Meteorites, Ice, and Antarctica: A Personal Account (Studies in Polar Research) [Hardcover]

William A. Cassidy (Author)

Book Description

Series: Studies in Polar Research | Publication Date: August 4, 2003

Bill Cassidy led meteorite recovery expeditions in the Antarctic for fifteen years and his searches have resulted in the collection of thousands of meteorite specimens from the ice. This personal account of his field experiences on the U.S. Antarctic Search for Meteorites Project reveals the influence the work has had on our understanding of the moon, Mars and the asteroid belt. Cassidy describes the hardships and dangers of fieldwork in a hostile environment, as well as the appreciation he developed for its beauty. William Cassidy is Emeritus Professor of Geology and Planetary Science at the University of Pittsburgh. He initiated the U.S. Antarctic Search for Meteorites (ANSMET) nroject and led meteorite recovery expeditions in Antarctica in1976. His name is found attached to a mineral (cassidyite), on the map of Antarctica (Cassidy Glacier), and in the Catalog of Asteroids (3382 Cassidy). Profiled in "American Men of Science," and "Who's Who in America," he is also a recipient of The Antarctic Service Medal from the United States and has published widely in Science, Meteoritics and Planetary Science, and The Journal of Geophysical Research.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Antarctica is a meteorite-hunter's dream: its cold, dry climate preserves the space rocks, which are swept along in glacial flows and then accumulate in becalmed areas of the ice cap. In this enthusiastic but arcane treatise, geologist and planetary scientist Cassidy, leader of many polar meteorite-hunting expeditions, has much to say about this intriguing feature of the world's most desolate continent. Meteorites contain vital evidence about the geology and history of their original celestial bodies; from the clues they provide, Cassidy deduces the composition of the primordial nebula from which the solar system condensed, reconstructs the cataclysmic meteoroid bombardment that shaped the early moon and assesses the possibility of ancient life on Mars. Meteorites do have a tale to tell; unfortunately, it's told here through an avalanche of technical information, with plenty of tables, graphs, statistical analyses and lengthy taxonomies of mineralogical types. Cassidy tries to liven things up with first-hand reminiscences, but anecdotes about logistics and weather on Antarctic expeditions, polite appreciations of departed colleagues and accounts of his bureaucratic wrangles with funding agencies and rival scientists eager to get a piece of the space rocks do not add up to a gripping narrative. Cassidy explains the science clearly, but only die-hard rock hounds will have the patience to wade through what amounts to an undergraduate text in planetary geology. B&w photos.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Cassidy aims to write for the 'intellectually curious general reader.' With this book he has succeeded spectacularly. It is an absorbing account of a project that started from a sudden inspiration in 1973 and has evolved into a scientific program of international importance. Noboby else could have told this story, which is beautifully written and spiced with a warm, low-key sense of humor. This is a most welcome addition to the mass of literature on Antarctica and on meteorites, and it will be enjoyed by generational readers and scientists of all ages." Geotimes

"The story of how thousands of meteorite specimens came to lie in the world's scientific collections through diligent recovery efforts in the Antarctic is a compelling one, one that warranted telling. And Cassidy, arguably the initiator of this grand enterprise, is the best person to tell it." Science

"For the casual reader, Cassidy provides an exciting picture of what it's like to be a meteorite hunter on the world's cruelest continent...But Cassidy's book is also full of authoritative science." Natural History

"It's the stunning simplicity that makes this book fascinating, and gives the reader the feeling of being there--in the icy tent, on the crunching snow, under the howling gales--with men of science actually doing something the layman can understand." Washington Times

"Mr.Cassidy's relaxed anecdotal view of Antartic hardships and his wry humor about his collegues....reveal a profound love for his profession, and the skill of a writer of clear, refreshing, unpretentious prose....Mr.Cassidy's credit that by the time he lays the heavy science on us-the discussions of the various types of meteorites, their origins and their meaning-we are already on board for the adventure." Sunday Times

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 364 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (August 4, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521258723
• ISBN-13: 978-0521258722
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #693,071 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #70 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Astronomy & Space Science > Comets, Meteors & Asteroids
  • #78 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Chemistry > Geochemistry

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Masterpiece of Communication!, June 14, 2004

By 

Ray D. Stanford (College Park, MD United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Meteorites, Ice, and Antarctica: A Personal Account (Studies in Polar Research) (Hardcover)

Meteorites, Ice, and Antarctica is a masterpiece of communication! Few science books teach technical matters and yet leave the reader experiencing only a great adventure and joy of learning. Yet, on every challenging subject (from Antarctic ice meteorite-stranding surfaces and the thrilling finding of the first lunar meteorite, Alan Hills 81005, to the Antarctic Martian meteorites like the now famous Alan Hills 84001 that might or might not include signs of very ancient Martian life), Cassidy amazes and informs the reader by successful teaching. He shares the cold reality of Antarctic winds with the warmth of a father recounting his own youth, around a campfire, or as with colleagues around a bar.

Talk about translating meteorite science into terms of human experience! Under, "THE SOCIOLOGY OF CHONDRITES [A broad class of meteorites]", we gain easy access when Cassidy smilingly speaks of "mixed neighborhoods" and the "melting pot" effect. But a few words do no justice to Cassidy's wonderful analogy. One must read it and smile while learning.

Cassidy neither talks down to his audience nor resorts to jargon just to sound 'scientific'. As a reviewer having read almost every meteorite book published in the English language (with help of the NASA-Goddard library), this one emerges as my favorite because of the clarity of presentation and even its 'salt' of good humor.

The entire book is permeated with an air of open honesty and objectivity. When anyone, including the author, has an unproven idea about, e.g., the origin of certain meteorite parent bodies, it clearly is labeled as such. Readers are encouraged in the valuable lesson of thinking for themselves, and with such evoked pondering, Cassidy applies one of the best learning tools.

So it is that this book is enthusiastically recommended, whether you be an intelligent novice just wanting to learn about meteorites and the origin of our solar system, a wayward wanderer who has glimpsed the majesty of a 'falling star' and wondered how it might be to relieve loose bowels in the Antarctic wind, or whether you are one of Cassidy's fellow scientists desiring to share the adventures of a colleague.

This book is learning at its most pleasurable, an adventure into life as a scientist at the terrestrial climatic extreme, a view into the politics of financing scientific adventures, and, furthermore, just one doggoned wonderful reading experience!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Solar System Leftovers in the Freezer, December 21, 2004

By 

Bruce Crocker "agnostictrickster" (Whittier, California United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Meteorites, Ice, and Antarctica: A Personal Account (Studies in Polar Research) (Hardcover)

Meteorites, Ice, and Antarctica by William A. Cassidy is three books in one. The first book is a highly accessible account of ANSMET, the US Antarctic Search for Meteorites program. Part Antarctic adventure story, part exposition on the difficulties of doing scientific research in the late 20th Century, the first part of the book should thrill any interested reader. The second book lays out the spoils of the research, the meteorites - those leftovers from the formation of the solar system and chips off of other planets. This section is much more technical, but Cassidy's writing style and ability to explain makes the second part as readable as the first. The third book brings in statistics to evaluate the scientific worth of the Antarctic meteorite collection and Cassidy speculates on what it all means. Even though this section is clearly aimed at a scientific audience, the interested reader that has made it this far should find this section only slightly harder reading than the previous two. I must confess that my BS in Geosciences helped with part two and three, but even a lay reader with an interest in meteorites and Antarctica should find the entire book well worth the challenge. One of the things I most enjoyed about Cassidy's writing is his ability to inject his geologist's personality throughout the book, even in the sections that could have been as dry as cosmic dust. Most of this book is not for the casual science reader, but those with an active interest in meteorites should find it a welcome addition to their library.

4.0 out of 5 stars Two books in one., June 4, 2010

By 

Christopher P. Obert (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Meteorites, Ice, and Antarctica: A Personal Account (Studies in Polar Research) (Hardcover)

The first half of the book was a blast to read. It moved right along and was very interesting. The second half of the book is much more technical. It reads more like a tech manual. Still a good read.