The purpose of this Handbook is to provide, in highly accessible form, selected
critical data for professional and student solid Earth and planetary geophysicists.
Coverage of topics and authors were carefully chosen to fulfill these objectives.
These volumes represent he third version of the "Handbook of Physical Constants."
Several generations ofsolid Earth scientists have found these handbooks 'to be the most
frequently used item in their personal ibrary. The first version of this Handbook was
edited by F. Birch, J. F. Schairer, and H. Cecil Spicer and published in 1942 by the
Geological Society of America (GSA) as Special Paper 36. The second edition, edited
by Sydney P. Clark, Jr., was also published by GSA as Memoir 92 in 1966. Since
1966, our scientific knowledge of the Earth and planets has grown enormously, spurred
by the discovery and verification of plate tectonics and the systematic exploration of the
solar system.
The present revision was initiated, in part, by a 1989 chance remark by Alexandra
Navrotsky asking what the Mineral Physics (now Mineral and Rock Physics) Committee
of the American Geophysical Union could produce that would be a tangible useful
product. At the time I responded, "update the Handbook of Physical Constants." As
soon as these words were uttered, I realized that I could edit such a revised Handbook.
I thank Raymond Jeanloz for his help with initial suggestions of topics, the AGU's
Books Board, especially Ian McGregor, for encouragement and enthusiastic support.
Ms. Susan Yamada, my assistant, deserves special thanks for her meticulous
stewardship of these volumes. I thank the technical reviewers listed below whose
efforts, in all cases, improved the manuscripts.