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The terrestrial regolith is a layer of unconsolidated material overlying solid rock. It forms as a result of mechanical and chemical weathering, biological processes, deposition of loose material, or brecciation of rock and may consist of soil, alluvium, and other sedimentary deposits, fractured and oxidized rock, and volcanic ash or scoria. Its thickness varies from negligible to several hundred meters. Regolith has been observed on Earth, Moon, some asteroids, and other planets.
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© 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
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Arndt, N. (2014). Regolith, Terrestrial. In: Amils, R., et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1365-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1365-3
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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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Regolith, Terrestrial- Published:
- 19 November 2020
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1365-4
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Regolith, Terrestrial- Published:
- 04 May 2015
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1365-3