Introduction to Earth and Planetary System Science: A New View of the Earth, Planets, and Humans

Abstract

Earth and planetary system science has been developing very rapidly recently due to (1) the establishment of plate tectonics and development of plume tectonics that provide explanations for the movement of the solid earth, (2) development of observation technologies and analysis of the earth and other planets, and (3) considerable research into the interactions between nature and humans such as the earth’s environmental, resources, and disaster problems.

Plate tectonics can explain geological processes in the earth’s solid surface environment, but cannot describe what occurs deep in the earth’s interior, in the mantle and core. Recently, the concept of plume tectonics was proposed, resulting in a better understanding of the dynamics of the earth’s interior and the genesis of earth-type planets. The development of observation and analysis technologies is accelerating, and this development may become very rapid in the near future. For example, simulations of global material circulation between the fluid and solid parts of the earth could be used to elucidate the origin and evolution of the earth and planets. The interaction between humans and nature poses more difficulties than the other two developments noted above because current methodologies do not yet offer solutions to its problems. With this purpose in mind, scientific understanding of the earth and other planets is the first step. Earth itself is not independent from any external system. It interacts with other bodies and is open to energy and mass exchange with the outside. The earth and planets did not form in isolation. The earth’s history is intimately related to other planets in the solar system, and we need to know that history as well as the earth’s present-day conditions to truly understand our own planet. Knowledge about the other planets has been expanding rapidly in recent years. Therefore, in this book the features of the earth, together with those of the other planets, will be described and the relationship between them will be considered. We present basic information about the earth and planets (e.g. their constituents and chemical and isotopic compositions) and describe the interactions in the earth/planets system. Recently, the earth itself as a system, particularly at the surface, environment has been modified by human activity. Thus, nature–human interactions will also be considered. Then, a new view of the earth, planets and humans will be presented.