16. Physical Study of Planets and Satellites

Abstract

The explosive increase in the number of published papers on planetary and satellite research in recent years has made it impossible to provide an adequate summary of progress in the field over a given three year period in the space allotted for this purpose. The problem is particularly acute for the current epoch - 1 January 1976 to 31 December 1978 - because it encompasses major missions to Mars and Venus by the United States and the Soviet Union, as well as a large number of exciting discoveries made from the ground.