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| Introduction to the Atmosphere | |
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| Introduction | |
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| Weather and Climate | |
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| The Earth's Major Surface Features | |
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| Making an Atmosphere: Gases and Gravity | |
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| Atmospheric Evolution and Composition | |
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| Trace Gases and Aerosols | |
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| Atmospheric Pressure and Density | |
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| Dividing up the Atmosphere | |
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| An Introduction to Weather Maps | |
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| Time Zones | |
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| Weather Watches, Warnings, and Advisories | |
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| The Energy Cycle | |
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| Introduction | |
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| Force, Work, and Heat | |
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| Transferring Energy in the Atmosphere | |
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| The Sun Supplies Energy to Earth | |
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| Radiative Properties of the Atmosphere | |
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| The Global Average Energy Budget: Heat Is Transferred from the Surface to the Atmosphere | |
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| Temperature | |
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| Introduction | |
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| Surface Temperature | |
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| Surface Energy Budget | |
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| Temperature Cycles | |
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| Temperature Variation with Height | |
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| Wind-Chill Temperature | |
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| Temperature and Agriculture | |
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| Water in the Atmosphere | |
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| Introduction | |
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| Evaporation: The Source of Atmospheric Water | |
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| Measuring Water Vapor in the Air | |
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| Condensation and Deposition: Cloud Formation | |
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| Cloud Classification | |
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| Clouds and the Greenhouse Effect | |
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| Cloud Composition | |
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| Precipitation | |
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| Clouds and Precipitation Near Mountains | |
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| Observing the Atmosphere | |
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| Introduction | |
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| Meteorological Observations | |
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| Direct Measurements of Surface Conditions | |
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| Direct Measurements of Upper-Air Weather Observations | |
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| Indirect Methods of Observing Weather | |
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| Atmospheric Optics | |
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| Atmospheric Forces and Wind | |
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| Introduction | |
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| Magnitude and Direction of Forces | |
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| Laws of Motion | |
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| Forces That Move the Air | |
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| Putting Forces Together: Atmospheric Force-Balances | |
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| Observations of Upper-Level and Surface Wind | |
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| Putting Force-Balances Together: The Thermal Wind | |
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| Putting Horizontal and Vertical Winds Together | |
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| Sea Breezes | |
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| Scales of Motion | |
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| Global-Scale Winds | |
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| Introduction | |
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| What Are Conceptual Models? | |
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| Observations Our Model Should Explain | |
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| A Simple Conceptual Model of Global Circulation Patterns | |
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| Upper-Air Midlatitude Westerlies | |
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| The Poleward Transport of Energy | |
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| Seasonal Variations | |
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| Monsoons | |
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| Atmosphere--Ocean Interactions: El Nino and Tropical Cyclones | |
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| Introduction | |
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| Oceanography | |
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| Tropical Cyclones: Hurricanes and Typhoons | |
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| How Do We Observe and Forecast Tropical Cyclones? Past, Present, and Future | |
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| Air Masses and Fronts | |
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| Introduction | |
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| What Is an Air Mass? | |
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| Atmospheric Stability Revisited | |
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| Air Masses Affecting North America | |
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| Air Mass Modification | |
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| Fronts | |
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| Extratropical Cyclones and Anticyclones | |
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| Introduction | |
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| A Time and Place of Tragedy | |
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| A Life Cycle of Growth and Death | |
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| Day One: Birth of an Extratropical Cyclone | |
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| Day Two: With the Fitz | |
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| Day Three: The Mature Cyclone | |
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| Day Four (and Beyond): Death | |
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| The Extratropical Anticyclone | |
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| Anticyclones and Another Fitzgerald Tragedy | |
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| Thunderstorms and Tornadoes | |
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| Introduction | |
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| What Is a Thunderstorm? | |
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| Thunderstorm Distribution | |
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| Factors Affecting Thunderstorm Growth and Development | |
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| Types of Thunderstorms | |
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| The Tornado | |
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| Other Thunderstorm Severe Weather | |
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| Small-Scale Winds | |
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| Introduction | |
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| Friction in the Air: Turbulent "Eddies" | |
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| A Tour of Small-Scale Winds | |
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| The East and South | |
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| The Midwest | |
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| The Great Plains | |
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| The West | |
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| The Big Picture | |
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| Weather Forecasting | |
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| Methods of Forecasting by People | |
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| A Real Life-or-Death Forecast: D-Day, June 1944 | |
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| L.F. Richardson and the Dawn of Numerical Weather Forecasting | |
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| The Numerical Weather Prediction Process, Then and Now | |
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| Modern Numerical Weather Prediction Models | |
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| A Real Life-or-Death Forecast: The "Storm of the Century," March 1993 | |
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| Why Forecasts Still Go Wrong Today | |
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| Forecasts of Forecast Accuracy: Ensemble Forecasting | |
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| Pushing the Envelope: Numerical Nowcasts and Long-Range Prediction | |
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| The Proper Perspective | |
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| Past and Present Climates | |
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| Introduction | |
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| Defining Climate | |
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| Climate Controls | |
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| Classifying Today's Climate Zones | |
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| Past Climates: The Clues | |
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| Past Climates: The Change Mechanisms | |
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| Human Influences on Climate | |
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| Introduction | |
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| Observations of Global Warming | |
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| Feedback Mechanisms | |
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| Air Pollution | |
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| The Stratospheric Ozone Hole | |
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| Changing Land Surfaces | |
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| Greenhouse Gases and Global Warming | |
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| Climate Change Assessment | |
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| Closure | |
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| Glossary | |
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| Index | |
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| Credits | |