Overview
- Reviews the difference between cosmic helium, which represents around a quarter of all matter in the Universe, and Earthly helium, which is extremely rare and difficult to find
- Underscores how rare helium is and suggests strategies on how to conserve this valuable resource
- Highlights the important uses for helium and why it is a critical component in so many industries and scientific endeavors
- Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras
Part of the book series: SpringerBriefs in Earth Sciences (BRIEFSEARTH)
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Table of contents (6 chapters)
Keywords
- Applications using Helium
- BLM Helium
- Cliffside Field Helium
- Cosmic Helium
- Discovery of Helium
- Future of Helium
- Helium
- Helium Industry
- Helium Production
- Helium Production Sun
- Helium Production in Earth
- Helium Supply
- History of Helium
- Uses for Helium
- Value of Helium
- Where Helium Found
- mineral resources
- historical geology
- economic geology
About this book
The subject of the book is helium, the element, and its use in myriad applications including MRI machines, particle accelerators, space telescopes, and of course balloons and blimps. It was at the birth of our Universe, or the Big Bang, where the majority of cosmic helium was created; and stellar helium production continues. Although helium is the second most abundant element in the Universe, it is actually quite rare here on Earth and only exists because of radioactive elements deep within the Earth. This book includes a detailed history of the discovery of helium, of the commercial industry built around it, how the helium we actually encounter is produced within the Earth, and the state of the helium industry today. The gas that most people associate with birthday party balloons is running out. “Who cares?” you might ask. Well, without helium, MRI machines could not function, rockets could not go into space, particle accelerators such as those used by CERN could not operate, fiber optic cables would not exist, and semiconductor chips could not be made…the list goes on and on.
Authors and Affiliations
About the author
Wheeler M. “Bo” Sears, Jr.'s entire working career has been involved with oil, gas, and helium exploration. The former Vice-President of Inter-American Corporation and now President of Weil Helium, LLC, Bo has spent the past ten years devoted to helium exploration centering on deposits across the mid-continent region of North America. Weil Helium is one of the only companies in the world involved in helium “exploration” as a primary pursuit; traditionally, helium has been produced as a secondary or tertiary bi-product of natural gas production. On July 11, 2013, Wheeler testified before the United States House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources on the topic of “America’s Helium Supply: Options for Producing more Helium from Federal Lands.”
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: Helium
Book Subtitle: The Disappearing Element
Authors: Wheeler M. "Bo" Sears, Jr.
Series Title: SpringerBriefs in Earth Sciences
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15123-6
Publisher: Springer Cham
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental Science, Earth and Environmental Science (R0)
Copyright Information: The Author(s) 2015
Softcover ISBN: 978-3-319-15122-9Published: 19 March 2015
eBook ISBN: 978-3-319-15123-6Published: 19 February 2015
Series ISSN: 2191-5369
Series E-ISSN: 2191-5377
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XIII, 138
Number of Illustrations: 28 b/w illustrations, 9 illustrations in colour
Topics: Mineral Resources, Space Sciences (including Extraterrestrial Physics, Space Exploration and Astronautics), Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering, Historical Geology, Economic Geology, Geotechnical Engineering & Applied Earth Sciences