Atmospheric Science
An Introductory Survey
- 2nd Edition - February 1, 2006
- Latest edition
- Authors: John M. Wallace, Peter V. Hobbs
- Language: English
Atmospheric Science, Second Edition, is the long-awaited update of the classic atmospheric science text, which helped define the field nearly 30 years ago and has served as the co… Read more
Early spring sale
Nurture your knowledge
Grow your expertise with up to 25% off trusted resources.
Description
Description
Atmospheric Science, Second Edition, is the long-awaited update of the classic atmospheric science text, which helped define the field nearly 30 years ago and has served as the cornerstone for most university curricula. Now students and professionals alike can use this updated classic to understand atmospheric phenomena in the context of the latest discoveries, and prepare themselves for more advanced study and real-life problem solving.
This latest edition of Atmospheric Science, has been revamped in terms of content and appearance. It contains new chapters on atmospheric chemistry, the Earth system, the atmospheric boundary layer, and climate, as well as enhanced treatment of atmospheric dynamics, radiative transfer, severe storms, and global warming. The authors illustrate concepts with full-color, state-of-the-art imagery and cover a vast amount of new information in the field. Extensive numerical and qualitative exercises help students apply basic physical principles to atmospheric problems. There are also biographical footnotes summarizing the work of key scientists, along with a student companion website that hosts climate data; answers to quantitative exercises; full solutions to selected exercises; skew-T log p chart; related links, appendices; and more. The instructor website features: instructor’s guide; solutions to quantitative exercises; electronic figures from the book; plus supplementary images for use in classroom presentations.
Meteorology students at both advanced undergraduate and graduate levels will find this book extremely useful.
Key features
Key features
- Full-color satellite imagery and cloud photographs illustrate principles throughout
- Extensive numerical and qualitative exercises emphasize the application of basic physical principles to problems in the atmospheric sciences
- Biographical footnotes summarize the lives and work of scientists mentioned in the text, and provide students with a sense of the long history of meteorology
- Companion website encourages more advanced exploration of text topics: supplementary information, images, and bonus exercises
Readership
Readership
Table of contents
Table of contents
In Memory of Peter V. Hobbs 1936–2005)
Preface to the Second Edition
Preface to the First Edition
1. Introduction and Overview
1.1 Scope of the Subject and Recent Highlights
1.2 Some Definitions and Terms of Reference
1.3 A Brief Survey of the Atmosphere
1.4 What’s Next?
2. The Earth System
2.1 Components of the Earth System
2.2 The Hydrologic Cycle
2.3 The Carbon Cycle
2.4 Oxygen in the Earth System
2.5 A Brief History of Climate and the Earth System
2.6 Earth: The Habitable Planet
3. Atmospheric Thermodynamics
3.1 Gas Laws
3.2 The Hydrostatic Equation
3.3 The First Law of Thermodynamics15
3.4 Adiabatic Processes
3.5 Water Vapor in Air
3.6 Static Stability
3.7 The Second Law of Thermodynamics and Entropy
4. Radiative Transfer
4.1 The Spectrum of Radiation
4.2 Quantitative Description of Radiation
4.3 Blackbody Radiation
4.4 Physics of Scattering and Absorption and Emission
4.5 Radiative Transfer in Planetary Atmospheres
4.6 Radiation Balance at the Top of the Atmosphere
Exercises
5. Atmospheric Chemistry
5.1 Composition of Tropospheric Air
5.2 Sources, Transport, and Sinks of Trace Gases
5.3 Some Important Tropospheric Trace Gases
5.4 Tropospheric Aerosols
5.5 Air Pollution
5.6 Tropospheric Chemical Cycles
5.7 Stratospheric Chemistry
6. Cloud Microphysics
6.1 Nucleation of Water Vapor Condensation
6.2 Microstructures of Warm Clouds
6.3 Cloud Liquid Water Content and Entrainment
6.4 Growth of Cloud Droplets in Warm Clouds
6.5 Microphysics of Cold Clouds
6.6 Artificial Modification of Clouds and Precipitation
6.7 Thunderstorm Electrification
6.8 Cloud and Precipitation Chemistry48
7. Atmospheric Dynamics
7.1 Kinematics of the Large-Scale Horizontal Flow
7.2 Dynamics of Horizontal Flow
7.3 Primitive Equations
7.4 The Atmospheric General Circulation
7.5 Numerical Weather Prediction
Exercises
8. Weather Systems
8.1 Extratropical Cyclones
8.2 Orographic Effects
8.3 Deep Convection
8.4 Tropical Cyclones
9. The Atmospheric Boundary Layer
9.1 Turbulence
9.2 The Surface Energy Balance
9.3 Vertical Structure
9.4 Evolution
9.5 Special Effects
9.6 The Boundary Layer in Context
Exercises
10. Climate Dynamics
10.1 The Present-Day Climate
10.2 Climate Variability
10.3 Climate Equilibria, Sensitivity, and Feedbacks
10.4 Greenhouse Warming22
10.5 Climate Monitoring and Prediction
Exercises
Constants and Conversions for Atmospheric Science
Universal Constants
Air
Water Substance
Earth and Sun
Units and Conversions
Abbreviations Used in Captions
Index
International Geophysics Series
Review quotes
Review quotes
"Wallace and Hobbs...offer this excellent update of an outstanding introductory work. The organization of the book is very clear. Each chapter is well laid out with clear diagrams, good quality figures, and explanatory text. ...A first-class resource book. Summing Up: Highly recommended."— CHOICE
"In terms of both content and appearance, this title has been completely revamped from the first edition. It contains new chapters on atmospheric chemistry, the Earth system, climate, and the atmospheric boundary layer, as well as enhanced treatment of atmospheric dynamics, weather forecasting, radiative transfer, severe storms, and human impacts, such as global warming. The authors illustrate concepts with colorful state-of-the-art imagery and cover a vast amount of new information in the field."—Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society
"Wallace and Hobbs' classic text has been completely updated in content and appearance...Qualitative and numerical exercises are included to reinforce learning, and biographical footnotes summarize the work of key scientists and the history of meteorology. The exercises and lessons are accompanied by full-color illustrations, satellite images, and ground-based photos."—Weatherwise
Product details
Product details
- Edition: 2
- Latest edition
- Published: March 24, 2006
- Language: English
About the authors
About the authors
JW
John M. Wallace
John M. Wallace is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Atmospheric Sciences of the University of Washington. He served as Department Chair from 1983–1988. He is a recipient of the James B. Macelwane and Roger Revelle Medals of the American Geophysical Union (AGU), and the Clarence Leroy Meisinger Award and Carl-Gustav Rossby Medal of the American Meteorological Society (AMS). He is a Fellow of the AGU and the AMS, a member of the National Academy of Sciences, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He is the co-author (with Peter Hobbs) of Atmospheric Sciences: An Introductory Survey (2006), one of the most influential textbooks in the field.
PH