Book Reviews

Book reviewed in this article: Meteorites: Messengers from Space by F. Heide and F. Wlotzka, translated by R. S. Clarke, Jr. and F. Wlotzka. Resources of Near-Earth Space edited by J. S. Lewis, M. S. Matthews and M. L. Guerrieri. The Origin of the Solar System: Soviet Research 1925–1991 (eds. A. E. Levin and S. G. Brush). An Introduction to Cosmochemistry by Charles R. Cowley. AIP Conference Proceedings 310: Analysis of Interplanetary Dust (eds. M. E. Zolensky, T. L. Wilson, F. J. M. Rietmeijer, and G. J. Flynn). Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences, vol. 22 (eds. G. W. Wetherill, A. L. Albee and K. C. Burke). Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences, vol. 23 (eds. G. W. Wetherill, A. L. Albee and K. C. Burke).     

Book and Multimedia Reviews

Book reviewed in this article: Geochronology and Thermochronology by the ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar Method: Second Edition by Ian McDougall and T. Mark Harrison. Protostars and Planets IV edited by V. Mannings, A. P. Boss, and S. S. Russell. The Star Formation Newsletter edited by Bo Reipurth. Astronomical Origins of Life: Steps Towards Panspermia by F. Hoyle and N. C. Wickramasinghe. Here Be Dragons: The Scientific Quest for Extraterrestrial Life by David Koerner and Simon LeVay.     

Books and Multimedia Reviews

Book reviewed in this article: Beyond the Moon: The Golden Age of Planetary Exploration 1971–1978 by R. S. Kraemer Glorious Eclipses: Their Past Present and Future by Serge Brunier and Jean‐Pierre Luminet     

Theory of motion of saturn's coorbiting satellites

A simple analytic theory describing the 1:1 orbital resonance is presented and applied to Saturn's coorbiting pair, 1980S1 and 1980S3. These satellites are very small and can approach to within 15,000 km, but are prevented from passing each other by their mutual gravitational interaction. The long-term stability of the S1–S3 orbital configuration is discussed in this paper, and a tie between the 1966 and 1980 observations is establised.     

Book and Multimedia Reviews

Book reviewed in this article: Physics and Chemistry of the Solar System by John S. Lewis Craters, Cosmos, and Chronicles: A New Theory of Earth by Herbert R. Shaw     

Automatic Classification of Subdwarf Spectra using a Neural Network

We apply a multilayer feed-forward back propagation artificial neural network to a sample of 380 subdwarf spectra classified by Drilling et al. (Drilling, J.S., Moehler, S., Jeffery, C.S., Heber, U., and Napiwotzki, R.: in press in: R. Gray (ed.), Probing the Personalities of Stars and Galaxies), showing that it is possible to use this technique on large sets of spectra and obtain classifications in good agreement with the standard. We briefly investigate the impact of training set size, showing that large training sets do not necessarily perform significantly better than small sets.     

Books and Multimedia Review

Book reviewed in this article: Turn Right at Orion: Travels Through the Cosmos by Mitchell Begelman. Satellites of the Outer Planets: Worlds in their Own Right, Second Edition by David A. Rothery. Our Worlds: The Magnetism and Thrill of Planetary Exploration by S. Alan Stern. A Dictionary of Earth Sciences, Second Edition by Ailsa Allaby and Michael Allaby.     

Reaction between H2, CO,and H2S over Fe,Ni metal in the solar nebula: Experimental evidence for the formation of sulfur‐bearing organic molecules and sulfides

Abstract— Detailed laboratory studies have been carried out in order to simulate the interaction between nanometer‐sized kamacite metal particles and different gas mixtures consisting of H₂:H₂S (250:0.1), H₂:CO (250:1), and H₂:CO:H₂S (250:1:0.1) under nebular‐type conditions (5 × 10^?4 atm and 473 K). Reaction of H₂ + H₂S with kamacite particles for 1000 h leads to the formation of pyrrhotite. Incorporation of CO into the gaseous reactant mixture results in the formation of both sulfide and carbide phases. At the same time, amorphous C is deposited onto the metal particles and organic molecules are evolved, namely hydrocarbons and thiols in the C₁‐C₅ and C₁‐C₂ range, respectively. Carbon deposition and production of organics are enhanced with respect to experiments performed with H₂ + CO, where a carbide phase is formed. There is no evidence for the existence of S‐poisoning effects on the metal‐catalysed hydrogenation of CO through Fischer‐Tropsch‐type reactions in nebular environments. In fact, it is experimentally demonstrated that S‐containing organic species could be synthesized by such reactions from nebular gas.     

Book Reviews

Book reviewed in this article: Isotope Effects in Gas-Phase Chemistry ed. by Jack A. Kaye Physics and Chemistry of Comets ed. by Walter F. Huebner. Springer Verlag Geochemistry: Pathways and Processes by S. M. Richardson and H. Y. McSween The Solar System: Observations and Interpretations ed. by Margaret G. Kivelson     

Book and Multimedia Reviews

Book reviewed in this article: Impact Diamonds: Their Features, Origin and Significance by S. A. Vishnevsky, V. P. Afanasiev, K. P. Argunov and N. A. Pal'chick Earth From Above: Using Color-Coded Satellite Images to Examine the Global Environment by Claire L. Parkinson The Elusive Neutrino: A Subatomic Detective Story by Nickolas Solomey     

Books and Multimedia Reviews

Book reviewed in this article: Exploring the Moon: The Apollo Expeditions by David M. Harland. Perspectives in Amino Acid and Protein Geochemistry by G. Goodfriend, M. Collins, M. Fogel, S. Macko, and J. Wehmiller.     

Mass distribution of Antarctic ordinary chondrites and the estimation of the fall-to-specimen ratios

Abstract— The cumulative mass distributions (mass range > 100 g) of each type of Japanese and U.S. Antarctic ordinary chondrites are compared with those of non-Antarctic falls and those obtained from the present-day flux of meteorites. The steeper slope of the mass distribution of Antarctic chondrites is indicative of the presence of several chondrite showers. The fall-to-specimen ratio of Antarctic ordinary chondrites larger than 100 g is about 1:2, indicating that half of them are shower components. The fall-to-specimen ratios of each group range from 1:1 to 1:6; those of the Japanese and U.S. Antarctic meteorite collections are 1:1 to 1:2 and 1:4 for H chondrites, 1:1 to 1:2 and 1:2 for L chondrites, and 1:2 and 1:6 for LL chondrites, indicating that the Japanese collection includes less abundant shower components than the U.S. collection. The fall-to-specimen ratios of each H4-6 and L4-6 type range from 1:1 to 1:4, and U.S. H6 and Japanese H4 have the low ratios of 1:4.     

Book and Multimedia Reviews

Book reviewed in this article: Blind Watchers of the Sky: The People and Ideas that Shaped Our View of the Universe by Rocky Kolb Mining the Sky: Untold Riches from the Asteroids, Comets, and Planets by John S. Lewis The Sun as a Star by Roger J. Tayler Shadow of a Star: The Neutrino Story of Supernova 1987A by Alfred K. Mann. W. H. Freeman Worlds Unnumbered: The Search for Extrasolar Planets by Donald Goldsmith     

Micro‐X‐ray diffraction assessment of shock stage in enstatite chondrites

Abstract– A new method for assessing the shock stage of enstatite chondrites has been developed, using in situ micro‐X‐ray diffraction (μXRD) to measure the full width at half maximum (FWHM_χ) of peak intensity distributed along the direction of the Debye rings, or chi angle (χ), corresponding to individual lattice reflections in two‐dimensional XRD patterns. This μXRD technique differs from previous XRD shock characterization methods: it does not require single crystals or powders. In situ μXRD has been applied to polished thin sections and whole‐rock meteorite samples. Three frequently observed orthoenstatite reflections were measured: (020), (610), and (131); these were selected as they did not overlap with diffraction lines from other phases. Enstatite chondrites are commonly fine grained, stained or darkened by weathering, shock‐induced oxidation, and metal/sulfide inclusions; furthermore, most E chondrites have little olivine or plagioclase. These characteristics inhibit transmitted‐light petrography, nevertheless, shock stages have been assigned MacAlpine Hills (MAC) 02837 (EL3) S3, Pecora Escarpment (PCA) 91020 (EL3) S5, MAC 02747 (EL4) S4, Thiel Mountains (TIL) 91714 (EL5) S2, Allan Hills (ALHA) 81021 (EL6) S2, Elephant Moraine (EET) 87746 (EH3) S3, Meteorite Hills (MET) 00783 (EH4) S4, EET 96135 (EH4–5) S2, Lewis Cliff (LEW) 88180 (EH5) S2, Queen Alexandra Range (QUE) 94204 (EH7) S2, LaPaz Icefield (LAP) 02225 (EH impact melt) S1; for the six with published shock stages, there is agreement with the published classification. FWHM_χ plotted against petrographic shock stage demonstrates positive linear correlation. FWHM_χ ranges corresponding to shock stages were assigned as follows: S1 < 0.7°, S2 = 0.7–1.2°, S3 = 1.2–2.3°, S4 = 2.3–3.5°, S5 > 3.5°, S6—not measured. Slabs of Abee (EH impact‐melt breccia), and Northwest Africa (NWA) 2212 (EL6) were examined using μXRD alone; FWHM_χ values place both in the S2 range, consistent with literature values. Micro‐XRD analysis may be applicable to other shocked orthopyroxene‐bearing rocks.     

Book Reviews

Book reviewed in this article: The Port Orford, Oregon, Meteorite Mystery by Roy S. Clarke, Jr. Exploring Planetary Worlds by David Morrison.     

A multivariate analysis approach for the imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes system H.E.S.S.

A multivariate particle classification approach is proposed and applied to the analysis of the data from H.E.S.S. (High Energy Stereoscopic System). The combination of results from the three shower reconstruction methods: Hillas, model and 3D-model, leads to a substantial gain in the discrimination power between photons and hadrons. The construction and use of a combined effective estimator improves by several factors the signal-to-background ratio which is extremely important in case of studies of the faint and extended sources. The results of this approach are presented for a typical set of sources. The consequent gain in the sensitivity is shown through a comparison to the H.E.S.S. published results.     

Book Reviews

Book reviewed in this article: Introduction to Chinese Meteorite Study by Daode Wang et al. An Introduction to the Rock-forming Minerals , 2nd Edition by W. A. Deer, R. A. Howie and J. Zussman. Longman Scientific & Technical with John Wiley & Sons, 1993, 696 pp., $39.95 (ISBN 0–582–30094–0). Atlas of Rock-forming Minerals in Thin Section by W. S. MacKenzie and C. Guilford. Manual of Mineralogy , 21st Edition by C. Klein and C. S. Hurlbut, Jr. To a Rocky Moon: A Geologist's History of Lunar Exploration by Don E. Wilhelms. Scanning Electron Microscopy and X-Ray Microanalysis by Robert Edward Lee.     

Book Reviews

Book reviewed in this article: Ripples in the Cosmos: A View Behind the Scenes of the New Cosmology by Michael Rowan-Robinson. Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics edited by Geoffrey Burbidge, David Layzer, and Allan Sandage. Planetologie: Eine Einführung by Ludolf Schultz. Mars edited by Hugh H. Kieffer, Bruce M. Jakosky, Conway W. Snyder and Mildred S. Matthews.     

Book and Multimedia Reviews

Book reviewed in this article: Encyclopedia of Planetary Sciences edited by J. H. Shirley and R. W. Fairbridge, Chapman and Hall Asteroids: Their Nature and Utilization by Charles T. Kowal Review of Electronic Imaging in Astronomy: Detectors and Instrumentation by I. S. McLean Galileo's Commandment: An Anthology of Great Science Writing edited by Edmund Blair Bolles. W. H. Freeman The Manson Impact Structure, Iowa: Anatomy of an Impact Crater edited by C. Koeberl and R. R. Anderson     

Orbital evolution of the distant satellites of the giant planets

We study the evolution of several distant satellite orbits. These are the orbits (including the improved ones)of the recently discovered Neptunian satellites S/2002 N1, N2, N3, N4; S/2003 N1 and the orbits of Jovian, Saturnian, and Uranian satellites with librational variations in the argument of the pericenter: S/2001 J10 (Euporie), S/2003 J20; S/2000 S5 (Kiviuq), S/2000 S6 (Ijiraq), and S/2003 U3. The study is performed using mainly an approximate numerical-analytical method. We determine the extreme eccentricities and inclinations as well as the periods of the variations in the arguments of pericenters and longitudes of the ascending nodes on time intervals ～10⁵?10⁶ yr. We compare our results with those obtained by numerically integrating the rigorous equations of satellite motion on time intervals of the order of the circulation periods of the longitudes of the ascending nodes (10²?10³ yr).