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