This volume provides an overview of (1) the physical and chemical foundations of dating methods and (2) the applications of dating methods in the geological sciences, biology, and archaeology, in almost 200 articles from over 200 international authors. It will serve as the most comprehensive treatise on widely accepted dating methods in the earth sciences and related fields. No other volume has a similar scope, in terms of methods and applications and particularly time range. Dating methods are used to determine the timing and rate of various processes, such as sedimentation (terrestrial and marine), tectonics, volcanism, geomorphological change, cooling rates, crystallization, fluid flow, glaciation, climate change and evolution. The volume includes applications in terrestrial and extraterrestrial settings, the burgeoning field of molecular-clock dating and topics in the intersection of earth sciences with forensics. The content covers a broad range of techniques and applications. All major accepted dating techniques are included, as well as all major datable materials.

本書は、無機質なデータの集積を超え、地球という壮大な物語の句読点を打つ「知の集成」です。放射性炭素から分子時計まで、人類が宇宙や生命の歩みをいかに定義してきたかという執念の記録であり、単なる専門書を超えた、いわば「時間の考古学」としての崇高な深みを湛えています。 二百名を超える碩学たちが紡ぐ記述は、極めて緻密でありながら、未踏の過去を解き明かそうとする知的な情熱に満ちています。地殻の変動から生命進化の鼓動に至るまで、本書に凝縮された圧倒的なスケール感は、読者を数十億年の時の旅へと誘う、まさに人類の英知が到達した究極のクロニクルと言えるでしょう。