Weather, climate and climate change : human perspectives / / Greg O'Hare, John Sweeney and Rob Wilby

• Record Nr.: UNINA9910815399703321
• Autore: O'Hare Greg
• Pubbl/distr/stampa: New York : , : Routledge, , 2013
• ISBN: 1-317-90482-6; 1-281-33373-5; 9786611333737; 1-4058-9839-9
• Edizione: [1st ed.]
• Descrizione fisica: 1 online resource (442 p.)
• Disciplina: 551.6
• Soggetti: Weather; Climatology; Climatic changes
• Lingua di pubblicazione: Inglese
• Formato: Materiale a stampa
• Livello bibliografico: Monografia
• Note generali: Description based upon print version of record.
• Nota di bibliografia: Includes bibliographical references and index.
• Nota di contenuto: Cover; Half Title; Title; Copyright; CONTENTS; Preface; 1 Introduction to systems and the climate system; 1.1 Early development of climatology; 1.1.1 From classical times to the Age of Discovery; 1.1.2 Determinism and possibilism; 1.2 A systems approach; 1.2.1 The nature of systems; 1.2.2 System regulation; Further reading; 2 Mass components of the climate system; 2.1 Atmospheric composition; 2.1.1 The early atmosphere; 2.1.2 The Gaia hypothesis; 2.1.3 Vertical structure of the atmosphere; 2.1.4 Measuring atmospheric pressure; 2.2 Mass and air motion; 2.2.1 Forces controlling horizontal and vertical movement2.3 Atmospheric water; 2.3.1 Moisture in the atmosphere; 2.3.2 Atmospheric stability; 2.3.3 Condensation and cloud formation; 2.3.4 Precipitation mechanisms; 2.3.5 Precipitation systems in action; 2.4 The atmosphere as a staging post; 2.4.1 Nutrient stores and recycling; 2.4.2 Climate change and atmospheric fluxes; 2.5 Observing the system components; 2.5.1 Surface networks; 2.5.2 Remote sensing; Further reading; Useful websites; 3 Energy components of the climate system; 3.1 Nature and role of energy; 3.1.1 Energy and temperature; 3.1.2 Energy transfer3.1.3 Energy interaction and transformation; 3.1.4 Heating and cooling of planet earth; 3.2 Heating and cooling balancing acts; 3.2.1 Greenhouse balance; 3.3 Inequalities in regional energy supply and loss; 3.3.1 The net radiation of regions; 3.3.2 Inequalities in solar radiation inputs; 3.3.3 Consequences of uneven heating and cooling; 3.4 Altitudinal energy inequalities; 3.4.1 Global surface-atmosphere energy imbalance; 3.4.2 Energy transfer in the vertical atmosphere; 3.4.3 Daily/local temperature response; 3.4.4 Surface energy models; 3.5 Energy conditions and climate change3.5.1 Energy at the surface; 3.6 Case studies in climate change; 3.6.1 Changes in direct solar energy output; 3.6.2 Land surface change: human agency; Further reading; Useful websites; 4 Motions of the climate system; 4.1 General circulation; 4.1.1 Function and processes; 4.1.2 Vertical mixing and the cellular models; 4.1.3 Horizontal mixing and the wave models; 4.1.4 The upper westerlies; 4.1.5 The jet streams; 4.2 Synoptic systems: upper air and surface weather; 4.2.1 The concept of vorticity; 4.2.2 Jet streams, vorticity and surface weather; 4.3 Regional and local scale motions4.3.1 Air masses; 4.3.2 The heating of land and sea; 4.4 Ocean mass/energy fluxes; 4.4.1 The oceans as heat stores and heat transporters; 4.4.2 Surface ocean circulation; 4.5 Observing motion; 4.5.1 Surface networks; 4.5.2 Remote sensing of motion; Further reading; Useful websites; 5 Ocean-atmosphere interactions; 5.1 Energy exchange; 5.2 Local ocean-atmosphere interaction: the hurricane; 5.2.1 Location and frequency; 5.2.2 Formation and intensification; 5.2.3 The mature hurricane; 5.2.4 Hurricane decline and energy dissipation; 5.2.5 Main tracks; 5.2.6 Hurricane futures
• Sommario/riassunto: A timely and accessible analysis of one of the most crucial and contentious issues facing the world today - the processes and consequences of natural and human induced changes in the structure and function of the climate system.Integrating the latest scientific developments throughout, the text centres on climate change control, addressing how weather and climate impact on environment and society.