of the mind" blends a wealth of scientific disciplines-from botany, zoology, and geology to neuropsychology, palynology, and nuclear physics. With vivid imagery and a transporting voice, Fagan revolutionizes our understanding of the inner lives of ancient people.

Customer Reviews:

From Black Land To Fifth Sun.......2003-09-16

What can archaeology tell us about the spiritual lives of people who, like the painters of Lascaux cave or the builders of Stonehenge, lived so long ago that only (or mostly) their nonlinguistic material remains - their stones and bones - are left for us to study? Brian Fagan's book is a fascinating exploration, for the general reader, of this highly interesting question. The author takes his readers on a personal tour of various sacred sites, and explains how current methods of scientific excavation and anthropological research can help interpret the cultural meaning of these places and the context of belief and ritual in which they operated. While much of their spiritual content is necessarily unrecoverable in detail - think of trying to understand a cathedral with no missals or Creed - there is, still, much that can be learned.

Sites and cultures discussed in the book include: Chauvet, African rock art, Catalhoyuk, Knossos, Stonehenge, Moundbuilders, Egypt, Mayas, and Aztecs (one envies the author his frequent-flyer miles.) The book ranges in space and time from Europe in 15,000 BC, through Africa, and finally to the Americas in 1500 AD. Even so, many well-known sacred places had to be omitted. There is nothing about Malta (a personal favorite of mine), Easter Island, or Asia. Another limitation is that, with so much ground to cover (or uncover), the number of pages devoted to any one site has to be pretty small. The book does not have many photographs, and those that do appear are only in black and white.

I found the chapter on ancient Egypt less successful than the other chapters; Egyptian culture is abundantly literate, even from late predynastic times, so that its inclusion in a book of this kind seems superfluous, if not downright odd.

Written in 1998, the book still (2003) seems basically up-to-date. The author deserves great credit for producing a popular book which covers such a wide area and is at the same time generally reliable and accurate (although it should be noted that Geb, the Egyptian earth god, is not female as the book claims on page 283. Geb is male, an important exception to the usual concept of an Earth Mother in early societies.)

Fagan is of the school of archaeology that applies anthropological concepts and methods to his work. Shamanism, the mother goddess, ancestor cult, sacred-tree cosmology, and astronomical alignments will all make an appearance, although rather conservatively, in these pages. Some readers may feel he goes too far with this, while others may wish that he would take it even farther. I think he gets the balance right, but in any case his reasoning is presented in a clear and straightforward way so that readers can make up their own minds about it.

In summary, most readers who are fascinated by these ancient places, and want to learn more about how archaeology and science interpret them, will find this book to be a helpful and very interesting read.

Are we like those who lived 30,000 years ago?.......1999-07-01

Fagan Brian. From Black Land to Fifth Sun. 1997. This is a look at the physical evidence that enables archaeologists to make conclusions regarding the belief systems of cultures long past. Is it valid to draw parallels between the Cro-Magnon people who lived in what is today, France, of 30,000 years ago and the San of the Kalahari in today's Botswana in Africa?

Cultural conclusions from ancient physical evidence?.......1999-07-01

Storms from the Sun: The Emerging Science of Space Weather

Average customer rating:

A Great Book!
The space weather story

Storms from the Sun: The Emerging Science of Space Weather
Michael Carlowicz , and Ramon Lopez
Manufacturer: National Academies Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Astronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Astrophysics & Space Science | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Cosmology | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Solar System | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

Cosmology | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

Weather | Environment | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Outdoors & Nature Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Storms in Space
Journey from the Center of the Sun (Princeton Science Library)
Nearest Star: The Surprising Science of Our Sun
Complete Idiot's Guide to the Sun (Complete Idiot's Guide to)
The Maunder Minimum: And the Variable Sun-Earth Connection

ASIN: 0309076420

Book Description

From the casual conversation starter to the 24-hour cable channels and Web sites devoted exclusively to the subject, everyone talks about weather. There's even weather in space—and it's causing major upsets to our modern technological world.

Space weather is all around us. There are no nightly news reports on space weather (yet), but we're rapidly developing the tools necessary to measure and observe trends in cosmic meteorology. New probes are going on-line that help us monitor the weather taking place miles above the Earth.

But why does space weather matter? It doesn't affect whether we bring an umbrella to work or require us to monitor early school closings. It's far, far away and of little concern to us . . . right? March 13, 1989. The Department of Defense tracking system that keeps tabs on 8,000 objects orbiting Earth suddenly loses track of 1,300 of them. In New Jersey, a $10 million transformer is burned up by a surge of extra current in the power lines. Shocks to a power station in Quebec leave 6 million people without electricity. New England power stations struggle to keep their power grid up. Listeners tuning in to their local stations in Minnesota hear the broadcasts of the California Highway Patrol. Residents of Florida, Mexico, and the Grand Cayman Islands see glowing curtains of light in the sky.

All of these bizarre, and seemingly unconnected, events were caused by a storm on the Sun and a fire in the sky. A series of solar flares and explosions had launched bolts of hot, electrified gas at the Earth and stirred up the second largest magnetic storm in recorded history. Before rockets and radio and the advent of other modern devices, we probably would never have noticed the effects of this space storm. But in today's electrically powered, space-faring world, the greatest space storm of the twenty-second solar maximum rang like a wake-up call.

And we are now in the midst of another solar maximum, the effects of which are expected to be felt all the way through the year 2004. Storms from the Sun explores the emerging physical science of space weather and traces its increasing impact on a society that relies on space-based technologies.

Authors Carlowicz and Lopez explain what space weather really means to us down here—and what it may mean for future explorations and colonization of distant worlds. By translating the findings of NASA and other top scientists into fascinating and accessible descriptions of the latest discoveries, we are privy to some of the most closely held secrets that the solar-terrestrial system has to offer.

Customer Reviews:

A Great Book!.......2004-02-26

I previously reviewed this book in March 2003 and submitted to Midwest Book Review - see Quote:

The Midwest Book Review, March 2003
"...an electrifying challenge for the mind to decipher the seemingly unfathomable secrets of the sun."

And I meant every word I said. It is a great book and a lot of fun to read, and it isn't necessary to be a rocket scientist to understand the material. Homeschoolers will find this a wonderful addition to their educational reference library.

If you would like to read my full review, feel free to visit the March 2003 Midwest Book Review http://www.midwestbookreview.com/rbw/mar_03.htm

The space weather story.......2002-06-12

I recently read this book and found it very engaging and readable. I have been following the topic of space weather for a few years now and read other articles and books on the topic, but this one was the clearest and most memorable of them all.

Book Description

The space missions Yohkoh, SOHO and TRACE, together with complementary ground-based instrumentation, have in recent years given usa wealth of new results on the Sun, which are not readily available or digestible for the non-specialist. They are presented here in an organised, tutorial fashion by leading astrophysicists who gathered to observe the total eclipse of 11 August 1999 in Bucharest.
Subjects covered range from the deep solar interior to the extended corona, with an emphasis on the diagnostic and on the physical interpretation of the spectacular phenomena represented by solar activity.
Readership: Primarily graduate students. Senior scientists will appreciate the comprehensive update of solar physics. Amateur astronomers having an adequate knowledge of physics will also enjoy the book.

Average customer rating:

The First Results from SOHO

Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Astronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Astrophysics & Space Science | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Cosmology | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Solar System | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

Cosmology | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

All Amazon Upgrade | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

Professional & Technical | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

Science | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Professional | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Science | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0792348826

Book Description

The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) is a joint ESA/NASA mission to study the Sun, from its deep core to the outer corona, and the solar wind. SOHO was launched on 2 December 1995 and was inserted into a halo orbit around the L1 Lagrangian point on 14 February 1996. From this vantage point it is continuously monitoring the Sun, the heliosphere, and the solar wind particles that stream toward the Earth. Nominal operations of the SOHO mission started in April 1996 after commissioning of the spacecraft and the scientific payload. Detailed descriptions of the twelve instruments, which represent the most comprehensive set of solar and heliospheric instruments ever developed and placed on the same platform, can be found in The SOHO Mission ( Solar Physics, Vol. 162, Nos. 1-2, 1995).
This volume contains papers reporting the first scientific results from the SOHO mission as well as descriptions of the in-flight performance of some of the instruments, published in two parts of a Solar Physics special (Part I in Solar Physics, Vol. 170, No. 1; Part II in Solar Physics, Vol. 175, No. 2). Unique data from the three helioseismology instruments (GOLF, VIRGO, MDI/SOI) provide new insights into the structure and dynamics of the solar interior, from the deep core to the outermost layers of the convection zone. The remote sensing instruments (SUMER, CDS, EIT, LASCO, UVCS, SWAN) present exciting new data on a wide range of topics such as transition region dynamics, coronal plumes, coronal holes, streamers, and coronal mass ejections, giving us our first comprehensive view of the outer solar atmosphere and corona. These data are complemented by energetic particle measurements produced by the ERNE instrument on board SOHO.
A CD-ROM with multimedia material (images, movies, animations, and sounds) is included as an integral part of this volume.

Average customer rating:

From Suns to Life

Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Astronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Astrophysics & Space Science | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0387450823

Product Description

This review emerged from several interdisciplinary meetings and schools gathering a group of astronomers, geologists, biologists, and chemists, attempting to share their specialized knowledge around a common question: how did life emerge on Earth? Their ultimate goal was to provide some kind of answer as a prerequisite to an even more demanding question: is life universal? The resulting state-of-the-art articles were written by twenty-five scientists telling a not-so linear story, but on the contrary, highlighting problems, gaps, and controversies. Needless to say, this approach yielded no definitive answers to both questions. However, by adopting a chronological approach to the question of the emergence of life on Earth, the only place where we know for sure that life exists; it was possible to break down this question into several sub-topics that can be addressed by the different disciplines.

The main chapters of this review present the formation and evolution of the solar system (3); the building of a habitable planet (4); prebiotic chemistry, biochemistry, and the emergence of life (5); the environmental context of the early Earth (6); and the ancient fossil record and early evolution (7). The concluding chapter (9) provides the highlights of the review and presents the different points of view about the universality of life. Two pedagogical chapters are included; one on chronometers (2), another in the form of a frieze (8) which summarizes in graphical form the present state of knowledge about the chronology of the emergence of life on Earth, before the Cambrian explosion.

From the Sun to the Great Attractor: 1999 Guanajuato Lectures on Astrophysics (Lecture Notes in Physics)

Average customer rating:

From the Sun to the Great Attractor: 1999 Guanajuato Lectures on Astrophysics (Lecture Notes in Physics)

Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Astronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Astrophysics & Space Science | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Cosmology | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

Book Description

The enormous advances in observational techniques over the last two decades has produced a wealth of data and unexpected discoveries which have helped to reshape astrophysics as a field with well-formulated theories and sophisticated numerical calculations. In nuclear particle physics, plasma physics, as well as in general relativity, the Universe has become a laboratory for cutting-edge research. The courses collected in the book are intended to provide students with this insight, giving a general background on each topic such as cosmic rays, nuclear and neutrino astrophysics, solar physics and strong fields, as well as a presentation of the current research and open problems. The book is aimed at graduate students in physics and astrophysics, as well as researchers, bridging a gap between the specialized reviews and the comprehensive books.

A high-resolution atlas of the infrared spectrum of the Sun and Earth atmosphere from space: A compilation of ATMOS spectra of the region from 650 to 4800 ... letter mu]m) (NASA reference publication)

Average customer rating:

A high-resolution atlas of the infrared spectrum of the Sun and Earth atmosphere from space: A compilation of ATMOS spectra of the region from 650 to 4800 ... letter mu]m) (NASA reference publication)
Crofton B Farmer
Manufacturer: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Scientific and Technical Information Service
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Astronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Solar System | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0006ETE8Y

New Eyes to See Inside the Sun and Stars - Pushing the Limits of Helio and Asteroseismology with New Observations from the Ground and from Space (International Astronomical Union Symposia)

Average customer rating:

A nice book

New Eyes to See Inside the Sun and Stars - Pushing the Limits of Helio and Asteroseismology with New Observations from the Ground and from Space (International Astronomical Union Symposia)
Jorgen Christensen-Dalsgaard
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Astronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Astrophysics & Space Science | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Book Description

The continuing success of helio- and asteroseismology in studying the internal structure and dynamics of the Sun, and of other single stars, has been highlighted in recent years by many topical meetings. The present Proceedings document the first Seismology symposium ever held in conjunction with an IAU General Assembly. This substantially influenced the layout of the scientific programme and demonstrates the vitality of this field of astronomy.
The invited reviews are intended to address an audience that includes many non-specialists. Therefore, this volume is particularly valuable as an introduction to the general concepts of the field, and for conveying the excitement that comes with discussions of the most recent observational and theoretical results. There are two chapters on the many facets of asteroseismology, which also compare solar and stellar achievements.
A major focus of the symposium was the new developments resulting from the observations of unprecedented quality obtained from global multi-site networks, and especially from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory SoHO, currently continuing its observations from the Lagrangian point L ₁. From the center of the Sun to its outer layers, the reader will learn how modern diagnostic techniques reveal the inextricable links between the complex structure of the interior and atmosphere of our nearest star.
The book is recommended for undergraduates, postgraduates, and professionals with a strong interest in modern developments in astrophysics.

Customer Reviews:

A nice book.......2000-05-08

With nice visuals and good text the book is well worth the price

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books