Volume 47 of Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry introduces to Noble Gases. Although the mass spectrometry principles are not complex, the tricks involved in getting better data are often self taught or passed on by working with individuals who themselves are pushing the boundaries further. Furthermore, much of the exciting new science is linked with technical developments that allow us to move beyond the current measurement capabilities. Be they better crushing devices, laser resonance time of flight, multiple collection or compressor sources - the technical issues are central to progress.

Contents:
Noble Gases - Noble Science
An Overview of Noble Gas Geochemistry and Cosmochemistry
Noble Gases in the Solar System
Noble Gases in the Moon and Meteorites: Radiogenic Components and Early Volatile Chronologies
Cosmic-Ray-Produced Noble Gases in Meteorites
Martian Noble Gases
Origin of Noble Gases in the Terrestrial Planets
Noble Gas Isotope Geochemistry of Mid-Ocean Ridge and Ocean Island Basalts: Characterization of Mantle Source Reservoirs
Noble Gases and Volatile Recycling at Subduction Zones
The Storage and Transport of Noble Gases in the Subcontinental Lithosphere
Models for the Distribution of Terrestrial Noble Gases and the Evolution of the Atmosphere
Production, Release and Transport of Noble Gases in the Continental Crust
Tracing Fluid Origin, Transport and Interaction in the Crust
Noble Gases in Lakes and Ground Waters
Noble Gases in Ocean Waters and Sediments
Cosmic-Ray-Produced Noble Gases in Terrestrial Rocks: Dating Tools for Surface Processes
K-Ar and Ar-Ar Dating
(U-Th)/He Dating: Techniques, Calibrations, and Applications

Autorentext

Donald Porcelli, University of Oxford, UK; Chris J. Ballentine, University of Manchester, UK and Rainer Wieler, ETH Zürich, Switzerland.