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Elsevier

Books in Climatology

  • Precipitation Assessment

    Formation, Assessment and Hazards
    • 1st Edition
    • Wei Zhang
    • English
    Precipitation Assessment: Formation, Assessment and Hazards offers a comprehensive overview of precipitation, bringing together the fundamental principles of formation, the necessary methods and tools for assessment, and key aspects of precipitation hazards. Chapters focus on the formation of precipitation, including contents moisture, clouds and convection, weather systems that create precipitation (frontal systems, cyclones, atmospheric rivers etc.), precipitation types (rainfall and snowfall) and their forming mechanisms. Then, several chapters explore precipitation measurements, types of precipitation data (in-situ data, remote sensing, reanalysis data, and combined products), metrics for precipitation assessment (depth, intensity and extremes), tools for precipitation assessment (IDF curve, PMP and Taylor Diagram).The book closes with a detailed discussion of precipitation extremes as well as considerations in the face of climate change. Readers will appreciate this comprehensive review of the latest developments in precipitation formation, assessment methods, and extreme precipitation hazards.

  • Weather and Climate

    Applications of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence
    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 13
    • Simon Driscoll + 6 more
    • English
    Weather and Climate: Applications of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence, Volume 13 provides a comprehensive exploration of machine learning in the context of weather forecasting and climate research. Sections begin with an introduction to the fundamentals and statistical tools of machine learning and an overview of various machine learning models. Emulation and machine learning of sub-grid scale parametrizations are discussed, along with the application of AI/ML in weather forecasting and climate models. Next, the book delves into the concept of explainable AI (XAI) methods for understanding ML and AI models, as well as the use of generative AI in climate research.The book explores the interface of data assimilation and machine learning for weather forecasting, showcasing case studies of machine learning applied to environmental monitoring data. Final sections look ahead to the future of ML and AI in climate and weather-related research, providing references for further reading. This comprehensive guide offers valuable insights into the intersection of machine learning, artificial intelligence, and atmospheric science, highlighting the potential for innovation and advancement in weather and climate research.Members of the Royal Meteorological Society are eligible for a 35% discount on all Developments in Weather and Climate Science series titles. See the RMetS member dashboard for the discount code.

  • AI and Remote Sensing for Monitoring, Prediction, and Mitigation of Urban Climate Risks

    • 1st Edition
    • Linlin Lu + 2 more
    • English
    AI and Remote Sensing for Monitoring, Prediction, and Mitigation of Urban Climate Risks provides a comprehensive exploration of the urban heat island (UHI) phenomenon, and the innovative technologies employed to address its challenges.The book begins by outlining the UHI crisis, highlighting the detrimental effects of urbanization on local climates, particularly the increased temperatures in urban environments. It emphasizes the role of remote sensing technologies and diverse data sources in analyzing UHIs, laying the groundwork for advanced research. The text then looks into AI-driven methodologies, showcasing how machine learning and deep learning techniques can enhance urban land classification, estimate urban 3D morphology, and retrieve land surface temperatures. Additionally, it discusses the application of deep learning for predicting UHIs and identifying the driving factors behind their formation, providing valuable insights into urban climate dynamics. In its final sections, the book addresses practical applications of these technologies, including the detection and assessment of heatwave events and urban heat health risk evaluations. It also emphasizes the importance of urban green infrastructure as a mitigation strategy and discusses the transition from data analysis to policy formulation. This essential resource illustrates how AI and remote sensing can be harnessed to monitor, predict, and mitigate urban climate risks effectively, fostering more resilient and sustainable cities.

  • GeoAI-Driven Earth Observation for Sustainable Development

    Contemporary Advances and Emerging Opportunities Across Scales
    • 1st Edition
    • Achala Shakya + 6 more
    • English
    GeoAI-Driven Earth Observation for Sustainable Development: Contemporary Advances and Emerging Opportunities Across Scales presents a comprehensive overview of how Geographic Artificial Intelligence (GeoAI) is transforming Earth observation technologies to support the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).The book begins by outlining the evolution of Earth observation and the integration of machine learning and deep learning techniques that enhance data analysis capabilities. It addresses the challenges and ethical considerations involved in deploying GeoAI, emphasizing the importance of open-source tools, cloud-edge intelligence, and reproducibility in advancing the field. The text explores a wide range of GeoAI applications tailored to specific SDGs, including precision agriculture for food security, urban resilience, disaster risk reduction, forest and biodiversity conservation, and water resource management. It also highlights innovations in air quality mapping, clean energy monitoring, health and well-being, inclusive education, gender equality, sustainable economic growth, and infrastructure development. Additionally, the book discusses policy and governance frameworks that enable the effective use of GeoAI for sustainable development, alongside integrated scenario modeling to bridge science and technology in land-use and cover change. Further, it examines emerging GeoAI applications in groundwater quality, marine and coastal ecosystems, and regional security in the context of climate change.This multidisciplinary volume equips researchers and practitioners with the knowledge and tools to harness GeoAI for addressing complex environmental and societal challenges.

  • Geospatial Techniques in Climate Change Monitoring and Environmental Mapping

    An Interdisciplinary Approach to Risk Reduction
    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 11
    • Jung-Sup Um + 3 more
    • English
    Geospatial Techniques in Climate Change Monitoring and Environmental Mapping: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Risk Reduction presents a comprehensive examination of innovative geospatial methods utilized to address the challenges posed by climate change across various sectors. The book encompasses a wide array of topics, including the application of remote sensing in agriculture, urban climate change mitigation, and the evaluation of land use effects on surface temperatures. It highlights the integration of advanced technologies such as machine learning and satellite imagery to enhance drought risk mapping, deforestation detection, and flood prediction, providing valuable insights into environmental sustainability. Moreover, the text emphasizes participatory approaches and the role of local communities in climate resilience. By synthesizing interdisciplinary perspectives, the book underscores the importance of collaborative efforts in developing effective mitigation and adaptation strategies. Ultimately, this work serves as a vital resource for researchers and practitioners committed to leveraging geospatial techniques for effective climate change risk reduction and environmental management.Members of the Royal Meteorological Society are eligible for a 35% discount on all Developments in Weather and Climate Science series titles. See the RMetS member dashboard for the discount code.

  • Climate and Natural Hazard Risks

    • 1st Edition
    • Peter Sammonds + 2 more
    • English
    Climate and Natural Hazard Risks is an in-depth examination of the physical, environmental, economic, and social impacts of climate change and natural hazards on vulnerable populations in different regions around the world. The authors open with the simple question “What is risk?,” taking a detailed look at historical and global trends and risk frameworks as they relate to the Earth system and climate change. The authors then examine the drivers of social and physical vulnerability. From there, the chapters systematically review different hazards and their implications for risk (hurricanes, cyclones, flooding, extreme temperatures, food insecurity, earthquakes, tsunamis). The authors then delve into the latest methods and research for multihazard risk assessment. The book closes with challenging explorations of resilience, and environmental and social transitions for climate change. Students, practitioners and policy-makers working across climate science, hazard risk assessment, disaster management and humanitarian response will find this instructive and thought-provoking text essential reading.

  • Science, Culture, and Climate

    Navigating Change
    • 1st Edition
    • Thomas Rickenbach
    • English
    Science, Culture, and Climate: Navigating Change makes an engaging case that solutions to the climate crisis require a deep embrace of science, along with an understanding of social constructs and history. Initial chapters calibrate the reader’s understanding and significance of science, with following chapters focusing on how climate and life on Earth are deeply interconnected, the evolution of human society, and how our energy choices have triggered a climate crisis. Other sections explore how people process risk as they respond to challenges while reflecting on how major change was accomplished in America’s past.Concluding chapter highlights the moral imperatives that form the basis of trust to help pave the fraught road to lasting climate solutions, along with global approaches. This textbook is ideal for undergraduate students in environmental science and non-science majors studying climate change within history, anthropology, ethics, political science, engineering, psychology, and other disciplines. It is also useful for professionals in areas related to environment and sustainability, for advanced high school students, as well as for a general readership. Supplementary resource materials to accompany the book include narrated videos, in-class activities, and PowerPoint slides.

  • Global Physical Climatology

    • 3rd Edition
    • Dennis L. Hartmann
    • English
    Global Physical Climatology, Third Edition delineates the science of climate and climate change that spans the atmosphere, oceans, and land surfaces. The book begins with a detailed introduction of the climate system and then introduces its physics, including the principles and processes that determine the structure and climate of the atmosphere, oceans, and land surfaces. More advanced sections apply the basic knowledge introduced earlier in the text in understanding natural variability of the climate in both the present and past, the sensitivity of climate to external forces, explanations for the ice ages, and the science of human-induced climate change.The physical principles and computer models necessary for understanding past climate and predicting future climate are also discussed. This book is recommended for upper division undergraduates and graduates in meteorology, atmospheric science, oceanography, and other environmental fields. It is also suitable for students with a background of at least one year of college physics and calculus as well as researchers in academia, government (military, NOAA, NWS), and policymakers.

  • Climate Change, Community Response and Resilience

    Insight for Socio-Ecological Sustainability
    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 6
    • Uday Chatterjee + 4 more
    • English
    Climate Change, Community Response, and Resilience: Insight for Socio-Ecological Sustainability, Volume Six presents a fundamental theoretical framework for understanding how community resilience and risk assessment affect climate change adaptation behavior. This framework is based on a 26-chapter theoretical and empirical examination that includes pioneer projects from various regions that illustrate the relationship between theory and practice, reflect a paradigm shift in climate change, community response, and resilience, and focus on these important aspects from a sectoral perspective. Climate change, ecological consequences and resilience are then discussed in the final section. Members of the Royal Meteorological Society are eligible for a 35% discount on all Developments in Weather and Climate Science series titles. See the RMetS member dashboard for the discount code.

  • Climate Change and Life

    The Complex Co-evolution of Climate and Life on Earth, and Beyond
    • 1st Edition
    • Gabriel M. Filippelli
    • English
    Explores the deep connections between climate change and the evolution and extinction patterns of life on Earth Climate Change and Life covers the critical tectonic and biogeochemical cycles that drive climate and shape the modern world. It also compares the climate histories of Earth, Venus and Mars, and explores the limits of habitability in the Universe. This book is multidisciplinary and will instruct readers on the range of extremes in climate and biogeochemical cycling that shape life on Earth. Topics covered include the atmospheric and orbital controls of climate, how we measure past climate change, major evolutionary events, mass extinctions, the evolution of humans and their increasing impact on global climate, and future climate and the fate of global ecosystems. Climate Change and Life takes a long view on climate and evolution while also focusing on the defining moments in Earth history when critical thresholds and events occur. Scientists and students alike interested in climate change, earth and environmental sciences, and other areas related to climate change will find value in the concepts and examples presented in this book.Examines the link between climate change and extinctions in the geosphere, atmosphere, and biosphereExplores the concept of ecological resilience, the principal reason why the Earth has remained continuously inhabited by organisms for almost four billion yearsDiscusses how the ongoing influences of climate change will continue to shape a planet that will head toward extremes

  • Antarctic Climate Evolution

    • 2nd Edition
    • Fabio Florindo + 3 more
    • English
    Antarctic Climate Evolution, Second Edition, enhances our understanding of the history of the world’s largest ice sheet, and how it responded to and influenced climate change during the Cenozoic. It includes terrestrial and marine geology, sedimentology, glacier geophysics and ship-borne geophysics, coupled with results from numerical ice sheet and climate modeling. The book’s content largely mirrors the structure of the Past Antarctic Ice Sheets (PAIS) program (www.scar.org/scienc... formed to investigate past changes in Antarctica by supporting multidisciplinary global research. This new edition reflects recent advances and is updated with several new chapters, including those covering marine and terrestrial life changes, ice shelves, advances in numerical modeling, and increasing coverage of rates of change. The approach of the PAIS program has led to substantial improvement in our knowledge base of past Antarctic change and our understanding of the factors that have guided its evolution.

  • Statistical Methods in the Atmospheric Sciences

    • 4th Edition
    • Daniel S. Wilks
    • English
    Statistical Methods in the Atmospheric Sciences, Fourth Edition, continues the tradition of trying to meet the needs of students, researchers and operational practitioners. This updated edition not only includes expanded sections built upon the strengths of the prior edition, but also provides new content where there have been advances in the field, including Bayesian analysis, forecast verification and a new chapter dedicated to ensemble forecasting.

  • Climate Change

    Alternate Governance Policy for South Asia
    • 1st Edition
    • Ranadhir Mukhopadhyay + 2 more
    • English
    Climate Change: Alternate Governance Policy for South Asia provides an assessment of climate change issues through the socioeconomic lens of one of the world’s poorest, most populous regions. Although climate change is a global issue, localized solutions have become increasingly necessary to address political, economic and cultural factors in underdeveloped regions. Identifying successes, gaps and shortcomings in existing policies and regional laws relating to climate change, this book evaluates the sustainability of current practices, examining mitigation strategies and suggesting a comprehensive, innovative model of sustainable policies and governance strategy specific to the region. While the book approaches climate change, policy and mitigation from a regionally-focused standpoint, it has an underlying philosophy of Think Global, Act Local, making it universally applicable to anyone interested in climate change and its effects.

  • Resilience

    The Science of Adaptation to Climate Change
    • 1st Edition
    • Zinta Zommers + 1 more
    • English
    In Resilience: The Science of Adaptation to Climate Change leading experts analyze and question ongoing adaptation interventions. Contributions span different disciplinary perspectives, from law to engineering, and cover different regions from Africa to the Pacific. Chapters assess the need for adaptation, highlighting climate change impacts such as sea level rise, increases in temperature, changing hydrological variability, and threats to food security. The book then discusses the state of global legislation and means of tracking progress. It reviews ways to build resilience in a range of contexts— from the Arctic, to small island states, to urban areas, across food and energy systems. Critical tools for adaptation planning are highlighted - from social capital and ethics, to decision support systems, to innovative finance and risk transfer mechanisms. Controversies related to geoengineering and migration are also discussed. This book is an indispensable resource for scientists, practitioners, and policy makers working in climate change adaptation, sustainable development, ecosystem management, and urban planning.

  • The Physics of Glaciers

    • 3rd Edition
    • W. S. B. Paterson
    • English
    This updated and expanded version of the second edition explains the physical principles underlying the behaviour of glaciers and ice sheets. The text has been revised in order to keep pace with the extensive developments which have occurred since 1981. A new chapter, of major interest, concentrates on the deformation of subglacial till. The book concludes with a chapter on information regarding past climate and atmospheric composition obtainable from ice cores.

  • Global Physical Climatology

    • 2nd Edition
    • Dennis L. Hartmann
    • English
    Global Physical Climatology, Second Edition, provides an introduction to the science of climate and climate change that spans the atmosphere, ocean, and land surface, and the interactions among them. It begins with a basic introduction to the climate system, and then introduces the physics of the climate system, including the principles and processes that determine the structure and climate of the atmosphere, ocean, and land surface. More advanced topics apply the basic knowledge introduced to understanding natural variability of the climate in both the present and past, the sensitivity of climate to external forcing, explanations for the ice ages, and the science of human-induced climate change. The physical principles and computer models necessary for understanding past climate and predicting future climate are also discussed. This book is recommended for upper division undergraduates and graduates in meteorology, atmospheric science, oceanography, and other environmental fields. It is also suitable for students with a background of at least one year of college physics and calculus as well as researchers in academia, government (military, NOAA, NWS), and policymakers.

  • Mathematical and Physical Fundamentals of Climate Change

    • 1st Edition
    • Zhihua Zhang + 1 more
    • English
    Mathematical and Physical Fundamentals of Climate Change is the first book to provide an overview of the math and physics necessary for scientists to understand and apply atmospheric and oceanic models to climate research. The book begins with basic mathematics then leads on to specific applications in atmospheric and ocean dynamics, such as fluid dynamics, atmospheric dynamics, oceanic dynamics, and glaciers and sea level rise. Mathematical and Physical Fundamentals of Climate Change provides a solid foundation in math and physics with which to understand global warming, natural climate variations, and climate models. This book informs the future users of climate models and the decision-makers of tomorrow by providing the depth they need. Developed from a course that the authors teach at Beijing Normal University, the material has been extensively class-tested and contains online resources, such as presentation files, lecture notes, solutions to problems and MATLab codes.

  • Climate Change Biology

    • 2nd Edition
    • Lee Hannah
    • English
    Climate Change Biology, 2e examines the evolving discipline of human-induced climate change and the resulting shifts in the distributions of species and the timing of biological events. The text focuses on understanding the impacts of human-induced climate change by drawing on multiple lines of evidence, including paleoecology, modeling, and current observation. This revised and updated second edition emphasizes impacts of human adaptation to climate change on nature and greater emphasis on natural processes and cycles and specific elements. With four new chapters, an increased emphasis on tools for critical thinking, and a new glossary and acronym appendix, Climate Change Biology, 2e is the ideal overview of this field.

  • Dynamics of Climate

    The Proceedings of a Conference on the Application of Numerical Integration Techniques to the Problem of the General Circulation Held October 26-28, 1955
    • 1st Edition
    • Richard L Pfeffer
    • English
    Dynamics of Climate covers the proceedings of a Conference on the Application of Numerical Integration Techniques to the Problem of the General Circulation, held in Princeton University on October 26-28, 1955. This conference considers the problems involved in studying the general circulation of the earth's atmosphere by the numerical integration of suitable mathematical models. This book is organized into five parts encompassing 20 chapters. After providing a brief introduction to the subject, this book goes on dealing with the problem of forecasting climatic fluctuations. The second part discusses the numerical prediction and the general circulation of the atmosphere up to mean zonal circulation cause by topography and heating. The third part surveys other studies of the general circulation and climatic change, particularly the Earth's atmosphere and the main effect of the unequal heating. The fourth part covers the radiation studies including problems involved in introducing the long-wave radiative effects and the potential theory formulation of radiative-heat transfer which unveils some notations that will be used to express mathematical statements. The fifth part looks into the energy transformation, further researches, and other applications of these discoveries. This book is of value to meteorologists, mathematicians, and researchers in other climate-related fields.

  • Weather and Climate on Planets

    • 1st Edition
    • K Y Kondratyev + 1 more
    • English
    Weather and Climate on Planets discusses the problems of the meteorology of planets. Planetary meteorology is the study of the regularities of the atmospheres and their thermal regime and dynamics, specifically the properties of the planetary surfaces and the specific features of the interactions between the atmospheres and surfaces. This book contains four chapters and begins with an overview of origin and evolution of the solar system and planetary atmospheres. The introductory chapter describes some basic characteristics of planetary atmospheres, laboratory and numerical modeling of the atmospheric circulation, and the application of remote sounding. The remaining three chapters examine the weather, climate, and other meteorological aspects of planet Venus, Mars, and Jupiter. This book will be of value to meteorologists, astronomers, researchers, and students.

  • Advances in Agronomy

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 121
    • English
    Advances in Agronomy continues to be recognized as a leading reference and a first-rate source for the latest research in agronomy. As always, the subjects covered are varied and exemplary of the myriad of subject matter dealt with by this long-running serial.

  • Highlights in Helioclimatology

    Cosmophysical Influences on Climate and Hurricanes
    • 1st Edition
    • Jorge A. Perez-Peraza + 1 more
    • English
    Written by pioneers in the field, Highlights in Helioclimatology examines the scientific evidence related to the influence of solar activity on climate and the resulting atmospheric process that creates hurricanes. In addition to providing the science behind the phenomenon, this book also provides tools for aiding in hurricane prediction, specifically spectral analysis and signal theory. In addition to aiding readers in understanding tropical storm and hurricane genesis, intensification, and prediction, Highlights in Helioclimatology also provides an excellent introduction to spectral analysis – an essential tool for anyone who is actively performing research in hurricanes and climatology.

  • The Climate of the Mediterranean Region

    From the Past to the Future
    • 1st Edition
    • P. Lionello
    • English
    The Mediterranean region contains a diverse and interesting climate ranging from areas with permanent glaciers to areas of subtropical, semiarid regions. The region is potentially sensitive to climate change and its progress has environmental, social, and economic implications within and beyond the region. Produced by the Mediterranean Climate Variability and Predictability Research Networking Project, this book reviews the evolution of the Mediterranean climate over the past two millennia with projections further into the twenty-first century as well as examining in detail various aspects of the Mediterranean region’s climate including evolution, atmospheric variables, and oceanic and land elements. Integrated with this, the book also considers the social and economic problems or vulnerabilities associated with the region. Written and reviewed by multiple researchers to ensure a high level of information presented clearly, Mediterranean Climate Variables will be an invaluable source of information for geologists, oceanographers, and anyone interested in learning more about the Mediterranean climate.

  • The Future of the World's Climate

    • 2nd Edition
    • Ann Henderson-Sellers + 1 more
    • English
    At a time of so much politicized debate over the phenomenon of global warming, the second edition of The Future of the World's Climate places the discussion in a broader geological, paleo-climatic, and astronomical context. This book is a resource based on reviews of current climate science and supported by sound, accurate data and projections made possible by technological advances in climate modeling. Crucially, this title examines in detail a wide variety of aspects, including human factors like land use, expanding urban climates, and governmental efforts at mitigation, such as the Kyoto Protocol. It also examines large-scale, long-term changes in oceans, glaciers, and atmospheric composition, including tropospheric ozone and aerosols. Weather extremes are addressed, as well as the impact of catastrophic events such as massive volcanism and meteorite impacts. Readers will find a complete picture of the Earth's future climate, delivered by authors drawn from all over the world and from the highest regarded peer-reviewed groups; most are also contributors to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) Assessment Reports.

  • Evidence-Based Climate Science

    Data Opposing CO2 Emissions as the Primary Source of Global Warming
    • 1st Edition
    • Don Easterbrook
    • English
    Global warming and human-induced climate change are perhaps the most important scientific issues of our time. These issues continue to be debated in the scientific community and in the media without true consensus about the role of greenhouse gas emissions as a contributing factor. Evidence-Based Climate Science: Data opposing CO2 emissions as the primary source of global warming objectively gathers and analyzes scientific data concerning patterns of past climate changes, influences of changes in ocean temperatures, the effect of solar variation on global climate, and the effect of CO2 on global climate to clearly and objectively present counter-global-warmi... evidence not embraced by proponents of CO2.

  • Storm and Cloud Dynamics

    • 2nd Edition
    • Volume 99
    • William R. Cotton + 2 more
    • English
    Storm and Cloud Dynamics focuses on the dynamics of clouds and of precipitating mesoscale meteorological systems. Clouds and precipitating mesoscale systems represent some of the most important and scientifically exciting weather systems in the world. These are the systems that produce torrential rains, severe winds including downburst and tornadoes, hail, thunder and lightning, and major snow storms. Forecasting such storms represents a major challenge since they are too small to be adequately resolved by conventional observing networks and numerical prediction models.

  • Antarctic Climate Evolution

    • 1st Edition
    • Fabio Florindo + 1 more
    • English
    Antarctic Climate Evolution is the first book dedicated to furthering knowledge on the evolution of the world’s largest ice sheet over its ~34 million year history. This volume provides the latest information on subjects ranging from terrestrial and marine geology to sedimentology and glacier geophysics.

  • Climate Change and Cultural Dynamics

    A Global Perspective on Mid-Holocene Transitions
    • 1st Edition
    • David G. Anderson + 2 more
    • English
    The Middle Holocene epoch (8,000 to 3,000 years ago) was a time of dramatic changes in the physical world and in human cultures. Across this span, climatic conditions changed rapidly, with cooling in the high to mid-latitudes and drying in the tropics. In many parts of the world, human groups became more complex, with early horticultural systems replaced by intensive agriculture and small-scale societies being replaced by larger, more hierarchial organizations. Climate Change and Cultural Dynamics explores the cause and effect relationship between climatic change and cultural transformations across the mid-Holocene (c. 4000 B.C.).

  • Climate, Environment, and Society in the Pacific during the Last Millennium

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 6
    • Patrick D. Nunn
    • English
    The nature of global change in the Pacific Basin is poorly known compared to other parts of the world. Climate, Environment, and Society in the Pacific during the Last Millennium describes the climate changes that occurred in the Pacific during the last millennium and discusses how these changes controlled the broad evolution of human societies, typically filtered by the effects of changing sea level and storminess on food availability and interaction. Covering the entire period since AD 750 in the Pacific, this book describes the influences of climate change on environments and societies during the Medieval Warm Period and the Little Ice Age, focusing on the 100-year transition between these – a period of rapid change known as the AD 1300 Event.

  • Late Quaternary Climate Change and Human Adaptation in Arid China

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 9
    • D.B. Madsen + 2 more
    • English
    Due to political pressures, prior to the 1990s little was known about the nature of human foraging adaptations in the deserts, grasslands, and mountains of north western China during the last glacial period. Even less was known about the transition to agriculture that followed. Now open to foreign visitation, there is now an increasing understanding of the foraging strategies which led both to the development of millet agriculture and to the utilization of the extreme environments of the Tibetan Plateau. This text explores the transition from the foraging societies of the Late Paleolithic to the emergence of settled farming societies and the emergent pastoralism of the middle Neolithic striving to help answer the diverse and numerous questions of this critical transitional period.

  • Mediterranean Climate Variability

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 4
    • P. Lionello + 2 more
    • English
    This multi-authored book provides an updated description of climate variability in the Mediterranean basin, focusing on decadal and centennial time scales and on the results available on the impact of future emission scenarios at regional scale. The authors describs both local physical processes responsible for these variability - such as changes in the surface properties and land use- and globalprocesses - such as changes in the large scale atmospheric circulation associated to global warming, NAO, tropical monsoon and ENSO. Regional climate change issues are also addressed. Mediterranean Climate Variability aims to review the research on this region and to provide at the same time both an introduction and a reference for researchers. It covers topics typical of Climatology, Climate history, Meteorology, Oceanography, Environmental Science but the information here provided would also be useful for research in agriculture, social and economic studies. It is addressed to scientists and students interested in the Mediterranean climate and environment. Some topics have interesting connections to nearby regions: Northern Atlantic, West Africa, central and Eastern Europe. Each chapter will contain a summary meant to provide information to policy makers, researchers from other fields, and in general to a wide audience without a technical expertise on climate.

  • Birds and Climate Change

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 35
    • English
    Temperature and other climate variables are currently changing at a dramatic rate. As observations have shown, these climatic changes have serious consequences for all organisms and their ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions. Birds are excellent model organisms, with a very active metabolism, they are highly sensitive to environmental changes and as highly mobile creatures they are also extremely reactive. Birds and Climate Change discusses our current knowledge of observed changes and provides guidelines for studies in the years to come so we can document and understand how patterns of changing weather conditions may affect birds.

  • Light Scattering by Nonspherical Particles

    Theory, Measurements, and Applications
    • 1st Edition
    • Michael I. Mishchenko + 2 more
    • English
    There is hardly a field of science or engineering that does not have some interest in light scattering by small particles. For example, this subject is important to climatology because the energy budget for the Earth's atmosphere is strongly affected by scattering of solar radiation by cloud and aerosol particles, and the whole discipline of remote sensing relies largely on analyzing the parameters of radiation scattered by aerosols, clouds, and precipitation. The scattering of light by spherical particles can be easily computed using the conventional Mie theory. However, most small solid particles encountered in natural and laboratory conditions have nonspherical shapes. Examples are soot and mineral aerosols, cirrus cloud particles, snow and frost crystals, ocean hydrosols, interplanetary and cometary dust grains, and microorganisms. It is now well known that scattering properties of nonspherical particles can differ dramatically from those of "equivalent" (e.g., equal-volume or equal-surface-area) spheres. Therefore, the ability to accurately compute or measure light scattering by nonspherical particles in order to clearly understand the effects of particle nonsphericity on light scattering is very important. The rapid improvement of computers and experimental techniques over the past 20 years and the development of efficient numerical approaches have resulted in major advances in this field which have not been systematically summarized. Because of the universal importance of electromagnetic scattering by nonspherical particles, papers on different aspects of this subject are scattered over dozens of diverse research and engineering journals. Often experts in one discipline (e.g., biology) are unaware of potentially useful results obtained in another discipline (e.g., antennas and propagation). This leads to an inefficient use of the accumulated knowledge and unnecessary redundancy in research activities. This book offers the first systematic and unified discussion of light scattering by nonspherical particles and its practical applications and represents the state-of-the-art of this important research field. Individual chapters are written by leading experts in respective areas and cover three major disciplines: theoretical and numerical techniques, laboratory measurements, and practical applications. An overview chapter provides a concise general introduction to the subject of nonspherical scattering and should be especially useful to beginners and those interested in fast practical applications. The audience for this book will include graduate students, scientists, and engineers working on specific aspects of electromagnetic scattering by small particles and its applications in remote sensing, geophysics, astrophysics, biomedical optics, and optical engineering.

  • Microclimate for Cultural Heritage

    • 1st Edition
    • Dario Camuffo
    • English
    This is a useful microphysics handbook for conservators and specialists in physics, chemistry, architecture, engineering, geology and biology dealing with the environment and works of art. A rigourous treatment and a background familiarity with the underlying physics behind mathematics are covered, giving a detailed description and interpretation of the main microphysical phenomena, removing unsound popular beliefs. The basis are given for non-destructive diagnostics to evaluate causes of damage determined by atmoshpheric factors, as well as negative consequences of the unsound use of technology and mass tourism. To this aim, suggestions are given on the fundamental principles in designing heating, air conditioning, lighting and in reducing the deposition of pollutants on works of art. Theory and experience are coupled to describe the complex condensation mechanisms and the fundamental role played by water in the stone deterioration and the formation of crusts on monuments. Urban meteorology, air-surface interactions, atmospheric stability, dispersion and deposition of airborne pollutants are also key topics of this book, for which the main aim has been to make comprehensible to a wider audience a matter that is only familiar to a few specialists.This book combines a theoretical background with many years of accurate laboratory research, field surveys and practice. The first part, devoted to applied theory, is a concise treatise on microphysics, which includes a survey on the basic ideas which are necessary for environmental diagnostic and conservation. The second part of the book focuses on the practical utilisation and shows in detail how field surveys should be performed, with many suggestions and examples and the indication of some common errors that should be avoided.

  • Global Physical Climatology

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 56
    • Dennis L. Hartmann
    • English
    Global Physical Climatology is an introductory text devoted to the fundamental physical principles and problems of climate sensitivity and change. Addressing some of the most critical issues in climatology, this text features incisive coverage of topics that are central to understanding orbital parameter theory for past climate changes, and for anthropogenic and natural causes of near-future changes--

  • Aerosol-Cloud-Climate Interactions

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 54
    • Peter V. Hobbs
    • English
    Aerosol and clouds play important roles in determining the earth's climate, in ways that we are only beginning to comprehend. In conjunction with molecular scattering from gases, aerosol and clouds determine in part what fraction of solar radiation reaches the earth's surface, and what fraction of the longwave radiation from the earth escapes to space. This book provides an overview of the latest research on atmospheric aerosol and clouds and their effects on global climate. Subjects reviewed include the direct and indirect effects of aerosol on climate, the radiative properties of clouds and their effects on the Earth's radiation balance, the incorporation of cloud effects in numerical weather prediction models, and stratospheric aerosol and clouds.

  • Atmosphere, Ocean and Climate Dynamics

    An Introductory Text
    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 34
    • John Marshall + 1 more
    • English
    For advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students in atmospheric, oceanic, and climate science, Atmosphere, Ocean and Climate Dynamics is an introductory textbook on the circulations of the atmosphere and ocean and their interaction, with an emphasis on global scales. It will give students a good grasp of what the atmosphere and oceans look like on the large-scale and why they look that way. The role of the oceans in climate and paleoclimate is also discussed. The combination of observations, theory and accompanying illustrative laboratory experiments sets this text apart by making it accessible to students with no prior training in meteorology or oceanography.

  • The Urban Climate

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 28
    • Helmut E. Landsberg
    • English
    The Urban Climate aims to summarize analytical studies directed toward physical understanding of the rural-urban differences in the atmospheric boundary layer. Attempts to quantify conditions have met with some success. There is certainly a clear understanding of the physical relations that create the climatic differences of urbanized areas. Although some of the earlier classical studies are cited here, the emphasis is on the work done during the last decade and a half. This volume comprises 11 chapters, beginning with an introductory chapter discussing the literature surrounding the topic, its historical development, and the problem of local climate modification. The second chapter presents an assessment of the urban atmosphere on a synoptic and local scale, and examines the observational procedures involved. The following chapters then go on to discuss urban air composition; urban energy fluxes; the urban heat island; the urban wind field; models of urban temperature and wind fields; moisture, clouds, and hydrometeors; urban hydrology; special aspects of urban climate; and finally, urban planning. This book will be of interest to practitioners in the fields of meteorology, urban planning, and urban climatology.

  • Atmosphere, Ocean and Climate Dynamics

    An Introductory Text
    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 16
    • John Marshall + 1 more
    • English
    For advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students in atmospheric, oceanic, and climate science, Atmosphere, Ocean and Climate Dynamics is an introductory textbook on the circulations of the atmosphere and ocean and their interaction, with an emphasis on global scales. It will give students a good grasp of what the atmosphere and oceans look like on the large-scale and why they look that way. The role of the oceans in climate and paleoclimate is also discussed. The combination of observations, theory and accompanying illustrative laboratory experiments sets this text apart by making it accessible to students with no prior training in meteorology or oceanography.

  • Atmosphere, Ocean and Climate Dynamics

    An Introductory Text
    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 14
    • John Marshall + 1 more
    • English
    For advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students in atmospheric, oceanic, and climate science, Atmosphere, Ocean and Climate Dynamics is an introductory textbook on the circulations of the atmosphere and ocean and their interaction, with an emphasis on global scales. It will give students a good grasp of what the atmosphere and oceans look like on the large-scale and why they look that way. The role of the oceans in climate and paleoclimate is also discussed. The combination of observations, theory and accompanying illustrative laboratory experiments sets this text apart by making it accessible to students with no prior training in meteorology or oceanography.

  • Atmosphere, Ocean and Climate Dynamics

    An Introductory Text
    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 5
    • John Marshall + 1 more
    • English
    For advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students in atmospheric, oceanic, and climate science, Atmosphere, Ocean and Climate Dynamics is an introductory textbook on the circulations of the atmosphere and ocean and their interaction, with an emphasis on global scales. It will give students a good grasp of what the atmosphere and oceans look like on the large-scale and why they look that way. The role of the oceans in climate and paleoclimate is also discussed. The combination of observations, theory and accompanying illustrative laboratory experiments sets this text apart by making it accessible to students with no prior training in meteorology or oceanography.

  • Atmosphere, Ocean and Climate Dynamics

    An Introductory Text
    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 6
    • John Marshall + 1 more
    • English
    For advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students in atmospheric, oceanic, and climate science, Atmosphere, Ocean and Climate Dynamics is an introductory textbook on the circulations of the atmosphere and ocean and their interaction, with an emphasis on global scales. It will give students a good grasp of what the atmosphere and oceans look like on the large-scale and why they look that way. The role of the oceans in climate and paleoclimate is also discussed. The combination of observations, theory and accompanying illustrative laboratory experiments sets this text apart by making it accessible to students with no prior training in meteorology or oceanography.