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Rock

Encyclopedia of Astrobiology

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Definition

Rock is the naturally occurring solid material of the Earth. Its composition is variable, depending on its mode of formation and the types of constituent minerals and organic substances. There are three main types of rock: igneous rocks, which form by solidification of magma, either slowly and deep within the crust (plutonic rocks) or by rapid cooling at a planet’s surface (volcanic rocks); sedimentary rocks, which either result from the crystallization of chemically precipitated substances (on Earth commonly biologically mediated), the deposition and cementation of detrital grains, or the lithification of organic substances; and metamorphic rocks, which are produced when the other two types of rocks are subjected to elevated temperatures and pressures.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Maison des Géosciences, LGCA, Université J. Fourier, 1381, rue de la Piscine, 38400, St-Martin d’Hères, France

    Nicholas Arndt

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  1. Nicholas Arndt
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Correspondence to Nicholas Arndt .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Biología Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    Ricardo Amils

  2. Labo. d'Astrophysique de Bordeaux (LAB), Observatoire Aquitain des Sciences de l'Univers (OASU), Floirac CX, France

    Muriel Gargaud

  3. Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), Inst. Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial, Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain

    José Cernicharo Quintanilla

  4. Geophysical Lab., Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, USA

    Henderson James Cleaves

  5. Astronomy Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA

    William M. Irvine

  6. Dépt. Sc. de la Terre et de l’Atmosphère, Université du Québec, Montréal, Montreal, Québec, Canada

    Daniele Pinti

  7. Centre National d'Etudes Spatiale (CNES) DPI/E2U, Paris CX, France

    Michel Viso

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Arndt, N. (2014). Rock. In: Amils, R., et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1384-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1384-3

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-27833-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Physics and AstronomyReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Chemistry, Materials and Physics

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Chapter history

  1. Latest

    Rock
    Published:
    28 December 2022

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1384-4

  2. Original

    Rock
    Published:
    29 April 2015

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1384-3

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