Atmosphere, Clouds, and Climate
1st Edition
Published on 5. August 2019
288 pages
978-1-4008-4277-3 (ISBN)
Description
An essential primer on atmospheric processes and their important role in the climate system
The atmosphere is critical to climate change. It can amplify shifts in the climate system, and also mitigate them. This primer offers a short, reader-friendly introduction to these atmospheric processes and how they work, written by a leading expert on the subject.
Giving readers an overview of key atmospheric processes, David Randall looks at how our climate system receives energy from the sun and sheds it by emitting infrared radiation back into space. The atmosphere regulates these radiative energy flows and transports energy through weather systems such as thunderstorms, monsoons, hurricanes, and winter storms. Randall explains how these processes work, and also how precipitation, cloud formation, and other phase changes of water strongly influence weather and climate. He discusses how atmospheric feedbacks affect climate change, how the large-scale atmospheric circulation works, how predicting the weather and the climate are fundamentally different challenges, and much more. This is the ideal introduction for students and nonspecialists. No prior experience in atmospheric science is needed, only basic college physics.
Authoritative and concise, Atmosphere, Clouds, and Climate features a glossary of terms, suggestions for further reading, and easy-to-follow explanations of a few key equations. This accessible primer is the essential introduction to atmospheric processes and the vital role they play in our climate system.
The atmosphere is critical to climate change. It can amplify shifts in the climate system, and also mitigate them. This primer offers a short, reader-friendly introduction to these atmospheric processes and how they work, written by a leading expert on the subject.
Giving readers an overview of key atmospheric processes, David Randall looks at how our climate system receives energy from the sun and sheds it by emitting infrared radiation back into space. The atmosphere regulates these radiative energy flows and transports energy through weather systems such as thunderstorms, monsoons, hurricanes, and winter storms. Randall explains how these processes work, and also how precipitation, cloud formation, and other phase changes of water strongly influence weather and climate. He discusses how atmospheric feedbacks affect climate change, how the large-scale atmospheric circulation works, how predicting the weather and the climate are fundamentally different challenges, and much more. This is the ideal introduction for students and nonspecialists. No prior experience in atmospheric science is needed, only basic college physics.
Authoritative and concise, Atmosphere, Clouds, and Climate features a glossary of terms, suggestions for further reading, and easy-to-follow explanations of a few key equations. This accessible primer is the essential introduction to atmospheric processes and the vital role they play in our climate system.
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More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Princeton, NJ
United States
Publishing group
De Gruyter
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Edition type
Digital original
Product notice
Reflowable
Illustrations
19 halftones. 21 line illus. 5 tables.
File size
16,31 MB
ISBN-13
978-1-4008-4277-3 (9781400842773)
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
David Randall
Atmosphere, Clouds, and Climate
Book
05/2012
Princeton University Press
€33.40
Shipment within 10-20 days
David Randall
Atmosphere, Clouds, and Climate
Book
04/2012
Princeton University Press
€76.88
Article exhausted; check different version
Person
David Randall is professor of atmospheric science at Colorado State University.
Content
Preface vii
Chapter 1: Basics 1
Chapter 2: Radiative Energy Flows 27
Chapter 3: How Turbulence and Cumulus Clouds Carry Energy Upward 55
Appendix to Chapter 3: More about Eddy Fluxes 96
Chapter 4: How Energy Travels from the Tropics to the Poles 103
Appendix to Chapter 4: Conservation of
Momentum on a Rotating Sphere 134
Chapter 5: Feedbacks 140
Chapter 6: The Water Planet 160
Chapter 7: Predictability of Weather and Climate 183
Chapter 8: Air, Sea, Land 206
Chapter 9: Frontiers 227
Notes 233
Glossary 239
Suggestions for Further Reading 247
Bibliography 253
Index 261
Chapter 1: Basics 1
Chapter 2: Radiative Energy Flows 27
Chapter 3: How Turbulence and Cumulus Clouds Carry Energy Upward 55
Appendix to Chapter 3: More about Eddy Fluxes 96
Chapter 4: How Energy Travels from the Tropics to the Poles 103
Appendix to Chapter 4: Conservation of
Momentum on a Rotating Sphere 134
Chapter 5: Feedbacks 140
Chapter 6: The Water Planet 160
Chapter 7: Predictability of Weather and Climate 183
Chapter 8: Air, Sea, Land 206
Chapter 9: Frontiers 227
Notes 233
Glossary 239
Suggestions for Further Reading 247
Bibliography 253
Index 261
