Covering radiogenic, radioactive, and stable isotopes, this comprehensive text contains five sections that present fundamentals of atomic physics; dating methods for terrestrial and extraterrestrial rocks by means of radiogenic isotopes; geochemistry of radiogenic isotopes; dating by means of U, Th-series and cosmogenic radionuclides; and the fractionation of the stable isotopes of H, C, N, O, and S, as well as Li, B, Si, and Cl. Additionally, this edition provides:

Expanded coverage of the U-Pb methods –the most accurate available dating technique
Applications to the petrogenesis of igneous rocks
Summaries of the use of isotopic data for study of the oceans
New examples from the fields of archeology and anthropology
Radiation-damage methods of dating including fission tracks, thermoluminescence, and electron spin resonance (ESR)
Information on the dispersal of fission-product radionuclides and the disposal of radioactive waste
Extensive chapter-by-chapter problems and solutions