Comets and the Origin and Evolution of Life

by Paul J. Thomas

Book Overview

This volume considers the role comets may have played in the origins and evolution of life. This is the only book dealing in depth with this subject. It is particularly relevant in light of recent... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0387946500
• Release Date: January 1997
• Publisher: Springer Publishing Co.
• Length: 296 Pages
• Weight: 1.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.8" x 1.0" x 7.0"

Customer Reviews

Comets important in the evolution of biosphere

Series of articles considering the role of comets in the evolution of Earth's biosphere. For example, A. Delsemme writes about The Origin of the Atmosphere and of the Oceans. It is argued that Earth's atmosphere and its oceans, as well as much of the carbon found in its biosphere, was brought to the Earth by comets. Although present-day impacts of comets are modest, in the first billion years, and especially first half billion years, of the Earth's existence, a large bombardment of comets occurred, as reflected by the cratering record observed on the Moon, Mars and Mercury. The cometary delivery of matter would explain the siderophile metals in the Earth's crust, and would explain how an ocean and atmosphere remained despite depletion by large body impacts.