Introduction

Summary

This book is a cross between a textbook and a monograph, and it was started as an attempt to link depth with breadth in cosmo- and geochemistry. The need for this becomes obvious when one sees the two opposing trends in this science. On the one hand, much excellent research goes into great depth in a relatively narrow field, unnoticed except by specialists and, on the other hand, wide-ranging textbooks capture the imagination of a broader audience but cannot do justice to the actual data-gathering and interpretation. Thus, if one is interested in cosmochemistry, or the solar system or planetary formation and evolution, one can readily find a number of specific, well-written, textbooks. However, those who want to examine critically how these issues are related, and who would like to see the “big picture” and realize how it came to be, have to dive into the often rather complicated original literature.

As is the case with most branches of science, cosmochemistry and geochemistry have made huge leaps forward in the last 20 years but have become more fragmented. A bewildering amount of isotopic evidence has amassed that links Earth's history to that of the early solar system and, in turn, early solar system history to the evolution of the Galaxy and of the Universe itself. The many papers in which these data have appeared necessarily address specialized issues and although the connection to a grand unifying theme is normally made clear, there is mostly no direct contact with other specialized work that relates to the theme from another niche.