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Meteorology Today An Introduction to Weather, Climate, and the Environment

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ISBN-10: 0495011622

ISBN-13: 9780495011620

Edition: 8th 2007

Authors: C. Donald Ahrens

List price: $277.95
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METEOROLOGY TODAY has for many years been one of the most widely used and authoritative texts for the introductory meteorology course. This eighth edition sees improvements in flexibility for instructors and strengthened learning solutions for students. Author C. Donald Ahrens has been widely praised for his ability to explain relatively complicated ideas so that even under-prepared students can understand them. The text's clear and inviting narrative is supplemented by numerous pedagogical features that help augment students' understanding. Introductory stories found at the beginning of each chapter draw students naturally into the discussion. In-chapter reviews help students master…    
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Book details

List price: $277.95
Edition: 8th
Copyright year: 2007
Publisher: Brooks/Cole
Publication date: 2/16/2006
Binding: Hardcover
Pages: 608
Size: 9.50" wide x 11.00" long x 1.00" tall
Weight: 3.740
Language: English

David A. Yalof (Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University; B.A. and J.D., University of Virginia) is Professor and Department Head of Political Science at the University of Connecticut. His expertise and teaching and research interests include constitutional law, judicial politics, and the presidency. Professor Yalof is the author of PURSUIT OF JUSTICES: PRESIDENTIAL POLITICS AND THE SELECTION OF SUPREME COURT NOMINEES, winner of the American Political Science Association's Richard E. Neustadt Prize for the Best Book on the Presidency. He is also the co-author of THE FIRST AMENDMENT AND THE MEDIA IN THE COURT OF PUBLIC OPINION (with Kenneth Dautrich) and THE FUTURE OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT: THE DIGITAL…    

The Earth and Its Atmosphere
Overview of the Earth's Atmosphere
Composition of the Atmosphere
The Early Atmosphere
Vertical Structure of the Atmosphere
A Brief Look at Air Pressure and Air Density
Layers of the Atmosphere
The Ionosphere
Weather and Climate
Meteorology-A Brief History
A Satellite's View of the Weather
Storms of All Sizes
A Look at a Weather Map
Weather and Climate in Our Lives
Summary
Key Terms
Questions for Review
Questions for Thought
Problems and Exercises
Questions for Exploration
Energy: Warming the Earth and the Atmosphere
Energy, Temperature, and Heat
Temperature Scales
Specific Heat
Latent Heat-The Hidden Warmth
Heat Transfer in the Atmosphere
Conduction
Convection
Radiation
Radiation and Temperature
Radiation of the Sun and Earth
Balancing Act-Absorption, Emission, and Equilibrium
Selective Absorbers and the Atmospheric Greenhouse Effect
Enhancement of the Greenhouse Effect
Warming the Air from Below
Incoming Solar Energy
Scattered and Reflected Light
The Earth's Annual Energy Balance
Solar Particles and the Aurora
Summary
Key Terms
Questions for Review
Questions for Thought
Problems and Exercises
Questions for Exploration
Seasonal and Daily Temperatures
Why the Earth Has Seasons
Seasons in the Northern Hemisphere
Seasons in the Southern Hemisphere
Local Seasonal Variations
Daily Temperature Variations
Daytime Warming
Nighttime Cooling
Radiation Inversions
Protecting Crops from the Cold
The Controls of Temperature
Air Temperature Data
Daily, Monthly, and Yearly Temperatures
The Use of Temperature Data
Air Temperature and Human Comfort
Measuring Air Temperature
Summary
Key Terms
Questions for Review
Questions for Thought
Problems and Exercises
Questions for Exploration
Atmospheric Moisture
Water in the Atmosphere
The Many Phases of Water
Circulation of Water in the Atmosphere
Absolute Humidity
Specific Humidity and Mixing Ratio
Vapor Pressure
Relative Humidity
Relative Humidity and Dew Point
Comparing Humidities
Relative Humidity in the Home
Relative Humidity and Human Discomfort
Measuring Humidity
Summary
Key Terms
Questions for Review
Questions for Thought
Problems and Exercises
Questions for Exploration
Condensation: Dew, Fog, and Clouds
The Formation of Dew and Frost
Condensation Nuclei
Haze
Fog
Radiation Fog
Advection Fog
Upslope Fog
Evaporation (Mixing) Fog
Foggy Weather
Clouds
Classification of Clouds
Cloud Identification
High Clouds
Middle Clouds
Low Clouds
Clouds with Vertical Development
Some Unusual Clouds
Cloud Observations
Determining Sky Conditions
Satellite Observations
Summary
Key Terms
Questions for Review
Questions for Thought
Problems and Exercises
Questions for Exploration
Stability and Cloud Development
Atmospheric Stability
Determining Stability
Stable Air
A Stable Atmosphere
An Unstable Atmosphere
Causes of Instability
Cloud Development
Convection and Clouds
Topography and Clouds
Changing Cloud Forms
Summary
Key Terms
Questions for Review
Questions for Thought
Problems and Exercises
Questions for Exploration
Precipitation
Precipitation Processes
How Do Cloud Droplets Grow Larger?
Collision and Coalescence Process
Ice-Crystal Process
Cloud Seeding and Precipitation
Precipitation in Clouds
Precipitation Types
Rain
Snow
Snowflakes and Snowfall
A Blanket of Snow
Sleet and Freezing Rain
Snow Grains and Snow Pellets
Hail
Measuring Precipitation
Instruments
Doppler Radar and Precipitation
Summary
Key Terms
Questions for Review
Questions for Thought
Problems and Exercises
Questions for Exploration
Air Pressure and Winds
Atmospheric Pressure
Pressure Measurements
Pressure Readings
Surface and Upper-Level Charts
Newton's Laws of Motion
Forces That Influence the Winds
Pressure Gradient Force
Coriolis Force
Straight-Line Flow Aloft-Geostrophic Winds
Curved Winds Around Lows and Highs Aloft-Gradient Winds
Winds on Upper-Level Charts
Surface Winds
Winds and Vertical Air Motions
Summary
Key Terms
Questions for Review
Questions for Thought
Problems and Exercises
Questions for Exploration
Wind: Small-Scale and Local Systems
Small-Scale Winds Interacting with the Environment
Scales of Motion
Friction and Turbulence in the Boundary Layer
Eddies-Big and Small
The Force of the Wind
Microscale Winds Blowing over the Earth's Surface
Determining Wind Direction and Speed
The Influence of Prevailing Winds
Wind Instruments
Local Wind Systems
Thermal Circulations
Sea and Land Breezes
Local Winds and Water
Seasonally Changing Winds-The Monsoon
Mountain and Valley Breezes
Katabatic Winds
Chinook (Foehn) Winds
Santa Ana Winds
Desert Winds
Other Local Winds of Interest
Summary
Key Terms
Questions for Review
Questions for Thought
Problems and Exercises
Questions for Exploration
Wind: Global Systems
General Circulation of the Atmosphere
Single-Cell Model
Three-Cell Model
Average Surface Winds and Pressure: The Real World
The General Circulation and Precipitation Patterns
Average Wind Flow and Pressure Patterns Aloft
Jet Streams
The Formation of the Polar Front Jet and the Subtropical Jet
Other Jet Streams
Atmosphere-Ocean Interactions
Global Wind Patterns and Surface Ocean Currents
Upwelling
El Nino and the Southern Oscillation
Pacific Decadal Oscillation
North Atlantic Oscillation
Arctic Oscillation
Summary
Key Terms
Questions for Review
Questions for Thought
Problems and Exercises
Questions for Exploration
Air Masses and Fronts
Air Masses
Source Regions
Classification
Air Masses of North America
cP (Continental Polar) and cA (Continental Arctic) Air Masses
mP (Maritime Polar) Air Masses
mT (Maritime Tropical) Air Masses
cT (Continental Tropical) Air Masses
Fronts
Stationary Fronts
Cold Fronts
Warm Fronts
Occluded Fronts
Upper-Air Fronts
Summary
Key Terms
Questions for Review
Questions for Thought
Problems and Exercises
Questions for Exploration
Middle-Latitude Cyclones
Polar Front Theory
Where Do Mid-Latitude Cyclones Tend to Form?
Vertical Structure of Deep Dynamic Lows
Upper-Level Waves and Mid-Latitude Cyclones
The Necessary Ingredients for a Developing Mid-Latitude Cyclone
Upper-Air Support
The Role of the Jet Stream
Conveyor Belt Model of Mid-Latitude Cyclones
A Developing Mid-Latitude Cyclone-The March Storm of 1993
Vorticity, Divergence, and Developing Mid-Latitude Cyclones
Earth Vorticity, Relative Vorticity, and Absolute Vorticity
Putting It All Together-A Monstrous Snowstorm
Polar Lows
Summary
Key Terms
Questions for Review
Questions for Thought
Problems and Exercises
Questions for Exploration
Weather Forecasting
Acquisition of Weather Information
Weather Forecasting Methods
The Computer and Weather Forecasting: Numerical Weather Prediction
Forecasting Tools
Why Forecasts Go Awry and Steps to Improve Them
Other Forecasting Methods
Types of Forecasts
Accuracy and Skill in Forecasting
Predicting the Weather from Local Signs
Weather Forecasting Using Surface Charts
Determining the Movement of Weather Systems
A Forecast for Six Cities
Weather Forecast for Augusta, Georgia
Rain or Snow for Washington, D.C.?
Big Snowstorm for Chicago
Mixed Bag of Weather for Memphis
Cold Wave for Dallas
Clear but Cold for Denver
A Meteorologist Makes a Prediction
Help from the 500-mb Chart
The Computer Provides Assistance
A Valid Forecast
Assistance from the Satellite
A Day of Rain and Wind
Summary
Key Terms
Questions for Review
Questions for Thought
Problems and Exercises
Questions for Exploration
Thunderstorms and Tornadoes
Thunderstorms
Ordinary Cell Thunderstorms
Severe Thunderstorms and the Supercell
Squall Lines and Mesoscale Convective Complexes
Dryline Thunderstorms
Gust Fronts, Microbursts, and Derechoes
Floods and Flash Floods
Distribution of Thunderstorms
Lightning and Thunder
Electrification of Clouds
The Lightning Stroke
Lightning Detection and Suppression
Tornadoes
Tornado Life Cycle
Tornado Outbreaks
Tornado Occurrence
Tornado Winds
Seeking Shelter
The Fujita Scale
Tornadic Thunderstorms
Supercell Tornadoes
Nonsupercell Tornadoes
Severe Weather and Doppler Radar
Waterspouts
Summary
Key Terms
Questions for Review
Questions for Thought
Problems and Exercises
Questions for Exploration
Hurricanes
Tropical Weather
Anatomy of a Hurricane
Hurricane Formation and Dissipation
Hurricane Stages of Development
Hurricane Movement
Eastern Pacific Hurricanes
North Atlantic Hurricanes
Destruction and Warning
Devastating Hurricanes
Modifying Hurricanes
Naming Hurricanes
Summary
Key Terms
Questions for Review
Questions for Thought
Problems and Exercises
Questions for Exploration
Climate Change
The Earth's Changing Climate
Determining Past Climates
Climate Through the Ages
Climate During the Past 1000 Years
Temperature Trend during the Past 100-Plus Years
Possible Causes of Climatic Change
Climate Change and Feedback Mechanisms
Climate Change, Plate Tectonics, and Mountain Building
Climate Change and Variations in the Earth's Orbit
Climate Change and Atmospheric Particles
Aerosols in the Troposphere
Volcanic Eruptions and Aerosols in the Stratosphere
Climate Change and Variations in Solar Output
Global Warming
The Recent Warming
Radiative Forcing Agents
Climate Models and Recent Temperature Trends
Future Warming-Projections, Questions, and Uncertainties
Questions and Uncertainties About Greenhouse Gases
Clouds Get in the Way
Possible Consequences of Global Warming
In Perspective
Summary
Key Terms
Questions for Review
Questions for Thought
Problems and Exercises
Questions for Exploration
Global Climate
A World with Many Climates
Global Temperatures
Global Precipitation
Climatic Classification
The Ancient Greeks
The Koppen System
Thornthwaite's System
The Global Pattern of Climate
Tropical Moist Climates (Group A)
Dry Climates (Group B)
Moist Subtropical Mid-Latitude Climates (Group C)
Moist Continental Climates (Group D)
Polar Climates (Group E)
Highland Climates (Group H)
Summary
Key Terms
Questions for Review
Questions for Thought
Problems and Exercises
Questions for Exploration
Air Pollution
A Brief History of Air Pollution
Types and Sources of Air Pollutants
Principal Air Pollutants
Ozone in the Troposphere
Ozone in the Stratosphere
Stratospheric Ozone: Production-Destruction
Stratospheric Ozone-Upsetting the Balance
Air Pollution: Trends and Patterns
Factors that Affect Air Pollution
The Role of the Wind
The Role of Stability and Inversions
The Role of Topography
Severe Air Pollution Potential
Air Pollution and the Urban Environment
Acid Deposition
Summary
Key Terms
Questions for Review
Questions for Thought
Problems and Exercises
Questions for Exploration
Light, Color, and Atmospheric Optics
White and Colors
White Clouds and Scattered Light
Blue Skies and Hazy Days
Red Suns and Blue Moons
Twinkling, Twilight, and the Green Flash
The Mirage: Seeing Is Not Believing
Halos, Sundogs, and Sun Pillars
Rainbows
Coronas, Glories, and Heiligenschein
Summary
Key Terms
Questions for Review
Questions for Thought
Problems and Exercises
Questions for Exploration
Units, Conversions, Abbreviations, and Equations
Weather Symbols and the Station Model
Beaufort Wind Scale (Over Land)
Humidity and Dew-Point Tables
Instant Weather Forecast Chart
Changing GMT and UTC to Local Time
Global Average Annual Precipitation
Standard Atmosphere
Hurricane Tracking Chart
Adiabatic Chart
Glossary
Additional Reading Material
Index