The Blue Planet
An Introduction to Earth System Science
by Brian J. Skinner, Barbara W. Murck
3rd Edition
Publisher: Wiley
Book Details
| Print ISBN | 9780471236436 |
| eText ISBN | 9780470914021 |
| Publisher | Wiley |
| Publishing Year | 2011 |
| Edition | 3rd Edition |
| Language | English |
| Pages | 672 |
The Blue Planet: An Introduction to Earth System Science, 3rd Edition, presents earth science from an integrated systems perspective. The textbook demonstrates how Earth's spheres interact and operate together as a connected planetary whole.
Core topics span tectonic and rock cycles, ocean circulation, atmospheric patterns, and biological evolution. The volume emphasizes the cycling of energy and matter, explaining how planetary processes shape environments across space and time.
Intended for earth systems science courses, the 2011 edition adds a dedicated "The Basics" feature in each chapter to reinforce foundational concepts while systematically documenting human impacts across Earth's spheres.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: The Earth System
- • What is Earth Syste, Science?
- • Earth System Reservoirs
- • Dynamic Intercations Among Reservoirs
- • How Science Works: Hypothesis and Theory
Chapter 2: Energy
- • What is Energy?
- • External Energy Sources
- • Internal Energy Sources
- • Earth's Energy Cycle
- • Energy and Society
Chapter 3: Matter
- • Earth's Materials
- • Organic Matter
- • Composition and Internal Structure of Earth
- • Minerals
- • Rocks
- • Regolith
- • How Matter Moves Through the Earth System
Chapter 4: Space and Time
- • The Sun: An Ordinary Star
- • The Solar System
- • Other Suns and Planetary Systems
- • Time and Change
Chapter 5: The Tectonic Cycle
- • Plate Tectonics: A Unifying Theory
- • Plate Motion and the Driving Force
- • Plate Interactions and Earth's Landscapes
- • Building the Continents
Chapter 6: Earthquakes and Volcanoes
- • Earthquakes: When Rocks Shift
- • Earthquake Hazard and Risk
- • Earthquakes and Earth's Interior
- • Volcanoes: When Rocks Melt
- • Volcanic Disasters
- • Magma Underground
- • The Tectonic Connection: Origin and Distribution of Magmas and Volcanoes
Chapter 7: The Rock Cycle
- • From Rock to Regolith
- • From Regolith to Rock
- • New Rock to Old
- • From Rock to Magma and Back Again
- • The Rock Cycle. The Tectonic Cycle, and Earth's Landscapes
Chapter 8: The Hydrologic Cycle
- • Water and the Hydrologic Cycle
- • Water on the Ground
- • Water Under the Ground
- • Water and Society
Chapter 9: The Cryosphere
- • Earth's Cover of Snow and Ice
- • Glaciers
- • Glaciation
- • Sea Ice
- • Ice in the Earth System
Chapter 10: The World Ocean
- • Ocean Basins and Ocean Water
- • Ocean Circulation
- • Ocean Waves
- • Ocean Tides
- • Where Land and Ocean Meet
- • Changing Sea Levels
Chapter 11: The Atmosphere
- • The Habitable Planet
- • Composition and Structure of Our Atmosphere
- • Moisture in the Atmosphere
- • The Atmosphere in the Earth System
Chapter 12: Wind and Weather Systems
- • Why Air Moves
- • Global Air Circulation
- • Regional Wind and Weather Systems
- • Local WInd and Weather Systems
- • Severe Weather
- • Weather and the Earth System
Chapter 13: the Climate System
- • Earth's Climate System
- • Evidence of Climate Change
- • Earth's Past CLimates
- • Why Climates CHange
- • Feedbacks and Complexity in Earth's Climate System
Chapter 14: Life, Death and Evolution
- • What is Life? An Overview of Basic Biological Processes
- • Life: A Planetary Perspective
- • Evolution: the History of Life
- • Extinction: The History of Death
Chapter 15: Ecosystems, Biomes, and Cycles of Life
- • Energy and Matter in Ecosystems
- • Global Cycles of Life
- • Earth's Major Ecosystems
Chapter 16: Populations, Communities, and Change
- • Populations
- • Communities
- • Biodiversity
Chapter 17: The Resource Cycle
- • Resources from the Earth System
- • Renewable Resources: Seeking Balance
- • Limits to Growth
Chapter 18: Mineral and Energy Resources
- • Nonrenewable Resources: Closing the Cycle
- • Mineral Resources
- • Energy Resources
Chapter 19: The Changing Earth System
- • Understanding Anthropogenic Change
- • Human Impacts on the Earth System
- • Anthropogenic Role in Global Climate Change
- • Anthroposphere: Humans and Earth System Change
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