Book Description

Recent episodes of extreme weather, with their resultant physical, economic and human losses, highlight the vulnerability of society to changes in the atmosphere. Atmospheric pollution, urbanization, and natural atmospheric disasters are all causing dramatic changes in climatic environments, leading to events like severe flooding, droughts, and heat waves.

Applied Climatology examines the impacts of climate on physical, biological and cultural environments. Specialist contributors from Europe, N. America and Australasia examine the impacts of changing climates on the functioning and development of environments including glaciers, water resources, landforms, soils, vegetation and animals.This book focuses on the relationship between climate and a wide range of human activities and responses relating to health and comfort, building design, transport systems, agriculture and fisheries, tourism and social, industrial and legal issues. ... Read more

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An alarming number of boating accidents are caused by ignorance of and failure to prepare for bad weather.This book tells the amateur exactly where to get the latest weather information and how to interpret and use it. ... Read more

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Reviews (1)

Still useful, even though out-of-date
First published in 1969 and thus out of date due to the extensive research in lightning since then, this book can nevertheless serve as an introduction to the knowledge that was known at the time of publication. My interest in the book stemmed from a sideline interest in ball lightning, a phenomenon which I have never observed, but the accounts of it have some peculiarities from a physics standpoint that are very interesting. Unfortunately, the author only discusses ball lightning in one of the Appendices, and the discussion is very short. The author does discuss in this context the St. Elmo's fire phenomenon.

Even though the book is out of date, it could still serve as a source for homework problems for an instructor teaching a course in electromagnetic theory, whether in physics or engineering. In addition, the author has more recent books on lightning that could be consulted in addition to this one. Lightning is a great example of an electromagnetic phenomenon that everyone is familiar with, and that has lots of interesting physics, some of the understanding of which is still a hot topic of research. For someone like me who is just just curious about the physics of lightning, this book and other ones by the author are of great help, and motivate further reading on the subject. ... Read more

Book Description

In this internationally acclaimed book, Hubert Lamb explores what we know about climate, how the past record of climate can be reconstructed, the causes of climatic variation, and its impact on human affairs now and in the historical and prehistorical past.

This second edition incorporates important new material on recent advances in weather forecasting, global warming, the ozone layer, pollution and population growth. Providing a valuable introduction to the problems and results of the most recent research activity, this book extends our understanding of the interactions between climate and history and discusses implications for future climatic fluctuations and forecasting. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Scholarly Overview of Climatic Changes in Historical Times
I used this book as a reference to write a position paper on global warming for a graduate course in Environmental Science. Professor Lamb's book is a fascinating account of how climate has impacted human history. Originally published in 1982 the new edition (1995) includes material on global warming, atmospheric pollution, population growth, and implications for future climatic fluctuations. This is a one stop reference. ... Read more

Book Description

The popularity of geographic information system (GIS) software as a tool in the social and physical sciences is growing rapidly. These three modular investigation guides let even novice users tap the power of ArcView® GIS to explore, manipulate, and analyze large data sets. Carefully designed and class tested, the guides emphasize the visualization, analysis, and multimedia integration capabilities inherent to GIS, while minimizing the need to master a complex software package. Exploring Water Resources make the nuts and bolts of using ArcView® GIS transparent to your students. By focusing on teaching with GIS rather than teaching about it, you can incorporate GIS easily into homework, discussions, or lab sessions. This flexible teaching resource motivates and enables your students to ?learn by doing? as they use a full complement of GIS capabilities.EXPLORING WATER RESOURCES: GIS INVESTIGATIONS FOR THE EARTH SCIENCES complements any introductory course in meteorology, oceanography, physical geography, natural hazards, Earth sciences, atmospheric science, and Earth systems science. The guide leads students through a set of exercises in which they are asked to explore, analyze, and then elaborate on the information extracted from a robust GIS dataset using ArcView®, the dominant GIS software tool in the school and college market.The GIS information has been preprocessed into maps and legends, and some ArcView procedures have been automated so students can focus on the science content. Extensive classroom testing at both the college and high school levels shows that students have little difficulty using the ArcView data sets to perform the exercises. ... Read more

Book Description

This book provides a history of the study of the tides over two millennia, from the primitive ideas of the Ancient Greeks to present sophisticated space-age techniques. Tidal physics has puzzled some of the world's greatest scientists and mathematicians: amongst many others, Galileo, Descartes, Bacon, Kepler, Newton, Bernoulli, Euler, Laplace, Young, Whewell, Airy, Kelvin, G. Darwin, H. Lamb, have all contributed to our understanding of tides. The volume is amply illustrated with diagrams from historical scientific papers, photographs of artefacts, and portraits of some of the subject's leading protagonists. The history of the tides is in part the history of a broad area of science and the subject provides insight into the progress of science as a whole: this book will therefore appeal to all those interested in how scientific ideas develop. It will particularly interest specialists in oceanography, hydrography, geophysics, geodesy, astronomy and navigation. ... Read more

Book Description

Climate Change 1995--The Science of Climate Change is the most comprehensive assessment available of current scientific understanding of human influences on past, present and future climate. Prepared under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), each chapter is written by teams of lead authors and contributors recognized internationally as leading experts in their field. Climate Change 1995 is the first full sequel to the original 1990 IPCC scientific assessment, bringing us completely up to date on the full range of scientific aspects of climate change. This assessment forms the standard scientific reference for all those concerned with climate change and its consequences, including policy makers in governments and industry worldwide, and researchers and senior-level students in environmental science, meteorology, climatology, biology, ecology and atmospheric chemistry. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

EXCELLENT
Having no college background, but a great interest in the weather, I searched high and low for a comprehensive book that would be understandable and informative.This book greatly increased my knowledge of the weather. It is a quality textbook that covers, in depth, what other books just touchon.High and low pressure systems, fronts, weather systems, trade winds,jet streams, precipitation, clouds, visual effects, measuring devices andmuch more.I would really love to get the next book that carries on wherethis one left off, but to go much farther will probably require moreknowledge of math and physics.This book also gave me the desire forfurther learning.It's almost contagious because the information is soamazingly interesting.I would recommend this book to anyone who trulyloves weather study.Completing the questions in each section really helpsto hold the information gained.

An excellenttext, and a super home library reference.
This is the textbook for a course I just took in Junior College (St. Pete, FL). Although I have many other texts and references on Weather on my shelves, The Atmosphere will take the number one spot now.The diagramsand illustrations are very good, and the Appendices are worth the cost ofthe book alone. Thanks, Bill Bell, St.Pete Florida 7-15-99

A carefully written well-illustrated non-technical textbook.
I am not qualified to judge the content of this evidently widely-used textbook but it seems carefully written, eg its treatment the relationship between the temperature of a parcel of air and the amount of water vapor itcan carry, bearing in mind the cautions on the subject at Penn StateUniversity's "Bad Meteorology" web site. It appears to becomprehensive in scope to judge from its Table of Contents, which iscomparable to that of other introdutory non-technical meteorology texts Ihave seen. Photographs and drawings are plentiful, clear with respect tocontent, and beautifully printed.

When I say "non-technical"I mean readers looking for even a rudimentary treatment of the math,physics, and chemistry of the atmosphere will be disappointed unless, forexample, you consider something like a Fahrenheit/Celsius conversionformula mathematically taxing.This is the technical level intended by theauthors and publisher however and not a fault of the book.

But if someaspect of meteorology should turn you on when you read about it in"The Atmosphere" expect no help from the text if you want toexplore the matter further:bibliography and notes are absent.This maybe an artifact of publishing economics or a (bad) judgement about theintellectual curiosity of the average college underclassman rather than anauthor's omission but it's inexcusable in my view, even for a high schooltext. It merits a two-star penalty.

If you're a non-science majortaking an elective meteorology course to round out your degree requirementsand this text is on the reading list you could do worse.If you have anactive interest in the earth's atmosphere and the study of it, even if youdon't have a background in the hard sciences, you should invest in adifferent text.

An excellent resource for a basic unserstanding of weather.
Most students of meteorology are well acquainted with Lutgens and Tarbuck's introductory text "The Atmosphere:An Introduction to Meteorology".It's usually the first in-depth treatment of atmospheric processes and weather which a potential meteorology major will see.Although it is does not require a strong background in math and physics, it easily translates the complex physical processes of the atmosphere into concise and easy to understand concepts which even the casual weather enthusiast would find beneficial and educational.Another great strength of "The Atmosphere" is it's generous use of full color photos, maps and charts which enhances the reader's understanding of the concepts presented in the text.Special "boxes" within each chapter of the book takes the reader further into the realm of theory with treatment on such subjects as the forces which act on cloud droplets and raindrops; Coriolis force as a function of wind speed and latitude; and even the Tornado Outbreak of April 26 ... Read more

Book Description

The Weather Channel.Global Climatic Warming.El Nio.The clich, "How's the weather? only scratches the surface of America's obsession with everyday storms as well as with hurricanes, thunder and lightning, tornadoes, and other fascinating weather-related phenomena (not to mention televised forecasts).This fun book offers readers the principles of meteorology by exploring the causes and changing patterns of the weather; how events in space affect the Earths weather; and by providing reasons for our increasingly wild weather.Features an overview of the history of the weather from the Ice Age, to the Great Blizzard of the 1930s, to todays worries about global warming.Also contains the latest information on computer forecasting and how, despite hi-tech computers and satellites, forecasters are never 100 percent right.Packed with illustrations and photographs. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Sunny Forecast for this book
I've always been fascinated by weather and its changes. However, having spent my whole life on the West Coast (and almost all of it in California), I can't say I'm that much of a "weather expert." I remember living in San Diego in the late 1970s and having a weatherman describe a passing storm front as a series of "squall lines." I always wondered what exactly that meant. While this book may not define "squall lines" specifically, it does go a long way in explaining our weather. And after reading this book I still may not be a weather expert, but I'm definitely much more knowledgeable about it.

I like the Idiot books because they explain a subject in some depth without going overboard, but at the same time don't "dumb down" to the point of telling cutesy jokes to get a point across. This book is no exception. Taking on weather topics from wind and rain, how violent storms (thunderstorms, tornadoes and hurricanes) develop, how air pollution affects us, "global warming," even how a day to day forecast is put together and how to become a TV weatherman are done in a light but still informative style. There's also some excellent reference material (weather glossary, weather maps, etc.) at the back of the book too.

An excellent introductory book about weather and one that I can refer to time and time again.

A great learning tool!
This book was very interesting. It is great for people of all ages. It answers any question you ever had about the weather, and you don't even have to be a scientist to understand it! It would make a great gift too!

Dr. Mel's encyclopedic knowledge makes weather enjoyable!
Dr. Mel's Complete Idiot's Guide is a most exciting book. I love the way it contains all the elements we could ask for in a book about the weather. I particularly like the part about relative humidtiy; he makes it easy to understand such an abstract concept. ... Read more

Book Description

This volume in the Long-Term Ecological Research Network Series would present the work that has been done and the understanding and database that have been developed by work on climate change done at all the LTER sites. Global climate change is a central issue facing the world, which is being worked on by a very large number of scientists across a wide range of fields. The LTER sites hold some of the best available data measuring long term impacts and changes in the environment, and the research done at these sites has not previously been made widely available to the broader climate change research community. This book should appeal reasonably widely outside the ecological community, and because it pulls together information from all 20 research sites, it should capture the interest of virtually the entire LTER research community. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Fun read when you are under the 'weather'! ;-)
"The Handy Weather Answer Book" by Dr. Walter Lyons is a must-read for anyone interested in something that binds us all, weather, or course!

Meteorology was a part of my geology curriculum at the university level. However, there is information provided in this book that you're not likely to get in an institution of higher learning, such as: "Who is likely to be killed by severe weather-related events?"; "Has ice ever reached the Gulf of Mexico via the Mississippi River?"; "What is a hypercane?"; "What is a glory?"; "Is human breath destroying the pyramids?"; "What do lake breezes have to do with spiders?"; "What is the driest continent?" (this one surprised me!)

The book is filled with trivia questions, but it is also filled with information that might even help save your life as you'll be better prepared with your newfound knowledge.

The craftsmanship of the book is average as far as paperbacks are concerned as it is somewhat flimsy with average paper and printing. However, the information easily outweighs the physical quality. It's a great book for all ages. Very simple to understand and it gets straight to the point. Excellent read!

Great for beginners!
Lyon's books presents readers with a simple, readable format with comprehensive and concise answers to every type of weather-related question available. Great for the beginner weather [person]. The more experienced weather watcher may want to find a more detailed explaination for some answers, though. Lyon's section on sprites is a great plus as it contains much information which is not surprising as he is an expert on sprites. Recommended.

A must-have for the weather fan
"The Handy Weather Answer Book" is a great weather read and reference guide. The entire book is written in question-answer format, and it's very good if you want to find a quick, simple, and easy-to-read answer. It gives specific definitions of commonly used weather terms and also some other terms that are not heard as often. There is also a very detailed index so it's fairly simple to find the question you're looking for. The book is divided into sections, such as "Tornadoes" and "Hurricanes", etc. This book is great to boost an interest in Meteorology. I'd definitely recommend it!

compelling read
This book grabs you from the first word and doesn't let go! Weather has never been more exciting! No matter who you are, layman or climatologist, this is reading entertainment.

Well written, and very interesting.
A great book for anyone interested in weather. It is well written and very easy to understand. I recieved it as a gift for my interest in weather and plan to never get rid of it. It is well worth every penny! ... Read more

Book Description

See the sky as you never have before. Using a series of his awe-inspiring images, photographer and scientist John Day--who has a Ph.D. in cloud physics and is known round the world as "The Cloudman"--introduces us to earth's great skyscape. His spectacular portfolio of pictures captures a variety of cloud forms and shapes, ranging from cottony-soft cumulus clouds to frightening, whirling funnels, as well as a number of optical effects seen in the heavens above. Rainbows, halos, coronas, flashes: all these and more elements in nature's magic show appear on the page, including the incredible "Parhelia" or sun pillar, shafts of bright light that stretch from the ground right up into the sky.A magnificent cloud chart; an explanation of how clouds form; hints on forecasting, observing, and photographing clouds; and his "Ten Reasons to Look Up" show us how to use our "inner eye" to really see the familiar fleeting forms that seemto float effortlessly above.

... Read more

Reviews (1)

A fine tribute to clouds by a veteran weatherman
The many photos making up the bulk of this book (some already seen on his popular website), are presented in a structured way that shows their features and beauty and significance. Dr John Day (know as cloudman) has been practising and teaching about meteorology for longer than most of us have been around. His text is brief, and his style is aimed both at beginners and those who already have some understanding and interest in weather. His chapter on the history of the naming of clouds make up the final section. ... Read more

Book Description

New England was knocked to its knees on February 6th and 7th, 1978 by the incredible snow and wind referred to locally as "The Worst Storm of the Century!" Author Michael Tougias combines stunning photographs with riveting text to reawaken our communal memories of the event dubbed "The Blizzard of '78."

Tougias first chronicles the period before the storm, then follows it through its progression, as it caused commuter nightmares and wreaked devastation. From Cape Cod to Conecticut, from Rhode Island to Route 128, Tougias explains how people survived the storm by spending more than 48 hours in their cars, and how coastal homes were torn from their foundations and smashed to smithereens by the viscous surf.

The book records the brighter sides of the blizzard too, including neighborhood parties cross-country skiing down abandoned highways, and the many ways that people pitched in to help total strangers. Intriguing analysis also compares The Blizzard of '78 with The Great Blizzard of 1888.

Tougias' book will be cherished by anyone who survived the Blizzard of '78, as well as by those of us who have been spellbound by its legend. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Great Gift Idea!
"The Blizzard of '78" is an engaging and fun read. I loved the pictures, which brought back the innocence of that time, when there was no school for two weeks and everyone had to pull together to survive.

I think this makes a great gift and can start some wonderful conversations. Anyone in New England who lived through the great "Blizzard of '78" and has a story to tell, will enjoy this book as a keepsake and rememberance.

Fantastic layout and great text!!
I was surprised to receive a copy of a book called The Blizzard of '78 for Christmas. I had totally forgotten that the 25th anniversary was in February. The pictures and stories have brought back many memories. It's funny how many folks I talk to can tell me where they were, what they were doing, and how much snow was in their part of MA. This ain't a book for the scientific meteorologist folks. This is a scrapbook for those that were there, in The Blizz of '78. Thanks to the author Mike Tougias. Great job!

Brrrr.....
2 weeks without school, making money shoveling driveways, watching TV and (along with my sister) driving my mother crazy. I'll never forget the Blizzard of '78! Michael Tougias has done us all a service by putting this wonderful retrospective of the storm together. True to another reviewer's complaints, it is not a meteorological book. Nor is it a collection of remembrances. It's a photo book with good text that tells the story. It's a scrap book for everyone in New England who still wishes for two weeks off in a winter wonderland!

A Trip Down Memory Lane
This book is a great gift that will bring back many memories ! It is a quick read that will bring many people back to a simpler time. I've bought several copies for gifts and they were all well received.

Fantastic photos!
I didn't live in New England during this time, but I thoroughly recommend this book to those who have stories to tell of the blizzard and those who like me, love to hear those stories. The photos are numerous and cover every aspect of the storm and extensive cleanup. If you were there , you'll love to read it and reminisce and if you weren't you'll get a great feel for what it was like. ... Read more

Book Description

Most of us have heard the dire predictions about global warming. Some experts insist that warming has already started, and they warn of such impending disasters as the sea level rising to flood coastal cities. Others, however, have issued loud counterclaims, assuring us that global warming is a myth based on misleading data. How can we tell who is right, and how we should respond? And why is there no scientific consensus on a matter of such vital importance? George Philander addresses these questions in this book, as he guides the nonscientific reader through new ideas about the remarkable and intricate factors that determine the world's climate.

In simple, nontechnical language, Philander describes how the interplay between familiar yet endlessly fascinating phenomena--winds and clouds, light and air, land and sea--maintains climates that permit a glorious diversity of fauna and flora to flourish on Earth. That interplay also creates such potent weather disrupters as El Niño and La Niña, translates modest fluctuations in sunlight into global climate changes as dramatic as the Ice Age, and determines the Earth's response to the gases we are discharging into the atmosphere, such as those that led to the ozone hole over Antarctica and those that are likely to cause global warming. In his discussion of these matters, Philander emphasizes that our planet is so complex that the scientific results will always have uncertainties. To continue to defer action on environmental problems, on the grounds that more accurate scientific results will soon be available, could lead to a crisis. To make wise decisions, it will help if the public is familiar with the geosciences, which explore the processes that make ours a habitable planet.

The book is an excellent introduction to the basics of the Earth's climate and weather, and will be an important contribution to the debate about climate change and the relationship between scientific knowledge and public affairs. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

A "risky business"
If you retain any doubts about whether the atmosphere around us is warming, this book will dispel them. George Philander has produced the most complete study yet of climate mechanics and trends. His theme is the complexity of the global weather systems. With three decades of experience teaching the subject, he understands these intricate systems. He knows each part must be dealt with individually. Although derived from a series of lectures, he rises above a purely pedantic approach in presenting the issues. He's fully aware that human-induced factors in climate change can be modified only by those same humans. Although containing a wealth of detail, the book is directed at the general reader. It's an indispensable starting point in learning about climate and global warming.

In coping with the many interacting elements that must be addressed in assessing global warming, he begins at the fundamental level. Once any form of atmosphere is in place, what does light do in generating change? No atmosphere merely sits in place - light drives chemical and temperature changes. What changes take place, and how severe, great or minimal, can they be? This is the "uncertain science" Philander uses to subtitle the book. Because interactions of light, water vapour and various molecules react differently, he cautions the reader and his fellow scientists not to arrive at conclusions without making fully comprehensive assessments. It is too easy, he cautions, to draw conclusions through focussing on one or a few players in the climate drama. Ignored or dismissed factors are likely to hold surprises. The biggest surprise, of course, is a scenario that proves false.

With global warming universally accepted, with only the pace and impact in dispute, Philander's book is a welcome summary of the science. His style is neither alarmist nor overly detached from the issues. The balance keeps the book readable. He even banishes most of the mathematical explanations to Appendices at the back of the book. The text is enhanced by highly effective graphics. The theme of uncertainty is introduced early in the book with an image of a skier's wallet skidding down a slope. "Moguls" of heaped snow make the wallet's track unpredictable - a point referred to frequently in the narrative. He images the way
mountains affect rain patterns, how globe-girdling oceanic currents move and what happens in the deep seas as fresh, salt, cold and warm waters interact. Anyone still thinking the oceans are simply beds of salty water should look here.

Although Philander's style is understated, he leaves no doubt as to the seriousness of the problem. The atmosphere is warming. Whether humanity initiated the current cycle is irrelevant. We are aggravating it and only we can reduce our impact. We are unlikely to curb the El Nino cycles, but we can learn to better cope with them. We can also reduce the likelihood of their growing more intense. Philander cites the case of fluorocarbons and the Antarctic Ozone Hole. An accord led to reduction in those gases, new accords can reduce or eliminate production of others clogging the atmosphere. Global warming, he says, is a "risky business". It's up to us to reduce the risk. Read this book and find out how. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

Not an easy read but worthwhile
In his book "Is The Temperature Rising?: The Uncertain Science of Global Warming", S. George Philander provides an excellent overview of the various geological, climatic, atmospheric and oceanic forces that bear on the debate over global warming. In contrast to other groups who have taken sides on this issue, Philander's book reflects a basically moderate view which seeks to bridge the chasm between the overly-simplistic or just plain hysterical rhetoric that too often characterizes the debate over global warming.

The primary focus of the book is a tour of the science that bears on the ultimate climatic question: is the temperature rising? Philander dives into a detailed review the energy inputs and forces that shape the earth's temperature balance and discusses what is happening now that will affect those forces, in particular, the impact of man-made greenhouse gasses. No doubt this survey is a necessary foundation for understanding the problem, however it comprises the bulk of the book and required some dedication on my part to get through it. In other words, it's not a quick and dirty read and you may find yourself, like me, putting it down frequently.

This review gives the reader the understanding of the many factors that will impact the outcome of current trends in fossil fuel gas buildup - factors which are not unidirectional. For instance, models of global warming generally predict that increased temperature will lead to more water moisture in the air, which in turn acts to reflect sunlight and helps cool the atmosphere. What is not fully understood is how the opposing forces interact and which trend will prevail. Unfortunately, the complexity of the issue - as exemplified by this interaction - greatly clouds the debate, leaving ample room for sophistical arguments from those who both accept and reject the global warming hypothesis.

According to Philander (and essentially everybody else), what is indisputable is that the concentration of so-called greenhouse gasses is rising dramatically, and that alone should be enough to engender caution and attention to this issue. The author lands with those who believe that the earth will continue to warm but implicitly acknowledges that he doesn't know the answer either. Nor can we be sure, but the debate is not likely to go away, so those interested in participating in it could do worse than to read this book. Other reviewers appear to have been disappointed that the book chose to concentrate so heavily on the science behind the global warming debate, but to them my reply is that the science is the crux of that debate - if you're interested in the topic don't let them dissuade you from reading Philander's book. It could be a bit more readable - but it couldn't really be any more on-topic.

He indeed has built a house, but on the foundation of facts
'Is the temperature rising?' is an amazing book. It's perfect for anyone who really wants to get the facts straight on the issue. It states that to make a proper judgement, one must be familiar with the way the earth works. The way light interacts with molecules, heat, albedo, the weather, air, carbon dioxide, etc. Without a basic knowledge of the way the planet functions, it's hard to undestand what Global warming really does. Philander explains all of this in great detail so it's not exactly light reading but well worth the time. Best of all, it's writen from an unbiased point of view.

an excellent mistitled book
This book should really be called _How the Temperature Rises: the Fundamentals of Global Warming_.

In concise readable prose Philander outlines all the physics, chemistry, biology and geology that you will need to understand to truly follow the debate about global warming. This is no mean feat. We are talking about GLOBAL warming here, i.e. the science of how everything works. He methodically proceeds component by component through the environment and explains basic scientific principles that govern, among other things, how the wind works, how ocean currents move, how heat is transported through the atmosphere and in the oceans, how the atmosphere is heated from below and why, and how mathematical models represent climate.

He is determined to make his readers into informed participants in a discussion that he makes clear that he believes is very important. He does not hector, but he does take an unambiguous position: we should do something about this. It is a pleasure to read a book that reaches a passionate conclusion through reasoning. I withhold one star because I thought that the summary chapter that actually does address global warming directly could have been more detailed.

Uncertain Book Misses Global Warming
Too bad one star is the lowest rating here. If this had been a pharmceutical drug, the Food And Drug Administration would have to remove it from the shelves for mislabeling. But it's ONLY a book. Oddly enough, this appears to be a feeble S. Fred Singer wannabe (re: Singer's, "Hot Talk, Cold Science : Global Warming's Unfinished Debate"), but drifting towards global warming (maybe). At least Singer puts meat on his atmospheric scientific bones and runs a challenging game of disinformation on behalf of the fossil fuel companies for which he is a paid consultant. But evidently S. George Philander collaborated with his publisher to stretch a more or less decent college intro science text into an everyman's atmospheric book with global warming in its title for the hook. At that point I don't care whether the resulting Intro to Atmos Sci is any good or not. One cannot build a house on a foundation of sand. ... Read more

Book Description

The book begins with three introductory chapters that provide some basic physics and explain the principles of physical investigation.The principal material contained in the main part of the book covers the neutral and ionized upper atmosphere, the magnetosphere, and structures, dynamics, disturbances, and irregularities.The concluding chapter deals with technological applications.The account is introductory, at a level suitable for readers with a basic background in engineering or physics. The intent is to present basic concepts, and for that reason, the mathematical treatment is not complex.SI units are given throughout, with helpful notes on cgs units where these are likely to be encountered in the research literature. This book is suitable for advanced undergraduate and graduate students who are taking introductory courses on upper atmospheric, ionospheric, or magnetospheric physics.This is a successor to The Upper Atmosphere and Solar-Terrestrial Relations, published in 1979. ... Read more

Book Description

For hikers, climbers, and skiers heading into the mountains: Does the weather say "go" or "stay home"?A meteorologist (and outdoorsman) guides your decision.

*Reading clouds, wind patterns, snow conditions, and other clues, pre-trip and on the mountain*Strategies for safety and survival in adverse weather conditions *Regional mountain weather phenomena to watch for across the U.S.

Working as a broadcast meteorologist, Jeff Renner hears all too frequent reports about weather-related hiking, climbing, and skiing accidents. He'll teach you how to avoid becoming a statistic: all it takes is a little basic weather knowledge, pre-trip planning, and vigilance on the mountain.

Renner discusses the best information sources to guide you, clues to watch for in the field, and how to analyze it all, with particular emphasis on potential threats due to thunderstorms, mountain winds, snow, and avalanche hazards. If you do get caught under stormy skies, he'll tell you how to limit your exposure. The book is filled with tip lists and concrete examples. Renner also includes chapters on weather patterns region by region across the U.S., highlighted by reference maps. ... Read more

Amazon.com

It's Raining Frogs and Fishes, a lighthearted look at the world's weather,collectsoddments and tidbits on climatological matters. Among the book's many high points are Jerry Dennis'snatural history of mirages (there are many more than the usual desert variety) and his examination of theage-old question about whether the aurora borealis roars. At other points he looks into ancient Romanbeliefs about lightning, the adaptive strategies of the Galapagos penguin, and the origins of dew. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A Facinating Book!
I found this book to be quite facinating, and very well written. It should be a must read for anyone interested in the subject of science and weather. This book covers all sorts of anomalies of weather and nature from 'frogs rains' to tornadoes, thunderstorms and sun spots! All sorts of interesting bits of information are compiled here, that make it a page-turning read from start to finish. There is great information about comets and stars and all sorts of oddities of the heavens as well. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The information is conveyed intelligently, but with an undercoat of wit and humor. You will really enjoy this one!

Accessible,entertaining, amazing, a must read for all ages.
I love it. I received only a few days ago and I already finished it. I must read it again and again. It is well written in an easy style accessible to all and nicely illustrated. The contents seem to be more science fiction thatn science facts, they are so incredible. I love it as I already wrote and you willl too. Don't wait, buy it now. Amazon.com can ship it in a record time and the price is excellent value for money for this highly entertaining book.

Natural phenomena and oddities of the skies. A must-read!
Frogs falling from the sky? Balls of light zipping around mastheads of ships? This surprisingly non-technical book explains the theories and facts behind strange phenomena of the sky. Illustrators, take not, as well. Glenn Wolff's illustrations bring this book to life and make it a wonderful addition to everyone's coffee table ... Read more

Book Description

The authors explain the science behind global warming, outline the political reasons that governments have not acted to reverse climate change, and argue that both environmental and economic factors must be considered to create a solution that puts public good before corporate profit. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Compelling and feasible argument for climate justice
Much of the debate about climate change (global warming) has focused on short-term details about the structure of any international treaty and the near-term rate of change in emissions. Athanasiou and Baer perform a great service by bringing the larger questions of the long-term severity of the climate problem and the potential massively unequal consequences of climate change for people of different wealth levels.

Grounding their argument in the well-accepted science of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the authors describe in clear language the imperative to dramatically reduce global greenhouse gas emissions over the next 50 years. Importantly, they endorse the current ideas about international emissions trading as a low-cost way to achieve these cuts, but they then lay out an ethically grounded argument for ensuring that this trading is structured in a fair and equitable way--both for people in poorer countries and for people in future generations. Moreover, they are careful to defend the political viability of their proposed solutions.

Written in direct and comprehensible language, Dead Heat is a forceful call for more serious action to address the social and environmental consequences of climate change and climate change policy.

Another great book from AK Press
This book explains both the science of global warming and the political reasons why governments have not acted to reverse it. ... Read more