Book Description

This practical reference examines the structure and properties of the atmosphere, including listings of compounds in clouds, fog, rain, snow, and ice; a listing of compounds detected in the stratosphere; and a compendium of compounds in indoor air. An introduction to carcinogenicity and bioassay of atmospheric compounds is also presented. Readers will find the extensive cross-referencing especially useful--compounds can be located by chemical type, name, CAS registry number, or source. ... Read more

Book Description

This timely volume provides an illustration of the variety of satellite-derived global data sets now available, their uses, advantages and limitations, and the range of variation that has already been observed with these data. ... Read more

Book Description

The Hadley and Walker Circulations are fundamental regulators of the Earth’s energy budget. Although the Hadley Circulation is a well-known concept, surprisingly little attention has been paid to understanding both short and long-term variability of the system. This book reviews current knowledge of Hadley and Walker circulation dynamics and their interactions with the major global monsoon systems, and evaluates paleoclimatic records within the domain of the Hadley Circulation that shed light on past variability of climate over the last 1000 years, the Holocene (the last 11,500 years), glacial periods, and warm climate periods in the past.  The book examines potentially important factors that may have affected the Hadley and Walker Circulations on these different time scales and evaluates changes in the Hadley Circulation and the monsoons as simulated by coupled models of past climate conditions, and predicted future conditions under an enhanced greenhouse effect. This book is meant to serve as a fundamental reference work for current and future researchers, graduate students in the atmospheric sciences and geosciences, and climate specialists involved in interdisciplinary research.

Reviews (5)

Very cool and informative Weather Guide
It has been said "people complain about the weather but never do anything about it." Perhaps that's because they don't know much about it. This book will help you learn more about our weather. I was looking for a book that explained about various weather phenomenon and came across it. I loved it not only because of the pictures and descriptions in the last chapter on various weather types (different kinds of fogs, clouds, storms, precipitation, optical effects, etc), but also for lost of other information covered in the book, but also because the book's other chapters also contained so much excellent information. Subjects like Understanding the Weather (which covers the atmosphere, sources of weather, global wind patterns and different kinds of winds, frontal systems, etc.), Forecasting the Weather (obviously that has never been an exact science!), Changing the Weather, and also a secion on different climates and how humankind and animals adapt.

There are lots of pictures and diagrams in this book which help to explain key weather concepts. One day I will force myself to read this book cover to cover instead of getting sidetracked at all the gorgeous illustrations and pictures in this book, every time I pick it up to read it.

How Does Weather Work?
I love this book all about weather, how it occurs, what makes our planet hum. It has helped me read the sky far more clearly & understand daily forecasts. It is filled with gorgeous photographs & easily interpreted diagrams. I never knew there were so many forms of fog!

Anything you wanted to know about weather!
This book has wonderful photos of every type of weather from clouds, sun dogs, rainbows, hail, freezing rain, and on and on. Each description is only a page long and includes a photograph. It's easy to understand and doesn't get into too much detail. My 6 year old, although she didn't understand the text, got this book out of the library and liked it so much she wanted a copy of her own -- she loved looking at the different photos. And as an adult, I had to agree with her, it's great just to thumb through as well as read the specifics.

Easy to Understand
This Time Life Book is an easy-to-understand guide for the beginning weather enthusiast. Its packed with informative history, pictorials, and side notes of weather! Enjoyed the Field Guide and overall organization of the book.

The book is a very wonderful, SELF-EXPLANITORY
a GOOD BOOK TO READ. eVEN THOUGH THE INDEX IS NOT COMPLETE, THERE IS A LOT OF INFORMATION CRAMMED INTO A LESS THAN 300 PAGE BOOK. ... Read more

Book Description

More than 400 photographs and line drawings illustrate every kind of atmospheric phenomenon: clouds of every type; storms, from cloudbursts to hurricanes; and sky colors. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Worthwhile for the "Everyday" cloud-watcher
This is a useful weather field guide because it spends most time illustrating regular weather phenomena. By that, I mean it spends most time on the various types of clouds, "garden-variety" thunderstorms, and ordinary optical phenomena like rainbows, irridescence, halo(e)s, and the like - the kind of stuff you're most likely to see if you glance out your bedroom window of a morning, or . . . whatever. (It's hard not to sound corny there!)Also, the text goes into how such phenomena comes about, which is useful.

There are also useful appendices like the Beaufort scale, and tornado safety rules in the back.

The only drawbacks are, the fact that this isn't a full-color guide: the color plates have been segregated to an insert around the middle of the book, which makes up perhaps an eighth of the book - if that (all other photos - the majority of the book - are in much less detailed and descriptive black and white); also, the illustration of severe weather is rather limited. We don't see features of a severe thunderstorm, or satellite images of a hurricane at its various stages of intensity (or an illustrated discussion of satellite pictures in general - this guide may be from 1981, but satellites existed then!), or the forms a tornado can take, or where one can form - we only have photos of distant, non-severe looking cumulonimbus (thunderstorm) clouds, a view of clouds around a hurricane taken from a plane (which isn't the perspective either a satellite or someone on the groud is going to have), and one photo of a tornado chosen for its historical merit only (it being the "first photo taken of a tornado," near Howard, SD on 8/28/1884 - an older photo, taken near either Garnett or Westphalia, KS on 4/26/1884, has since been found). [Regarding the thunderstorm/tornado images, I realize this isn't supposed to be a NOAA spotter's guide, therefore gospel, but a variety of images helps.]

But if a lack of color doesn't bother you, and you know your severe storms (or they don't bother you, either), this is a good field guide to have. ... Read more

Book Description

With up to 80% of accidents attributed to pilot error, this new series is critically important. It identifies and examines the ten top areas of concern to pilot safety. Each book contains real-life pilot stories drawn from FAA/NASA databases, valuable "save-yourself" techniques and an action agenda of preventive techniques pilots can implement to avoid risks. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Very General Study of Weather Hazards
I had high hopes for this book when I bought it. The book promised large gains in my aviation weather knowledge. I actually felt a little underwhelmed to be honest. This is, in essence, an introductory level aviation weather textbook.

I am a current airline pilot flying MD-80's, and think that as a General Aviation weather resource, this book is OK. It would be particularly useful for someone studying for their Instrument rating or initial Commercial certificate. For jet transport operations, though, this book is only marginally useful.

This book does contain good information, but understand that it is not very detailed information (I read the entire book in two hours in a hotel room), and is marginally useful to experienced turbine pilots. The book is partly redeemed by numerous case studies, that show the relevance of the materiel. The case studies are very interesting, but lack depth. For better case studies I recommend the NASA ASRS monthly reports (blue sheets) that are mailed free to interested people. For better real world weather flying, stick with Richard Collins for GA or "Fly The Wing" by Jim Webb for turbine flying. ... Read more

Book Description

Meteorology brings the atmosphere into your classroom with 19 hands-on activities, ten supplemental readings, and a thorough resource guide.Learn to read weather maps and make forecasts; model the water cycle on a tabletop; and use real data to track Hurricane Andrew over ocean and land.Other activities explain why the equator heats more quickly than the poles and why dust is needed for cloud formation.Supplemental readings provide educators with the detail they need to feel comfortable with each topic.Now includes SCILinks. ... Read more

Book Description

Applies successive bifurcations approach to complex time-dependent processes in large scale atmospheric dynamics, geomagnetism, and theoretical climate dynamics. Presentation of results on planetary-scale phenomena in the earth's atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere, mantle and core provides an integrated account of mathematical theory and methods together with physical phenomena and processes. Brings together modern tools of nonlinear mathematics and the problems of global change in the environment. ... Read more

Book Description

The material in this Field Guide is a condensed version of similar material found in two textbooks: 'Laser Beam Propagation through Random Media' (SPIE Vol. PM53) and 'Laser Beam Scintillation with Applications' (SPIE Vol. PM99). Topics chosen for this concise presentation include a review of classical Kolmogorov turbulence theory, Gaussian-beam waves in free space, and atmospheric effects on a propagating optical wave. These atmospheric effects have great importance in a variety of applications like imaging, free space optical communications, laser radar, and remote sensing. This Guide presents tractable mathematical models from which the practitioner can readily determine beam spreading, beam wander, spatial coherence radius (Fried's parameter), angle of arrival fluctuations, scintillation, aperture averaging effects, fade probabilities, bit error-rates, and enhanced backscatter effects, among others. ... Read more

Book Description

This publication has been updated after critically reviewingover 500 publications up to 1995.The book includes the latestequations, charts, and tables for thermodynamic properties of moistair, various types of hygrometers and psychrometers for measuring theproperties and guidelines for the selection of hygrometers fordifferent applications. Useful for the laboratory investigator, HVACdesign engineer, instructor, student and technician.Dual units ofmeasurement. ... Read more

Book Description

The purpose of this book is to help the climatologist understand the basic precepts of the statistician's art and to provide some of the background needed to apply statistical methodology correctly and usefully. The book is self contained: introductory material, standard advanced techniques, and the specialized techniques used specifically by climatologists are all contained within this one source. There are a wealth of real-world examples drawn from the climate literature to demonstrate the need, power and pitfalls of statistical analysis in climate research. ... Read more

Book Description

Synoptic meteorology, the study of large-scale weather systems and forecasting using observation, and dynamic meteorology, the study of the laws of physics involved in air movement, are treated in this major new text in two volumes. The author, a meteorologist noted for his research on tornadoes and severe storms, based his work on material he has taught for the past 14 years at the University of Oklahoma. There are no modern texts on the topic. Volume II covers the formation, motion and climatology of extratropical weather systems in the context of the quasigeostrophic theory and "IPV" thinking, the formation and structure of fronts and jets, applications of semigeostrophic theory, and the observed structure and dynamics of precipitation systems in midlatitudes. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

thorough coverage of synoptic meteorology
Bluestein's second volume is much more qualitative than the first; instead of dozens of derivations, he gives the reader a solid discussion of cyclones, applications of QG theory, fronts, jets, and then severe weather.

If you are new to meteorology, you'll still need a strong mathmematical background to follow Bluestein's text. The book is written at the academic level...I believe that it is best suited as a reference for those with prior courses in meteorology.

There are not many review problems at the end of any of the three chapters; this is disappointing, as there could easily be dozens (or more!) per section. Still, Bluestein's two-volume series is a must-have for all serious meteorologists.

Well written college Text
This is the 2nd of 2 books written by Dr. Bluestein to teach synoptic and dynamic meteorology to undergraduate college students. Unlike other textbooks, this textbook takes the time to show alot more of the steps in the derivation of equations used in meteorology. Of course this has added to the size of the book but the fact that the author has taken the care to include this in his book is quite helpful for those learning meteorology. It is a useful reference book.

All the weather plus the mathematics behind it
This is the second of two volumes by Bluestein and it is filled with useful information and presented in an engaging manner. Many meteorology textbooks (unfortunately) choose between presenting synoptic meteorology and dynamic meteorology--you're left to synthesize them yourself. The great virtue of this volume is that they're both here in all their glory, so you not only learn the mathematics but also get a feel for modern synoptic analysis. Bluestein is perhaps most famous for his tornado chases, but this volume proves that he is also a master of theory.

Holton Takes A Vacation
Definitely a much more readable and applicable discussion of dynamic meteorology than the archetype book by Holton.

Part II is more geered toward operational forecasting and if you had dynamic meteo in college and still have Holton, only purchase Part II. Part I is a nice review of what you should have all ready known and only really used again since college if you are in grad school...otherwise, Part 2 is great, detailing synoptic wx systems and the interaction with QGOE forcing, etc...a nice comprehensive review, and some things new too, well worth the buy (only drawback is the price, ouch!!!)

Lovley Lovley book
I loved how Howard used his adventures to write this book and it helps other people relize how hard his job is and how dangerous it is...also at the same time exciting....I think this book was a wonderful enjoyment to read. ... Read more

Book Description

An Introduction to Numerical Weather Prediction Techniques is unique in the meteorological field as it presents for the first time theories and software of complex dynamical and physical processes required for numerical modeling. It was first prepared as a manual for the training of the World Meteorological Organization's programs at a similar level. This new book updates these exercises and also includes the latest data sets. This book covers important aspects of numerical weather prediction techniques required at an introductory level. These techniques, ranging from simple one-dimensional space derivative to complex numerical models, are first described in theory and for most cases supported by fully tested computational software. The text discusses the fundamental physical parameterizations needed in numerical weather models, such as cumulus convection, radiative transfers, and surface energy fluxes calculations. The book gives the user all the necessary elements to build a numerical model. An Introduction to Numerical Weather Prediction Techniques is rich in illustrations, especially tables showing outputs from each individual algorithm presented. Selected figures using actual meteorological data are also used.This book is primarily intended for senior-level undergraduates and first-year graduate students in meteorology. It is also excellent for individual scientists who wish to use the book for self-study. Scientists dealing with geophysical data analysis or predictive models will find this book filled with useful techniques and data-processing algorithms. ... Read more

Book Description

Tropical Environments presents a comprehensive introduction to the complex systems of the tropics. Covering a broad, cross-regional range of humid through to semi-arid tropical climate zones, the book features a wealth of case studies drawn from throughout the tropical world. This book tackles the major problems within the tropics, including complex biological interactions and soil nutrient deficiencies, and offers a balanced integration ofbiophysical and human management issues. ... Read more

Book Description

This history of the thermometer includes controversy about its invention, the story of different scales, Fahrenheit and centigrade, and the history of the gradual scientific then popular understanding of the concept of temperature. Not until 1800 did people interested in thermometers begin to see clearly what they were measuring, and the impetus for improving thermometry came largely from study of the weather -- the liquid-in-glass thermometer became the meteorologist's instrument before that of the chemist or physicist. This excellent introductory study follows the development of indicating and recording thermometers until recent times, emphasizing meteorological applications.

Reviews (2)

An overlooked classic
The title of this book, its date of publication, and the fact that it is translated from German might lead you to believe that it might be dull, but nothing could be further from the truth. It is highly readable, rigorous, and packed with curious information about anything and everything to do with climate (wind, radiation, temperature, humidity) from the micro- to meso-scale. It is a mine of useful information for anyone with a curiosity about the natural world around them, as well as professionals in the disciplines of animal and plant ecology, ecological physiology, horticulture, and forestry. If you've ever wondered why seagulls fly close to the water, why cities are warmer, and why sounds travel further at night, you'll find the answers (and more) in this classic book.

One of the best technical books on any subject
Based on data rather than opinion.It is refreshing to see the huge effort of a scientist rather than unsupported opinon of those with a political agenda. ... Read more