Studies related to the earth and planets along with their surroundings
are of great concern for modern scientists. Global geodynamics as
represented by plate tectonics has now become one of the most powerful
tools by which we can study the causes of earthquakes, volcanic
eruptions, mountain formation and the like. Various missions sent out to
space, manned or of the moon, Mars, Venus and unmanned, brought out
geoscientific features other planets. Earthquake prediction that was the
business of astrologers and fortune-tellers some twenty years ago, has
now grown up to be an important science. A number of destructive
earthquakes were successfully forecast in the People's Republic of
China. In the light of the above-mentioned and other accomplishments in
geosciences, we feel that it is a good thing to publish a series of
monographs which review selected topics of earth and planetary sciences.
We are of course well aware of the fact that similar monographs have
been and will be published from overseas publishers. The series, which
we plan to publish, will therefore stress Japanese work. But we hope
that the series will also include review articles by distinguished
overseas authors.