Atmospheric Water Vapor


Book Description

Atmospheric Water Vapor contains the technical proceedings of the International Workshop on Atmospheric Water Vapor held in Vail, Colorado, on September 11-13, 1979. The papers assess the state-of-the-art in measurement, modeling, and application of atmospheric water vapor properties and highlight important problems that require further effort in order to better understand the atmosphere itself as well as the electromagnetic propagation through the atmosphere. Comprised of 39 chapters, this book begins with a discussion on the optics and spectroscopy of water vapor. Some actual spectra showing the problems specific to the water molecule are described, along with the method used to calculate precise vibration-rotation energy levels and wave functions. Atmospheric infrared transmission measurements in maritime locations are also presented. Subsequent sections explore microwave and millimeter wave phenomena; geoastrophysical applications; and in situ measurements, remote sensing, and meteorology of water vapor. The final chapters deal with the microphysics and atmospheric chemistry of water vapor. This monograph will be of interest to scientists from universities, government agencies, research laboratories, and industry.




Monitoring Atmospheric Water Vapour


Book Description

Atmospheric water plays a key role in climate. Water vapour is the most important greenhouse gas and its condensed forms exert a profound influence on both incoming solar and outgoing infrared radiation. Unfortunately, accurate, height-resolved global-scale measurements of atmospheric humidity are difficult to obtain. The change in concentration of five orders of magnitude form the ground to the stratosphere means there is no standard instrument that will measure everywhere. This has led to different measuring techniques, all with strengths and weaknesses. This book assesses all presently available techniques that are used in monitoring networks. Special weight is given to presenting the different technical concepts, the accuracy of different sensor types, addresses calibration issues and retrieval aspects.




Practical Meteorology


Book Description

A quantitative introduction to atmospheric science for students and professionals who want to understand and apply basic meteorological concepts but who are not ready for calculus.




Atmospheric Rivers


Book Description

This book is the standard reference based on roughly 20 years of research on atmospheric rivers, emphasizing progress made on key research and applications questions and remaining knowledge gaps. The book presents the history of atmospheric-rivers research, the current state of scientific knowledge, tools, and policy-relevant (science-informed) problems that lend themselves to real-world application of the research—and how the topic fits into larger national and global contexts. This book is written by a global team of authors who have conducted and published the majority of critical research on atmospheric rivers over the past years. The book is intended to benefit practitioners in the fields of meteorology, hydrology and related disciplines, including students as well as senior researchers.




The Atmosphere and Climate of Mars


Book Description

Humanity has long been fascinated by the planet Mars. Was its climate ever conducive to life? What is the atmosphere like today and why did it change so dramatically over time? Eleven spacecraft have successfully flown to Mars since the Viking mission of the 1970s and early 1980s. These orbiters, landers and rovers have generated vast amounts of data that now span a Martian decade (roughly eighteen years). This new volume brings together the many new ideas about the atmosphere and climate system that have emerged, including the complex interplay of the volatile and dust cycles, the atmosphere-surface interactions that connect them over time, and the diversity of the planet's environment and its complex history. Including tutorials and explanations of complicated ideas, students, researchers and non-specialists alike are able to use this resource to gain a thorough and up-to-date understanding of this most Earth-like of planetary neighbours.




Solar Resources Mapping


Book Description

This book presents methods for optimising the spatial and network configuration of solar radiation measuring stations. Various physical and mathematical models are demonstrated, which together with high quality measurements, provide the essential tools to generate and validate solar resource estimates to improve the mapping of solar resources. Each chapter deals with a specific topic, showing its methodology, and providing examples of how to apply these techniques with reference to current projects around the world. These topics include: · Radiometric measurement campaigns;· Equipment calibration, installation, operation, and maintenance;· Data quality assurance and assessment;· Solar radiation modelling from satellite images and numerical models;· Downscaling and kriging interpolation of solar radiation;· Simulation of electric solar power plant generation;· Solar radiation forecasting;· Applications of solar energy; and· Socio-economic benefits of solar energy. The contributors present the statistical and physical models needed to derive solar radiation from satellite images and numerical models, emphasising the importance of measuring solar radiation accurately. They also show the classical models used to generate synthetic data, clear sky models and ancillary air quality and meteorological data from different input sources. Solar Resources Mapping provides industry professionals with methodologies and tools to build solar irradiance maps for different applications. The book will also benefit students and researchers as it serves as a main technical reference, presenting the basic terminology and fundamentals for solar resource mapping that include methods for assessing measurement uncertainty.




Climate System Modeling


Book Description

Climate Systems Modeling presents an interdisciplinary and comprehensive study of the dynamics of the whole global system. As a comprehensive text it will appeal to students and researchers concerned with any aspect of climatology and the study of related topics in the broad earth and environmental sciences.




The Global Circulation of the Atmosphere


Book Description

Despite major advances in the observation and numerical simulation of the atmosphere, basic features of the Earth's climate remain poorly understood. Integrating the available data and computational resources to improve our understanding of the global circulation of the atmosphere remains a challenge. Theory must play a critical role in meeting this challenge. This book provides an authoritative summary of the state of the art on this front. Bringing together sixteen of the field's leading experts to address those aspects of the global circulation of the atmosphere most relevant to climate, the book brings the reader up to date on the key frontiers in general circulation theory-including the nonlinear and turbulent global-scale dynamics that determine fundamental aspects of the Earth's climate. While emphasizing theory, as expressed through relatively simple mathematical models, it also draws connections to simulations with comprehensive general circulation models. Topics include the dynamics of storm tracks, interactions between wave dynamics and the hydrological cycle, monsoons, tropical and extratropical dynamics and interactions, and the processes controlling atmospheric humidity. An essential resource for graduate students in atmospheric, ocean, and climate sciences and for researchers seeking an overview of the field, The Global Circulation of the Atmosphere sets the standard for future research in a science that stands at a critical juncture. With a foreword by Edward Lorenz, the book includes chapters by Christopher Bretherton; Kerry Emanuel; Isaac Held; David Neelin; Raymond Pierrehumbert, Hélène Brogniez, and Rémy Roca; Alan Plumb; Walter Robinson; Tapio Schneider; Richard Seager and David Battisti; Adam Sobel; Kyle Swanson; and Pablo Zurita-Gotor and Richard Lindzen.




Introduction to Microwave Remote Sensing


Book Description

Introduction to Microwave Remote Sensing offers an extensive overview of this versatile and extremely precise technology for technically oriented undergraduates and graduate students. This textbook emphasizes an important shift in conceptualization and directs it toward students with prior knowledge of optical remote sensing: the author dispels any linkage between microwave and optical remote sensing. Instead, he constructs the concept of microwave remote sensing by comparing it to the process of audio perception, explaining the workings of the ear as a metaphor for microwave instrumentation. This volume takes an “application-driven” approach. Instead of describing the technology and then its uses, this textbook justifies the need for measurement then explains how microwave technology addresses this need. Following a brief summary of the field and a history of the use of microwaves, the book explores the physical properties of microwaves and the polarimetric properties of electromagnetic waves. It examines the interaction of microwaves with matter, analyzes passive atmospheric and passive surface measurements, and describes the operation of altimeters and scatterometers. The textbook concludes by explaining how high resolution images are created using radars, and how techniques of interferometry can be applied to both passive and active sensors.




Principles of Planetary Climate


Book Description

This book introduces the reader to all the basic physical building blocks of climate needed to understand the present and past climate of Earth, the climates of Solar System planets, and the climates of extrasolar planets. These building blocks include thermodynamics, infrared radiative transfer, scattering, surface heat transfer and various processes governing the evolution of atmospheric composition. Nearly four hundred problems are supplied to help consolidate the reader's understanding, and to lead the reader towards original research on planetary climate. This textbook is invaluable for advanced undergraduate or beginning graduate students in atmospheric science, Earth and planetary science, astrobiology, and physics. It also provides a superb reference text for researchers in these subjects, and is very suitable for academic researchers trained in physics or chemistry who wish to rapidly gain enough background to participate in the excitement of the new research opportunities opening in planetary climate.




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