Michael Carroll is a space artist and science writer. He has done commissioned work for NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. His art has appeared in several hundred magazines throughout the world, including National Geographic, Time, Asimov's Science Fiction, Smithsonian, Astronomy, and others. One of his paintings was flown aboard Russia's MIR space station in 1995. Recent murals include the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Fleet Science Center in San Diego, and Lockheed/Martin. Carroll is a Fellow of the International Association for the Astronomical Arts and has written articles and books on topics ranging from space to dinosaurs to Biblical archaeology. His articles have appeared in Popular Science, Astronomy, Astronomy Now (UK), Sky & Telescope, and a host of children's magazines. In 2007, he was awarded the Lucien Rudaux Award for lifetime contribution to the astronomical arts. Carroll has authored two books already for Springer, entitled "The Seventh Landing" (2009) and "Drifting on Alien Winds" (2011).
>Dr. Rosaly Lopes is a Senior Research Scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where she is also a Lead Scientist for Geophysics and Planetary Geosciences. An expert on volcanism on Earth and the planets, Dr. Lopes currently studies ice volcanism on Saturn's moon Titan. She worked for several years on the Galileo mission studying the active volcanoes of Jupiter's moon Io, where she discovered 71 previously unknown active volcanoes and was named in the Guinness Book of World Records as having discovered more active volcanoes than anyone else. She has published four books, 'Volcanic Worlds: Exploring the Solar System Volcanoes' (Springer 2004), 'The Volcano Adventure Guide' (CUP 2005), 'Io After Galileo' (Springer 2007), 'Alien Volcanoes' (John Hopkins University Press, 2008), 'Volcanoes' (OneWorld Publications, 2011). She has received many awards, including the Carl Sagan Medal from the American Astronomical Society, inrecognition for her work communicating science to the public, the NASA Exceptional Service Medal, and the Wings Women of Discovery Award in Air and Space. She is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Royal Geographical Society, and a member of numerous professional organizations.

Offers a unique approach to understanding the nature of the surfaces of the planets and moons in our Solar System

Includes original artwork by Carroll depicting alien seas as well as the latest ground-based and spacecraft images

Discusses the facts and issues concerning the search for active biology on other worlds

Includes supplementary material: [...]

Acknowledgments.- Foreword by James Cameron.- 1. Introduction: Oceans on Earth and Elsewhere by Michael Carroll.- Chapter 2. Chasing the Lost Oceans of Venus by David Grinspoon.- Chapter 3. Oceans on Mars by Timothy Parker.- Chapter 4. Seas of Molten Rock by Rosaly Lopes.- Chapter 5. Jupiter's Water Worlds: Water Lurks Beneath the Surfaces of Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto by Robert Pappalardo.- Chapter 6. Oceans At The Outer Limits: Enceladus, Outer Moons, Pluto by John Spencer.- Chapter 7. Sand Seas of the Solar System by Jani Radebaugh.- Chapter 8. Exotic Seas: Titan's Methane/Ethane Lakes by Karl Mitchell.- Chapter 9. The Seas of Saturn by Kevin Baines and Mona Delitsky.- 10. The Alien Seas of Earth: Astrobiological Implications by Chris McKay.- Chapter 11. Seas of the Milky Way by Jeffrey Bennett.- About the Authors.