A crimson sunset bled across the Martian horizon, painting the rusted hulks of abandoned rovers in shades of forgotten ambition. The wind, a constant lament across the desolate landscape, whipped tendrils of crimson dust around Elara Vance's ankles. She stood on the precipice of Valles Marineris, the grand canyon of Mars, its depths swallowing the fading sunlight whole. Below, where shadows clawed at the last vestiges of day, whispered stories of ancient oceans and the ghosts of a planet's lost potential.

The planet Mars has been a subject of wonder for millennia, as attested by its place in mythology, by later speculation about its canals, and by the scientific and public excitement over the Viking mission. Although the scientific literature about the planet is voluminous, no comprehensive treatment of the results of modern spacecraft exploration has yet been made available. This volume fills that gap by providing a summary of what is presently known about Mars and identifying many puzzles such as polar cap variance, occurrence of dust storms, and the possible location of water. The introductory chapter cites questions, controversies, and milestones in the study of Mars, and also includes an annotated book list, basic data about the planet, and a guide to Martian seasons. A chapter on telescopic observation credits the contributions made by many amateurs that have advanced our knowledge of variations observed on Mars. A chapter on spacecraft exploration, by an American and a Russian author who have participated in all Mars missions, includes a revelation of an additional Soviet attempt. Twenty-nine technical articles cover geophysics; bedrock geology; surface; atmosphere; exosphere and magnetic field; and climate history. Two chapters address the search for life on Mars; three concluding chapters consider the Martian satellites. An indispensable reference for scientists, Mars will also serve as a complete sourcebook for serious amateur astronomers.

As I write this short preface, the red orb of Mars is high in the eastern sky, and is brighter than it has been for many years. Last night my telescope again revealed the strange polar hood which is a feature of the planet at this time in its cycle. Because of its current prominence in the night sky, it is a very appropriate time to bring together and reappraise what we know of Mars and look forward to the next wave of planetary exploration. The initial notion of writing a book about Mars is an exciting one; the practicalities involved in working through and completing the project are, however, more than a trifle exacting. The first problem I encountered was the sheer vastness of the library of information about Mars which now exists. The second was the natural extension of the first, that is, how best to analyse it and reach widely acceptable interpretations. I have tried to write the story of Mars in a logical and unbiased way, however, we all have our individual prejudices, and I would be less than truthful if I did not admit to personal bias here and there. With this in mind, I apologise to any authors who may feel either misinterpreted or less than adequately acknowledged. The project is now completed and has been superbly prepared by Chapman & Hall.

The year is 2051. Every probe sent to reconnoiter up close of Candor Canyon, Mars has failed. Accidents? NASA Director, Ken Hsu, thinks not. Suspecting a sinister hand, he surreptiously re-directs the latest probe sent to Mars from its destined mission plan, toward Candor where it finds an anomaly, an ancient structure not wrought by natural random processes. DoD immediately steps in to investigate, much to the chagrin of President Diane Keynes, who worries not only about the ever-increasing influence DoD exerts over space exploration, but also fears any semblance of catastrophe will sink her re-election bid in the coming year. Blinded by ambition, and her hatred for Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Henry Santos, she is unaware of an odious danger much closer to her than a dead alien ruin on Mars, much more present and quite alive, threatening her administration, her sanity, and her life. Though tough, strong willed, and astute, she needs help. Will she get it before it's too late? At risk is more than her singular life. All humanity on Earth could suffer should she fail.

This reference encompasses the fields of Geomagnetism and Paleomagnetism in a single volume. Both sciences have applications in navigation, in the search for minerals and hydrocarbons, in dating rock sequences, and in unraveling past geologic movements such as plate motions they have contributed to a better understanding of the Earth. The book describes in fine detail the current state of knowledge and provides an up-to-date synthesis of the most basic concepts. It is an indispensable working tool not only for geophysicists and geophysics students but also for geologists, physicists, atmospheric and environmental scientists, and engineers.

For over half a century the world has been kept safe from alien invasion by the tireless work of UNIT – the Unified Intelligence Taskforce. Finally, that story has been uncovered. From the early days working in secret under the command of Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart to the new, modern UNIT organisation under the leadership of his daughter Kate, this secret history exposes the many threats ranged against our world – and how UNIT has saved humanity time and again. Carefully curated from the top-secret, maximum-security heart of UNIT itself, this never-before-seen account includes declassified case files spanning five decades, technical schematics of recovered alien technology, previously unreleased press reports and testimony from UNIT personnel who witnessed events first hand. Featuring plenty of input from the Fifteenth Doctor himself, The Gold Archive stands as the ultimate guide to Earth’s invasions.