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Earth is really several planets. Which planet you see depends on where you view it from. The study of deep interior of planet Earth has long captivated philosophers, scientists and fantasy writers, yet it remains inaccessible to direct scrutiny and thus largely enigmatic. To understand the Earth’s internal dynamics and evolution we need to know its internal structure and material properties. Idealistic philosophies about the interior are provocative, with crystal-filled chambers and pitchfork-bearing devils. However, the more scientifically based visions are just as appealing evidence on the structure and composition of the earth’s interior comes from observations of surface rocks, geophysical data from earthquakes, flow of heat from the interior, the magnetic field, and gravity, laboratory experiments on surface rocks and minerals, and comparison of the earth with other planets, the sun, stars, and meteorites.

Physics and Chemistry of the Deep Earth compiles information on recent advances and the latest views of the deep Earth from theoretical, experimental, and observational approaches and offers comprehension into future research information on the deep Earth, including contributions from geophysics and geochemistry, taking into account the considerable experimental and theoretical progress recently made in understanding the physics of deep Earth materials and the inner structure of the Earth.

This book will be of valuable information resource for graduate and advanced undergraduate students in geophysics and mineralogy. It will also be of great value to researchers in Earth sciences, physics and materials sciences.