Meteorology and climatology Books

Book SynopsisTrade Review"Evocative and vivid."---Steven Carroll, Sydney Morning Herald"Gripping and informative to the last page."---Nick Smith, The Explorers Journal"Like Antarctica itself: dynamic and unexpected, but always fascinating."---Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine"Cold begone! Here be wonders. . . . [Wood] approaches Antarctica with refreshing breeziness."---Fergus Fleming, Literary Review"Three nations sent expeditions to the Antarctic in the late 1830s and early 1840s. This fascinating account describes their members’ heroism and often disastrous experiences without ignoring the significant discoveries that followed. . . . Outstanding history accompanied by outstanding popular science." * Kirkus, starred review *"Wood’s approach links exploration and scientific study, showing how researchers have followed in the footsteps—sometimes literally—of trailblazing Antarctic adventurers. Moreover, the vulnerability of those early explorers, with their wooden ships and primitive equipment, reminds Wood of our collective vulnerability today to planetary systems shifting under the pressure of climate change."---Marissa Grunes, Boston Review"A masterful means of emplacing Antarctica – and the history of science – in deep time: an urgent concern in our moment of climate crisis."---Alexis Rider, Polar Journal"In a book that is both science and adventure story, Land of Wondrous Cold weaves together the human and natural history of the Antarctic by connecting early Victorian explorers and their discoveries with ancient and modern geological findings."---Midge Raymond, EcoLit Books"[A] superb account."---Nick Smith, Engineering & Technology"Gripping and informative to the last page."---Dr Alyson Hitch, Bay Magazine"The book recounts the stories of . . . rival expeditions in relation to each other in vivid detail, bringing out the various personalities involved." * Paradigm Explorer *"Land of Wondrous Cold blew me away with its clever twin narrative. Readers interested in polar exploration, science history, earth sciences, or deep-time history should all take note. This book is far more interesting and satisfying than a casual glance might suggest."---Leon Vlieger, The Inquisitive Biologist"This is a well written book that remains clear even whilst juggling three different expeditions. It could easily have been three times the length, but this would rather have spoilt the whole package, which is digestible and easy to read."---Dave Munday, Ocean Challenge

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"Evocative and vivid."---Steven Carroll, Sydney Morning Herald"Gripping and informative to the last page."---Nick Smith, The Explorers Journal"Like Antarctica itself: dynamic and unexpected, but always fascinating."---Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine"Cold begone! Here be wonders. . . . [Wood] approaches Antarctica with refreshing breeziness."---Fergus Fleming, Literary Review"Three nations sent expeditions to the Antarctic in the late 1830s and early 1840s. This fascinating account describes their members’ heroism and often disastrous experiences without ignoring the significant discoveries that followed. . . . Outstanding history accompanied by outstanding popular science." * Kirkus, starred review *"Wood’s approach links exploration and scientific study, showing how researchers have followed in the footsteps—sometimes literally—of trailblazing Antarctic adventurers. Moreover, the vulnerability of those early explorers, with their wooden ships and primitive equipment, reminds Wood of our collective vulnerability today to planetary systems shifting under the pressure of climate change."---Marissa Grunes, Boston Review"A masterful means of emplacing Antarctica – and the history of science – in deep time: an urgent concern in our moment of climate crisis."---Alexis Rider, Polar Journal"In a book that is both science and adventure story, Land of Wondrous Cold weaves together the human and natural history of the Antarctic by connecting early Victorian explorers and their discoveries with ancient and modern geological findings."---Midge Raymond, EcoLit Books"[A] superb account."---Nick Smith, Engineering & Technology"Gripping and informative to the last page."---Dr Alyson Hitch, Bay Magazine"The book recounts the stories of . . . rival expeditions in relation to each other in vivid detail, bringing out the various personalities involved." * Paradigm Explorer *"Land of Wondrous Cold blew me away with its clever twin narrative. Readers interested in polar exploration, science history, earth sciences, or deep-time history should all take note. This book is far more interesting and satisfying than a casual glance might suggest."---Leon Vlieger, The Inquisitive Biologist"This is a well written book that remains clear even whilst juggling three different expeditions. It could easily have been three times the length, but this would rather have spoilt the whole package, which is digestible and easy to read."---Dave Munday, Ocean Challenge

Read more less

Book SynopsisSupplies the practical details for implementing a cloud seeding project to enhance precipitation efficiency. This revised and updated Manual of Practice incorporates pertinent background on the science and practice of weather modification through the use of cloud seeding that has developed over the past 10 years. It also presents additional methods of evaluation for such programmes.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFriedman analyzes the revolution in the theory and practice of meteorology initiated by Vilhelm Bjerknes and his...Trade ReviewRobert Marc Friedman has written a lucid and engaging narrative of the career of Vilhelm Bjerknes and his 'Bergen' school of meteorology, originators of the concept of the weather front. Friedman has skillfully woven together early twentieth-century meteorology with contemporary developments in agriculture, fishery, warfare, and communications. The result is a significant contribution to the history of science and will hold the interest of anyone concerned with the role of science in modern society. * American Historical Review *The history of modern meteorology has been shaped by a few brilliant individuals, whose enormous contributions set conditions for permanent progress. Robert Marc Friedman's book is a serious and substantial contribution to the documentation of this history. * American Meteorological Society *In this very thoughtful and extremely well-researched and well-written book, Robert Marc Friedman relates the story of Vilhelm Bjerknes's switch to geophysical studies and his subsequent development of scientific study of the weather into a persuasive new professional discipline. * Isis *

Read more less

Book SynopsisBut the gains had been significant, including advances in natural history and medical geography, and in understanding the general circulation of the earth's atmosphere.Trade ReviewDetailed and handsomely illustrated, this work is an original contribution to the history of 19th-century science. American Historical Review It is surprising that the history of meteorology in the United States has waited so long for a serious historical analysis... American historians, especially those with little previous understanding of American science, need to read this book. -- Gregory A. Good Journal of American History Fleming's important contribution to our understanding of science during its formative period in America is to show the extent to which meteorology was shaped by cultural values. -- Bruce Sinclair Science Fleming's well-documented book is based on an impressive list of primary sources. Particularly useful are the numerous maps, illustrations, and graphic representations that document the constructs of data and theory as these changed over time. -- Sally Gregory Kohlstedt Journal of the Early Republic A welcome addition that fills one of the major gaps in the existing literature on the history of meteorology. -- Stanley David Gedzelman American Scientist

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn innovative study tracks the naming of hurricanes over six decades, exploring the interplay between naming practice and wider American culture. Liz Skilton blends gender studies with environmental history to analyse this often controversial tradition.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn Atmospheric Things Derek P. McCormack explores how atmospheres are imagined, understood, and experienced through experiments with a deceptively simple object: the balloon. Since the invention of balloon flight in the late eighteenth century, balloons have drawn crowds at fairs and expositions, inspired the visions of artists and writers, and driven technological development from meteorology to military surveillance. By foregrounding the distinctive properties of the balloon, McCormack reveals its remarkable capacity to disclose the affective and meteorological dimensions of atmospheres. Drawing together different senses of the object, the elements, and experience, McCormack uses the balloon to show how practices and technologies of envelopment allow atmospheres to be generated, made meaningful, and modified. He traces the alluring entanglement of envelopment in artistic, political, and technological projects, from the 2009 Pixar movie Up and Andy Warhol’s 19Trade Review"Derek P. McCormack offers a unique perspective on the relationship between object and atmosphere ... This title brings a fresh lens to topics as diverse as sensory perceptions, the concept of allure, and understandings of volume. . . . Recommended. Graduate students and researchers." -- C. Leachman * Choice *"Atmospheric Things offers a bold new intervention in the study of media infrastructures with incredible lucidity. . . . This book will be instrumental to media scholars interested in new ways of thinking about the intersecting lines of infrastructure, affect, meteorology, envelopment, and even trauma and objecthood, where both human and nonhuman agencies from bodies to balloons are theorized in terms of the atmospheric. By inviting scholars to consider that the allure of atmospheres rests in its resistance to full perception and sense, and that the free-floating dirigibility of balloons offers productive ways to imagine and experience atmospheres, McCormack lays the groundwork for future work in atmospheric infrastructures and opens room for the enchanting, generative possibilities of simply letting go." -- Miguel Penabella * Synoptique *"A thoughtful, challenging and very perceptively written work. . . . This book is very much about finding new and experimental ways, using the atmospheric thing of the balloon, to make explicit the atmosphere as a political, ethical and aesthetic commons." -- Marijn Nieuwenhuis * Social & Cultural Geography *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments xi Introduction 1 1. Envelopment 17 2. Sensing 35 3. Allure 55 4. Release 79 5. Volume 101 6. Sounding 121 7. Tensions 145 8. Hail 171 9. Elements 195 Notes 219 Bibliography 259 Index 279

Read more less

Book SynopsisDerek P. McCormack analyzes artistic, political, and technological uses of the balloon to show how its properties and capacities are central to understanding how we sense, perceive, and modify meteorological and affective atmospheres as well as the force of the atmosphere in modern life.Trade Review"Derek P. McCormack offers a unique perspective on the relationship between object and atmosphere ... This title brings a fresh lens to topics as diverse as sensory perceptions, the concept of allure, and understandings of volume. . . . Recommended. Graduate students and researchers." -- C. Leachman * Choice *"Atmospheric Things offers a bold new intervention in the study of media infrastructures with incredible lucidity. . . . This book will be instrumental to media scholars interested in new ways of thinking about the intersecting lines of infrastructure, affect, meteorology, envelopment, and even trauma and objecthood, where both human and nonhuman agencies from bodies to balloons are theorized in terms of the atmospheric. By inviting scholars to consider that the allure of atmospheres rests in its resistance to full perception and sense, and that the free-floating dirigibility of balloons offers productive ways to imagine and experience atmospheres, McCormack lays the groundwork for future work in atmospheric infrastructures and opens room for the enchanting, generative possibilities of simply letting go." -- Miguel Penabella * Synoptique *"A thoughtful, challenging and very perceptively written work. . . . This book is very much about finding new and experimental ways, using the atmospheric thing of the balloon, to make explicit the atmosphere as a political, ethical and aesthetic commons." -- Marijn Nieuwenhuis * Social & Cultural Geography *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments xi Introduction 1 1. Envelopment 17 2. Sensing 35 3. Allure 55 4. Release 79 5. Volume 101 6. Sounding 121 7. Tensions 145 8. Hail 171 9. Elements 195 Notes 219 Bibliography 259 Index 279

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book describes the fundamental scientific principles underlying high quality instrumentation used for environmental measurements. It discusses a wide range of in situ sensors employed in practical environmental monitoring and, in particular, those used in surface based measurement systems.Trade Review"“Thorough” is an apt description for the content of this book. A specialist book on Meteorological Measurements is long overdue, and this book is welcome. If a book was destined for sensor system designers it would need to be a thick volume, but for meteorologists needing to have a less detailed description of instruments it is ideal....all scientists/engineers need to be conversant with sensor systems, albeit at a high level (ie. to know how a system works, not necessarily to design it!). So, this book is “pitched” at just the right level." Weather, Royal Meteorological Society, April 2015Table of ContentsSeries Foreword xi Preface xiii Acknowledgements xv Disclaimer xvii 1 Introduction 1 1.1 The instrumental age 2 1.2 Measurements and the climate record 2 1.3 Clouds and rainfall 3 1.4 Standardisation of air temperature measurements 4 1.5 Upper air measurements 5 1.5.1 Manned balloon ascents 6 1.5.2 Self-reporting upper air instruments 7 1.6 Scope and structure 8 2 Principles of Measurement and Instrumentation 9 2.1 Instruments and measurement systems 9 2.1.1 Instrument response characterisation 10 2.1.2 Measurement quality 12 2.2 Instrument response time 14 2.2.1 Response to a step-change 14 2.2.2 Response to an oscillation 15 2.3 Deriving the standard error 18 2.3.1 Sample mean 18 2.3.2 Standard error 20 2.3.3 Quoting results 20 2.4 Calculations combining uncertainties 21 2.4.1 Sums and differences 21 2.4.2 Products and quotients 22 2.4.3 Uncertainties from functions 23 2.5 Calibration experiments 23 3 Electronics and Analogue Signal Processing 27 3.1 Voltage measurements 28 3.2 Signal conditioning 28 3.2.1 Operational amplifiers 29 3.2.2 Operational amplifier fundamentals 30 3.2.3 Signal amplification 31 3.2.4 Buffer amplifiers 33 3.2.5 Inverting amplifier 33 3.2.6 Line driving 35 3.2.7 Power supplies 36 3.3 Voltage signals 38 3.3.1 Electrometers 38 3.3.2 Microvolt amplifier 40 3.4 Current measurement 41 3.4.1 Current to voltage conversion 42 3.4.2 Photocurrent amplifier 43 3.4.3 Logarithmic measurements 44 3.4.4 Calibration currents 45 3.5 Resistance measurement 46 3.5.1 Thermistor resistance measurement 46 3.5.2 Resistance bridge methods 47 3.6 Oscillatory signals 50 3.6.1 Oscillators 50 3.6.2 Phase-locked loops 53 3.6.3 Frequency to voltage conversion 54 3.7 Physical implementation 54 4 Data Acquisition Systems and Initial Data Analysis 57 4.1 Data acquisition 57 4.1.1 Count data 59 4.1.2 Frequency data 60 4.1.3 Interval data 60 4.1.4 Voltage data 61 4.1.5 Sampling 63 4.1.6 Time synchronisation 66 4.2 Custom data logging systems 66 4.2.1 Data acquisition cards 67 4.2.2 Microcontroller systems 67 4.2.3 Automatic Weather Stations 68 4.3 Management of data files 69 4.3.1 Data logger programming 69 4.3.2 Data transfer 70 4.3.3 Data file considerations 71 4.4 Preliminary data examination 72 4.4.1 In situ calibration 72 4.4.2 Time series 73 4.4.3 Irregular and intermittent time series 75 4.4.4 Further data analysis 75 5 Temperature 77 5.1 The Celsius temperature scale 77 5.2 Liquid in glass thermometry 78 5.2.1 Fixed interval temperature scales 78 5.2.2 Liquid-in-glass thermometers 79 5.3 Electrical temperature sensors 80 5.3.1 Thermocouple 81 5.3.2 Semiconductor 81 5.3.3 Thermistor 82 5.3.4 Metal resistance thermometry 83 5.4 Resistance thermometry considerations 86 5.4.1 Thermistor measurement 87 5.4.2 Platinum resistance measurement 89 5.5 Thermometer exposure 90 5.5.1 Radiation error of air temperature sensors 90 5.5.2 Thermometer radiation screens 91 5.5.3 Radiation errors on screen temperatures 93 5.5.4 Lag times in screen temperatures 95 5.5.5 Screen condition 98 5.5.6 Modern developments in screens 99 5.6 Surface and below-surface temperature measurements 99 5.6.1 Surface temperatures 99 5.6.2 Soil temperatures 100 5.6.3 Ground heat flux density 100 6 Humidity 103 6.1 Water vapour as a gas 103 6.2 Physical measures of humidity 105 6.2.1 Absolute humidity 106 6.2.2 Specific humidity 106 6.2.3 Relative humidity 107 6.2.4 Dew point and wet bulb temperature 107 6.3 Hygrometers and their operating principles 109 6.3.1 Mechanical 109 6.3.2 Chemical 111 6.3.3 Electronic 111 6.3.4 Spectroscopic 112 6.3.5 Radio refractive index 113 6.3.6 Dew point meter 114 6.3.7 Psychrometer 114 6.4 Practical psychrometers 116 6.4.1 Effect of temperature uncertainties 118 6.4.2 Ventilation effects 118 6.4.3 Freezing of the wet bulb 120 6.5 Hygrometer calibration using salt solutions 121 6.6 Comparison of hygrometry techniques 122 7 Atmospheric Pressure 123 7.1 Introduction 123 7.2 Barometers 123 7.2.1 Liquid barometers 124 7.2.2 Mercury barometers 125 7.2.3 Hypsometer 127 7.2.4 Aneroid barometers 127 7.2.5 Precision aneroid barometers 128 7.2.6 Flexible diaphragm sensors 129 7.2.7 Vibrating cylinder barometer 129 7.3 Corrections to barometers 129 7.3.1 Sea level correction 130 7.3.2 Wind speed corrections 131 8 Wind Speed and Direction 133 8.1 Introduction 133 8.2 Types of anemometer 133 8.2.1 Pressure plate anemometers 133 8.2.2 Pressure tube anemometer 134 8.2.3 Cup anemometers 134 8.2.4 Propeller anemometer 136 8.2.5 Hot sensor anemometer 137 8.2.6 Sonic anemometer 139 8.3 Wind direction 141 8.3.1 Wind vanes 142 8.3.2 Horizontal wind components 144 8.3.3 Multi-component research anemometers 146 8.4 Anemometer exposure 146 8.4.1 Anemometer deficiencies 146 8.5 Wind speed from kite tether tension 148 9 Radiation 151 9.1 Introduction 151 9.2 Solar geometry 154 9.2.1 Orbital variations 154 9.2.2 Diurnal variation 155 9.2.3 Solar time corrections 155 9.2.4 Day length calculation 156 9.2.5 Irradiance calculation 157 9.3 Shortwave radiation instruments 158 9.3.1 Thermopile pyranometer 158 9.3.2 Pyranometer theory 159 9.3.3 Silicon pyranometers 162 9.4 Pyrheliometers 162 9.5 Diffuse solar radiation measurement 164 9.5.1 Occulting disk method 164 9.5.2 Shade ring method 165 9.5.3 Reflected shortwave radiation 168 9.5.4 Fluctuations in measured radiation 169 9.6 Reference solar radiation instruments 171 9.6.1 Cavity radiometer 172 9.6.2 Secondary pyrheliometers 172 9.7 Longwave instruments 173 9.7.1 Pyrradiometer theory 173 9.7.2 Pyrradiometer calibration 174 9.7.3 Pyrgeometer measurements 175 9.7.4 Commercial pyrradiometers 175 9.7.5 Radiation thermometry 177 9.8 Sunshine duration 178 9.8.1 Campbell–Stokes sunshine recorder 180 9.8.2 Electronic sensors 181 10 Clouds, Precipitation and Atmospheric Electricity 183 10.1 Introduction 183 10.2 Visual range 183 10.2.1 Point visibility meters 184 10.2.2 Transmissometers 185 10.2.3 Present weather sensors 185 10.3 Cloud base measurements 186 10.4 Rain gauges 187 10.4.1 Tilting siphon 188 10.4.2 Tipping bucket 188 10.4.3 Disdrometers 191 10.5 Atmospheric electricity 191 10.5.1 Potential Gradient instrumentation 191 10.5.2 Variability in the Potential Gradient 192 10.5.3 Lightning detection 193 11 Upper Air Instruments 195 11.1 Radiosondes 195 11.1.1 Sounding balloons 196 11.2 Radiosonde technology 197 11.2.1 Pressure sensor 199 11.2.2 Temperature and humidity sensors 200 11.2.3 Wind measurements from position information 201 11.2.4 Data telemetry 202 11.2.5 Radio transmitter 203 11.3 Uncertainties in radiosonde measurements 204 11.3.1 Response time 204 11.3.2 Radiation errors 204 11.3.3 Wet-bulbing 206 11.3.4 Location error 207 11.3.5 Telemetry errors 208 11.4 Specialist radiosondes 209 11.4.1 Cloud electrification 209 11.4.2 Ozone 209 11.4.3 Radioactivity and cosmic rays 210 11.4.4 Radiation 210 11.4.5 Turbulence 211 11.4.6 Supercooled liquid water 211 11.4.7 Atmospheric aerosol 212 11.5 Aircraft measurements 212 11.5.1 Air temperature 212 11.5.2 Wind 212 11.5.3 Pressure 213 11.5.4 Altitude 213 11.6 Small robotic aircraft 213 12 Further Methods for Environmental Data Analysis 215 12.1 Physical models 215 12.1.1 Surface energy balance 215 12.1.2 Turbulent quantities and eddy covariance 217 12.1.3 Soil temperature model 218 12.1.4 Vertical wind profile 220 12.2 Solar radiation models 222 12.2.1 Langley’s solar radiation method 222 12.2.2 Surface solar radiation: Holland’s model 224 12.3 Statistical models 225 12.3.1 Histograms and distributions 226 12.3.2 Statistical tests 226 12.3.3 Wind gusts 229 12.4 Ensemble averaging 229 12.4.1 Solar radiation variation 230 12.4.2 Pressure tides 231 12.4.3 Carnegie curve 231 12.5 Spectral methods 233 12.5.1 Power spectra 233 12.5.2 Micrometeorological power spectra 235 12.6 Conclusion 237 Appendix A Writing a Brief Instrumentation Paper 239 A.1 Scope of an instrument paper 239 A.2 Structure of an instrument paper 239 A.2.1 Paper title 239 A.2.2 Abstract 240 A.2.3 Keywords 240 A.2.4 Motivation 240 A.2.5 Description 240 A.2.6 Comparison 241 A.2.7 Figures 241 A.2.8 Summary 242 A.2.9 Acknowledgements 242 A.3 Submission and revisions 242 Appendix B Anemometer Coordinate Rotations 243 References 247 Index 253

Read more less

Book SynopsisMost practitioners within wind energy have only a very basic knowledge about meteorology, leading to a lack of understanding of one of the most fundamental subjects in wind energy. This book will therefore provide an easy-to-understand introduction to the subject of meteorology, as seen from the viewpoint of wind energy. Catering for a range of academic backgrounds, the book is mathematically rigorous with accessible explanations for non-mathematically oriented readers. Through exercises in the text and at the end of each chapter the reader will be challenged to think, seek further information and practice the knowledge obtained from reading the book. This practical yet comprehensive reference will enable readers to fully understand the theoretical background of meteorology with wind energy in mind and will include topics such as: measurements; wind profiles; wakes; modelling; turbulence and the fundamentals of atmospheric flow on all scales including the local scale.<Table of ContentsDedication iii Foreword ix Preface xi Acknowledgements xiii List of Abbreviations xv 1 Introduction 1 2 Meteorological Basics 5 2.1 Why does the wind blow? 5 2.2 The vertical structure of the atmosphere 9 2.3 Atmospheric variables and forces 13 2.3.1 Atmospheric Variables 13 2.3.2 Atmospheric Forces 13 2.3.3 Force Balances and the Geostrophic Wind 16 2.4 Length and time scales of atmospheric flow 20 2.5 Larger-scale systems (aka Weather) 22 2.5.1 Mid-latitudinal cyclone (low-pressure system) 22 2.5.2 Anticyclones (high-pressure systems) 23 2.5.3 Hurricanes 27 2.5.4 Monsoons 27 2.5.5 Climatological circulations 28 2.6 Summary 33 2.7 Exercises 34 3 Measurements 37 3.1 Philosophy: what does it mean to measure? 37 3.2 What do we measure? 40 3.3 Measurement theory 42 3.3.1 Are we good to go? 48 3.4 Practice 49 3.4.1 Measuring 49 3.4.2 Cup anemometer 52 3.4.3 Wind Vane 54 3.4.4 Sonic Anemometer 55 3.4.5 Hot wire 57 3.4.6 Pitot tube 57 3.4.7 Thermometer 58 3.4.8 Barometer 59 3.4.9 Remote sensing 60 3.4.10 Ceilometer 67 3.4.11 Weather balloon or the Radiosonde 67 3.4.12 Satellite-borne instruments 68 3.5 Summary 71 3.6 Exercises 72 4 The Wind Profile 73 4.1 A hand-waving way of deriving the simple log profile 73 4.2 Working with the log profile 75 4.3 The power law 77 4.4 Averaging times and other dependencies 79 4.5 Two famous profiles 80 4.6 Zero-plane displacement 82 4.7 Internal Boundary Layers (IBL) 83 4.8 Stability 86 4.9 Monin-Obukhov Theory 90 4.10 Deviations with height 94 4.11 Connection with geostrophic drag law 95 4.12 Effect of orography, obstacles and thermal flows on the profile 96 4.13 Direction profile 96 4.14 Summary 97 4.15 Excercises 97 5 Local Flow 99 5.1 Local effects 100 5.2 Orographic forcing 100 5.2.1 Analytical models 101 5.2.2 Attached flow: Flow in simple terrain 104 5.2.3 Detached flow: Flow in complex terrain 107 5.2.4 More advanced models for flow in complex terrain 109 5.3 Roughness 111 5.4 Obstacles 113 5.5 Thermally-driven flows 116 5.5.1 Sea/land breezes 116 5.5.2 Ana-/katabatic winds 118 5.6 Effect of stability 120 5.7 Summary 120 5.8 Exercises 120 6 Turbulence 123 6.1 What generates turbulence? 125 6.2 Reynolds Decomposition and Averaging 125 6.3 Spectra 126 6.3.1 Understanding Fourier analysis and spectra, a poor man/woman’s approach 127 6.3.2 Standard types of spectra 131 6.4 Measuring Turbulence 135 6.5 Turbulent Loads 135 6.6 Extreme winds 137 6.7 Summary 137 6.8 Exercises 138 7 Wakes 139 7.1 Turbine-to-turbine wakes 140 7.1.1 The NO Jensen model 142 7.1.2 The Ainslie model 145 7.1.3 Similarity theory 147 7.1.4 Effect on power 149 7.1.5 Wake models, summary 152 7.2 Several wind turbines, i.e. a wind farm 153 7.3 Advanced topics 153 7.3.1 Measuring the wakes 153 7.3.2 Onshore/offshore wakes 155 7.3.3 Very large wind farms, state of the art 156 7.3.4 Wind farm to wind farm interaction 156 7.4 Summary 156 7.5 Exercises 157 8 Modelling 159 8.1 Modelling and what it means 159 8.2 Input 159 8.3 Modelling 160 8.3.1 NWP (Numerical Weather Prediction) models 163 8.3.2 Sub-grid processes 166 8.4 Output 167 8.5 Errors 168 8.6 So, what is a good model? 169 8.7 Chaos 170 8.7.1 Ensemble prediction 171 8.8 Summary 171 8.9 Exercises 173 9 Conclusion 175 References 177 A Cheat sheet 181 B Answers to Exercises 185 C Sample wind speed and direction data 203 Index 205

Read more less

Book SynopsisTable of ContentsPreface vii Acknowledgments viii About the Companion Website ix 1 Introduction and Concepts 1 1.1 Why Are we Interested in Reconstructing Marine Carbonate Chemistry? 1 Acknowledgments 8 References 8 Further Reading/Resources 12 2 Boron Systematics 13 2.1 Introduction 14 2.2 What Determines the Sensitivity of δ11B and B/Ca to Marine Carbonate Chemistry? 15 2.3 Boron Proxy Systematics in Synthetic Carbonates 21 2.4 Boron Isotopes in Biogenic Marine Carbonates 42 2.5 Secular Evolution of [BT] and δ11B in Seawater 81 2.6 The B/Ca Proxy in Foraminifera 88 References 105 3 Reconstructing Paleo‐Acidity, pCO2 and Deep‐Ocean [CO32–] 120 3.1 Introduction 120 3.2 Estimating Paleoseawater pH from Boron Isotopes 122 3.3 Estimating Marine Carbonate Chemistry from B/Ca Ratios 150 3.4 Guidelines for Selecting Sediment Core Sites and Sample Sizes 155 References 156 4 Boron Concentration and Isotope Ratio Analysis 165 4.1 Introduction 165 4.2 Inter‐Laboratory Comparison Studies 170 4.3 Standard Reference Materials and Data Quality Assurance 172 4.4 Boron Concentration and Isotope Ratio Analysis 175 4.5 Sample Preparation and Cleaning 179 4.6 Boron Separation and Purification 183 4.7 Instrumental Techniques 188 4.8 Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) 201 4.9 Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) 204 4.10 Other Techniques 206 4.11 Outlook and Future Directions 210 References 211 Index 224

Read more less

Book SynopsisMountains, Climate and Biodiversity: A comprehensive and up-to-date synthesis for students and researchers Mountains are topographically complex formations that play a fundamental role in regional and continental-scale climates. They are also cradles to all major river systems and home to unique, and often highly biodiverse and threatened, ecosystems. But how do all these processes tie together to form the patterns of diversity we see today? Written by leading researchers in the fields of geology, biology, climate, and geography, this book explores the relationship between mountain building and climate change, and how these processes shape biodiversity through time and space. In the first two sections, you will learn about the processes, theory, and methods connecting mountain building and biodiversity In the third section, you will read compelling examples from around the world exploring the links between mountains, climate and biodiversity Throughout the 31 peer-reviewed chapters,Table of ContentsList of Contributors xi Acknowledgments xvii Foreword by Peter Raven xix Biography of Editors xxiii Glossary xxv About the Companion Website xxxv 1 Mountains, Climate and Biodiversity: An Introduction 1 Carina Hoorn, Allison Perrigo and Alexandre Antonelli Part I Mountains, Relief and Climate 15 2 Simple Concepts Underlying the Structure, Support and Growth of Mountain Ranges, High Plateaus and Other High Terrain 17 Peter Molnar 3 An Overview of Dynamic Topography: The Influence of Mantle Circulation on Surface Topography and Landscape 37 Caroline M. Eakin and Carolina Lithgow‐Bertelloni 4 Mountain Relief, Climate and Surface Processes 51 Peter van der Beek 5 Dating Mountain Building: Exhumation and Surface Uplift 69 Matthias Bernet, Verónica Torres Acosta and Mauricio A. Bermúdez 6 Stable Isotope Paleoaltimetry: Paleotopography as a Key Element in the Evolution of Landscapes and Life 81 Andreas Mulch and C. Page Chamberlain 7 Phytopaleoaltimetry: Using Plant Fossils to Measure Past Land Surface Elevation 95 Robert A. Spicer 8 Cenozoic Mountain Building and Climate Evolution 111 Phoebe G. Aron and Christopher J. Poulsen 9 Paleoclimate 123 Hemmo A. Abels and Martin Ziegler Part II When Biology Meets Mountain Building 135 10 Mountain Geodiversity: Characteristics, Values and Climate Change 137 John E. Gordon 11 Geodiversity Mapping in Alpine Areas 155 Arie C. Seijmonsbergen, Matheus G.G. De Jong, Babs Hagendoorn, Johannes G.B. Oostermeijer and Kenneth F. Rijsdijk 12 Historical Connectivity and Mountain Biodiversity 171 Suzette G.A. Flantua and Henry Hooghiemstra 13 The Environmental Heterogeneity of Mountains at a Fine Scale in a Changing World 187 Andrés J. Cortés and Julia A. Wheeler 14 Mountains, Climate and Mammals 201 Catherine Badgley, Tara M. Smiley and Rachel Cable 15 Inferring Macroevolutionary Dynamics in Mountain Systems from Fossils 217 Daniele Silvestro and Jan Schnitzler 16 The Interplay between Geological History and Ecology in Mountains 231 Catherine H. Graham, Mauricio Parra, Andrés Mora and Camilo Higuera 17 Mountains and the Diversity of Birds 245 Jon Fjeldså 18 Teasing Apart Mountain Uplift, Climate Change and Biotic Drivers of Species Diversification 257 Fabien L. Condamine, Alexandre Antonelli, Laura P. Lagomarsino, Carina Hoorn and Lee Hsiang Liow 19 Upland and Lowland Fishes: A Test of the River Capture Hypothesis 273 James S. Albert, Jack M. Craig, Victor A. Tagliacollo and Paulo Petry 20 Different Ways of Defining Diversity, and How to Apply Them in Montane Systems 295 Hanna Tuomisto 21 A Modeling Framework to Estimate and Project Species Distributions in Space and Time 309 Niels Raes and Jesús Aguirre‐Gutiérrez Part III Mountains and Biota of the World 321 22 Evolution of the Isthmus of Panama: Biological, Paleoceanographic and Paleoclimatological Implications 323 Carlos Jaramillo 23 The Tepuis of the Guiana Highlands 339 Otto Huber, Ghillean T. Prance, Salomon B. Kroonenberg and Alexandre Antonelli 24 Ice‐Bound Antarctica: Biotic Consequences of the Shift from a Temperate to a Polar Climate 355 Peter Convey, Vanessa C. Bowman, Steven L. Chown, Jane E. Francis, Ceridwen Fraser, John L. Smellie, Bryan Storey and Aleks Terauds 25 The Biogeography, Origin and Characteristics of the Vascular Plant Flora and Vegetation of the New Zealand Mountains 375 Matt S. McGlone, Peter Heenan, Timothy Millar and Ellen Cieraad 26 The East African Rift System: Tectonics, Climate and Biodiversity 391 Uwe Ring, Christian Albrecht and Friedemann Schrenk 27 The Alps: A Geological, Climatic and Human Perspective on Vegetation History and Modern Plant Diversity 413 Séverine Fauquette, Jean‐Pierre Suc, Frédéric Médail, Serge D. Muller, Gonzalo Jiménez‐Moreno, Adele Bertini, Edoardo Martinetto, Speranta‐Maria Popescu, Zhuo Zheng and Jacques‐Louis de Beaulieu 28 Cenozoic Evolution of Geobiodiversity in the Tibeto‐Himalayan Region 429 Volker Mosbrugger, Adrien Favre, Alexandra N. Muellner‐Riehl, Martin Päckert and Andreas Mulch 29 Neogene Paleoenvironmental Changes and their Role in Plant Diversity in Yunnan, South‐Western China 449 Zhe‐Kun Zhou, Tao Su and Yong‐Jiang Huang 30 Influence of Mountain Formation on Floral Diversification in Japan, Based on Macrofossil Evidence 459 Arata Momohara 31 The Complex History of Mountain Building and the Establishment of Mountain Biota in Southeast Asia and Eastern Indonesia 475 Robert J. Morley Index 495

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn up-to-date discussion of the latest in weather-related event forecasting and management In Responding to Extreme Weather Events, a team of distinguished researchers delivers a timely and authoritative exploration of three international extreme weather projects: ANYWHERE, I-REACT, and BeAWARE. The key contributions from policymaking, science, and industry in each project are discussed, as are the resulting improved measures and technologies for forecasting and managing weather-related extreme events. The authors cover the entire crisis management cycle, from awareness and early warning to effective responses to extreme weather events. Readers will also find: A thorough introduction to the science and policy background of managing extreme weather events Comprehensive explorations of impact forecasting for extreme weather events, including discussion of the ANYWHERE project Practical discussions of how to improve resilience to weather-related emergencies with advanced cyber technolog

Read more less

Book SynopsisOne of Springer’s Major Reference Works, this book gives the reader a truly global perspective. Paleoclimate topics covered in the encyclopedia give the reader the capability to place the observations of recent global warming in the context of longer-term natural climate fluctuations.Trade ReviewFrom the reviews: "This book is an A-Z series of entries on paleoclimatology and ancient environments. … offers a good overview of its subject matter and would be a suitable reference for any academic library that supports research in paleoclimatology and ancient environments or related fields. It would also be of interest to the general public who were interested in this subject area. … here is a chronological list of the geological time-periods as an appendix. This makes the text more accessible to the non-specialist … .” (Clari Hunt, Reference Reviews, Vol. 23 (8), 2009) “I was very impressed by the sedimentology encyclopedia … and I had therefore great expectations of this new title. … seems to be more interesting for Quaternary geologists and climatologists … . I must conclude that the volume comprises a wealth of valuable information, and that most chapters are truly useful. … the book is well printed, most figures are instructive and well-readable, and the binding has the quality that is required for such a huge work.” (A. J. Tom van Loon, Journal of Sedimentary Research, February, 2010)“This companion volume focuses on paleoclimatology and spans Earth’s climate history from the early Precambrian to the Little Ice Age, which ran from the 16th to the mid-19th centuries. … All articles contain excellent bibliographies leading to additional information. The work is well indexed, entries are cross-referenced, and the text is profusely illustrated with maps, graphs, and charts. Summing Up: Essential. Reference collections supporting programs in climate studies, lower-level undergraduates through professionals/practitioners, and general readers.” (J. C. Stachacz, Choice, Vol. 47 (6), February, 2010)“The chapters of the encyclopaedia are informative … . Palaeoclimatology, palaeogeography, geomorphology, geochemistry, and several more disciplines that are important for the climatological reconstruction of the geological past form a wide spectrum, and the encyclopaedia is, therefore, truly comprehensive. … easy to use. … Each chapter ends with cross-references, which indicate relevant chapters on related topics. … very useful for all geoscientists. It belongs in each geoscience library.” (Dmitry A. Ruban, Geologos, Vol. 16 (2), 2010)“The first major reference work covering the field of palaeoclimatology through the whole of Earth’s history from the early Precambrian to recent times. … the authors and editor have done a great job in making each entry accessible, creating a work that is extremely useful for providing introductions to undergraduate students approaching palaeoclimatology for the first time, or to postgraduates and academics wanting a quick explanation of an area outside of their area of expertise or an insight into how theories have developed over time.” (Jonathan R. Dean, Journal of Paleolimnology, Vol. 47, 2012)Table of ContentsList of Contributors.- Preface.- Acknowledgments.- Abrupt climate change.- Aerosols (mineral).- Albedo (feedbacks).- Alkenones.- Animal proxies, invertebrates.- Animal proxies, vertebrates.- Anoxic events.- Antarctica, glaciation history.- Antarctic Bottom Water and climate change.- Antarctic Cold Reversal.- Antarctic sea ice history, Late Quaternary.- Archean environments.- Archeological data and climate change.- Arctic sea ice.- Arid climates and indicators.- Astronomical theory of climate change.- Atmospheric circulation during the Last Glacial Maximum.- Atmospheric evolution, Earth.- Atmospheric evolution, Mars.- Atmospheric evolution, Venus.- Banded iron formations and the early atmosphere.- Basal ice.- Beachrock.- Beetles as Quaternary and Late Tertiary climate indicators.- Beryllium-10.- Binge/purge model of ice sheet dynamics.- Bolide impacts and climate.- Bølling-Allerød interstadial.- Borehole climatology: climate change from geothermal data.- Carbon cycle.- Carbon dioxide, dissolved (ocean).- Carbon dioxide and methane, Quaternary variations.- Carbon isotopes, stable.- Carbon isotope variations over geologic time .- Carbonate compensation depth.- Carbonates, cool water.- Carbonates, warm water.- Cenozoic climate and long-term cooling.- Cirques.- CLAMP (Climate Leaf Analysis Multivariate Program).- CLIMAP.- Climate change, causes.- Climate forcing.- Climate variability, last 1000 years.- Coal beds, origin and climate.- Coastal environments.- Coccoliths.- COHMAP.- Continental sediments.- Corals and coral reefs.- Cordilleran ice sheet.- Cosmogenic radionuclides.- Cretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) boundary.- Cretaceous warm climates.- Cryosphere.- Cyclic sedimentation (cyclothems).- Dansgaard-Oeschger cycles.- Dating, amino acid geochronology.- Dating, biostratigraphic methods.- Dating, dendrochronology.- Dating, fission tracks.- Dating, luminescence techniques.- Dating, magnetostratigraphy.- Dating, radiometric methods.- Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP).- Deltaic sediments, climate records.- Dendroclimatology.- Desert varnish as climate proxy.- Deuterium, deuterium excess.- Diamicton.- Diatoms.- Dinoflagellates.- Dole effect .- Drumlins.- Duricrusts.- Dust transport, Quaternary.- Earth laws and climatology.- Early Paleozoic climates (Cambrian-Devonian).- Eccentricity, earth’s orbit.- Eemian (Sangamonian) interglacial.- Electrical conductivity.- Eolian dust, marine sediments.- Eolian sediments and processes.- Eolianite.- Eskers.- Evaporites.- Evolution and climate change.- Faint Young Sun Paradox.- Flood basalts, climatic implications.- Foraminifera.- Geochemical proxies (non-isotopic).- Glacial erratic.- Glacial eustasy.- Glacial geomorphology.- Glacial isostasy.- Glacial.- megalakes .- Glacial sediments.- Glaciations, pre-Quaternary.- Glaciations, Quaternary.- Glaciofluvial sediments.- Glaciomarine sediments.- Glendonite/ikaite.- "Greenhouse" (warm) climates.- Heat transports, oceanic and atmospheric.- Heinrich events.- History of Paleoclimatology.- Holocene climates.- Holocene treeline fluctuations.- Hypsithermal.- Human evolution and climate change.- Ice cores, Antarctica and Greenland.- Ice cores, mountain glaciers.- "Icehouse" (cold) climates.- Ice-rafted debris (IRD).- Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP).- Interstadials.- Iron and climate change.- Isotopic fractionation.- Kames.- Kettles.- Lacustrine sediments.- Lake level variations.- Late Glacial Maximum .- Last Glacial Termination.- Laterite.- Late Paleozoic climates.- Late Quaternary-Holocene vegetation modeling.- Late Quaternary megafloods .- Laurentide ice sheet.- Little Ice Age.- Loess deposits.- Marine biogenic sediments.- Marine carbon geochemistry.- Marine clay minerals.- Marine non-biogenic (inorganic) sediments.- Mars: water and past climates .- Mass extinctions: role of Climate.- Maunder minimum.- Medieval warm period.- Mesozoic climates.- Messinian salinity crisis.- Methane hydrates, carbon cycling, and environmental change.- Mid-Pliocene warming.- Millennial climate variability.- Mineral indicators of past climates.- Monsoons, Pre-Quaternary.- Monsoons, Quaternary.- Moraines.- Mountain.- glaciers,.- Mountain uplift and climate change.- Nearest-living-relative method.- Neogene climates.- Nitrogen isotopes.- North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) records.- North Atlantic Deep Water and climate change.- Obliquity, earth’s orbit.- Ocean Drilling Program (ODP).- Ocean paleocirculation.- Ocean paleoproductivity.- Ocean paleotemperatures.- Organic geochemical proxies.- Ostracodes.- Outwash plains.- Oxygen isotopes.- PAGES.- aleobotany.- Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum.- Paleoclimate modeling, Quaternary.- Paleoclimate modeling, pre-Quaternary .- Paleoclimate proxies, an introduction.- Paleo-El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) records.- Paleogene climates.- Paleohydrology.- Paleo-ocean modeling.- Paleo-ocean pH.- Paleoceanography.- Paleolimnology.- Paleo-precipitation indicators.- Paleosols–pre-Quaternary.- Paleosols–Quaternary.- Paleotemperatures, proxy reconstructions.- Paleotempestology–sedimentary record of intense hurricanes.- Palynology.- Patterned ground.- Periglacial geomorphology.- Phosphorite.- Phosphorus cycle.- Pingo.- Plate tectonics and climate change.- Pleistocene climates.- Pliocene climates.- Pollen analysis.- Potassium-Argon/argon-argon dating.- Precession, earth’s orbit.- Pre-Quaternary Milankovitch cycles and climate.- Proglacial lacustrine sediments.- Proterozoic climates.- Quaternary climate transitions and cycles.- Quaternary vegetation distribution.- Radiocarbon dating.- Radiolaria.- Red beds.- Roche moutonnée.- Sapropels (organic-rich muds).- Scandinavian ice sheet.- Sea level change, Holocene.- Sea level change, Quaternary.- Sea level change, last 250 million years.- Sea level indicators.- Sedimentary indicators of climate change.- Snowball Earth hypothesis.- SPECMAP.- Speleothems.- Stable isotope analysis.- Strontium isotopes.- Sulfur isotopes.- Sun-climate connections.- Tephrochronology.- The 8200 year BP cold event.- Thermohaline circulation.- Time series analysis.- Till and Tillites.- Transfer functions.- Triassic-Jurassic climates.- Uranium-series dating.- Varved sediments.- Volcanic eruptions and climate change.- Weathering and climate.- Wisconsinan (Weichselian, Wurm) glaciation.- Younger Dryas.- Author index.- Subject index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisBy considering three case study regions in Mexico during the Colonial era, Climate and Society in Colonial Mexico: A Study in Vulnerability examines the complex interrelationship between climate and society and its contemporary implications.Trade ReviewMexico is well known for its vulnerability to a variety of disasters, ranging from droughts and floods to devastating epidemics. Using extensive archival resources in Mexico and Spain, environmental historian Endfield (Univ. of Nottingham) focuses on three regions with their diverse environments--the Rio Conchos Basin in the state of Chihuahua, Guanajuato and the Chichimec territory, and the Valley of Oaxaca--to compare and contrast the impact of climate crises on the economic and social-political systems of the agrarian Indian and Spanish societies of colonial Mexico from 1521 to 1820. The author discusses climate disasters of the late pre-Hispanic period, as well as the prehistory of the three study regions. Repeated climate events resulted in societal disruption, demographic changes, and conflict. Endfield shows how the societies in these three regions coped with and adapted to the risks and hazards of extreme weather over the centuries. This impressive archival study on Mexico provides a historical perspective on environmental change and the cultural response in such detail and depth that it will be used by many disciplines as global warming produces more frequent and devastating climate events in Mesoamerica and elsewhere. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above. -- J. B. Richardson III, University of Pittsburgh (Choice, February 2009)Table of ContentsList of Tables and Figures. Series Editors' Preface. Acknowledgements. 1 A Vulnerable Society. Introduction. Changing Vulnerabilities. Climate Change and the 'Double-Sided' Structure of Vulnerability 5 Exploring Climate and Society in Mexico. Climate History and Vulnerability in Mexico. Case Studies and Approach. 2 Climate, Culture and Conquest: North, South and Central Mexico in the Pre-European and Contact Period. Environmental Marginality and Society in the Conchos Basin, Chihuahua. Guanajuato and the Chichimec Territory. Power and Political Growth in the Central Valley of Oaxaca. 3 Exploring the Anatomy of Vulnerability in Colonial Mexico. Introduction. The Tools of Conquest and Colonization. The Emergence of Regional Colonial Political Economies. Climatic Variability and Vulnerability in Colonial Mexico: A Preview. 4 Responding to Crisis: Vulnerability and Adaptive Capacity in Colonial Mexico. Introduction. Moral Economic and Institutional Responses to Climate and Crisis in Colonial Mexico. Speculation and Scarcity: Capitalizing on Climate Knowledge. Trade in Grains: Providing for the 'Engines' of the Colonial Political Economy. Tribute, Food Aid and the Supernatural: Appealing to a Common Sense of Loss. 'Compadrazgo', Community Engagement and Public Works. 'Most sensitive and saddening events': Flood Risk and Social Capital Response in Colonial Guanajuato. 'Great floods' and 'Strong winds': Damaging Events, Adaptation and 'Non-Adaptation' in Colonial Oaxaca. Responding Strategically: Climate, Consciousness and Experimentation. 5 Dearth, Deluge and Disputes: Negotiating and Litigating Water and Climate in Colonial Mexico. Introduction. Water and Local 'Everyday Conflicts' in the Country and City. Regional Resistance: Drought, Disease and Rebellion in Northern Mexico. Vulnerability, Riots and Rebellions: Rare Events or 'Tipping Points'? 6 Illusory Prosperity: Economic Growth and Subsistence Crisis in the Disastrous Eighteenth Century. Introduction. Decline and Depression in Seventeenth-Century Mexico. Economic Boom and Bust: Absolutism and Globalization in Late Colonial Mexico. 'A time of calamity': A Synthesis of Climate and Crises in Late Colonial Mexico. From Crisis to Insurrection: Vulnerability and Popular Unrest in the Early Nineteenth Century. 7 Regional, National and Global Dimensions of Vulnerability and Crisis in Colonial Mexico. Introduction. Prolonged Drought and the Conditions of Crisis in Late Colonial Chihuahua. Drought, Risk and the Social Construction of Flooding in the Bajío. Resilience and the Rare Event: Climate, Society and Human Choice in the Indigenous South. Crises in Context and Historical 'Double Exposure'. Closing Comments. Notes. Bibliography. Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisBy considering three case study regions in Mexico during the Colonial era, Climate and Society in Colonial Mexico: A Study in Vulnerability examines the complex interrelationship between climate and society and its contemporary implications.Trade Review“This impressive archival study on Mexico provides a historical perspective on environmental change and the cultural response in such detail and depth that it will be used by many disciplines as global warming produces more frequent and devastating climate events in Mesoamerica and elsewhere. Summing Up: Highly recommended.” (CHOICE, February 2009) "Mexico is well known for its vulnerability to a variety of disasters, ranging from droughts and floods to devastating epidemics. Using extensive archival resources in Mexico and Spain, environmental historian Endfield (Univ. of Nottingham) focuses on three regions with their diverse environments--the Rio Conchos Basin in the state of Chihuahua, Guanajuato and the Chichimec territory, and the Valley of Oaxaca--to compare and contrast the impact of climate crises on the economic and social-political systems of the agrarian Indian and Spanish societies of colonial Mexico from 1521 to 1820. The author discusses climate disasters of the late pre-Hispanic period, as well as the prehistory of the three study regions. Repeated climate events resulted in societal disruption, demographic changes, and conflict. Endfield shows how the societies in these three regions coped with and adapted to the risks and hazards of extreme weather over the centuries. This impressive archival study on Mexico provides a historical perspective on environmental change and the cultural response in such detail and depth that it will be used by many disciplines as global warming produces more frequent and devastating climate events in Mesoamerica and elsewhere." (J. B. Richardson III, University of Pittsburgh, Choice, February 2009) Table of ContentsList of Tables and Figures. Series Editors' Preface. Acknowledgements. 1 A Vulnerable Society. Introduction. Changing Vulnerabilities. Climate Change and the 'Double-Sided' Structure of Vulnerability 5 Exploring Climate and Society in Mexico. Climate History and Vulnerability in Mexico. Case Studies and Approach. 2 Climate, Culture and Conquest: North, South and Central Mexico in the Pre-European and Contact Period. Environmental Marginality and Society in the Conchos Basin, Chihuahua. Guanajuato and the Chichimec Territory. Power and Political Growth in the Central Valley of Oaxaca. 3 Exploring the Anatomy of Vulnerability in Colonial Mexico. Introduction. The Tools of Conquest and Colonization. The Emergence of Regional Colonial Political Economies. Climatic Variability and Vulnerability in Colonial Mexico: A Preview. 4 Responding to Crisis: Vulnerability and Adaptive Capacity in Colonial Mexico. Introduction. Moral Economic and Institutional Responses to Climate and Crisis in Colonial Mexico. Speculation and Scarcity: Capitalizing on Climate Knowledge. Trade in Grains: Providing for the 'Engines' of the Colonial Political Economy. Tribute, Food Aid and the Supernatural: Appealing to a Common Sense of Loss. 'Compadrazgo', Community Engagement and Public Works. 'Most sensitive and saddening events': Flood Risk and Social Capital Response in Colonial Guanajuato. 'Great floods' and 'Strong winds': Damaging Events, Adaptation and 'Non-Adaptation' in Colonial Oaxaca. Responding Strategically: Climate, Consciousness and Experimentation. 5 Dearth, Deluge and Disputes: Negotiating and Litigating Water and Climate in Colonial Mexico. Introduction. Water and Local 'Everyday Conflicts' in the Country and City. Regional Resistance: Drought, Disease and Rebellion in Northern Mexico. Vulnerability, Riots and Rebellions: Rare Events or 'Tipping Points'? 6 Illusory Prosperity: Economic Growth and Subsistence Crisis in the Disastrous Eighteenth Century. Introduction. Decline and Depression in Seventeenth-Century Mexico. Economic Boom and Bust: Absolutism and Globalization in Late Colonial Mexico. 'A time of calamity': A Synthesis of Climate and Crises in Late Colonial Mexico. From Crisis to Insurrection: Vulnerability and Popular Unrest in the Early Nineteenth Century. 7 Regional, National and Global Dimensions of Vulnerability and Crisis in Colonial Mexico. Introduction. Prolonged Drought and the Conditions of Crisis in Late Colonial Chihuahua. Drought, Risk and the Social Construction of Flooding in the Bajío. Resilience and the Rare Event: Climate, Society and Human Choice in the Indigenous South. Crises in Context and Historical 'Double Exposure'. Closing Comments. Notes. Bibliography. Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWritten for a wide audience of earth scientists and climatologists, The Holocene: An Environmental History provides undergraduates with a much-needed coherent scientific account of the great transformation of nature that has taken place in the last 10,000 years.Trade Review“In conclusion, we find the new edition highly recommendable to students and researchers but to those who are interested in how our modern envi­ronment came about and how human kind interacts with nature.” (Geologos Journal, 1 August 2015) “All the sections are very well referenced, making this a good book for serious research or to dip into a particular area of interest to the reader. For a reference work it is surprisingly easy to just sit and read, which I did, and found it interesting through to the last page. I particularly liked the way a wide range of ideas and disciplines were brought together to form a coherent thread throughout the book.” (Proceedings of the Open University Geological Society, 1 April 2015) “The text makes enjoyable reading, and although the author introduces many technical terms, they are all covered in a glossary at the end and included in the index. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates and above; general readers.” (Choice, 1 October 2014) “This excellent book should be mandatory reading for any student taking a palaeobased environmental change module, and academics will also very much enjoy reading Neil Roberts’ fine prose.” (The Holocene, 1 October 2014) Table of ContentsTechnical boxes viii Preface to the third edition ix Acknowledgements xi About the companion website xii 1 Introduction 1 Sources of information on past environments 2 Nature and society 5 The significance of the Holocene 6 References 7 2 Reconstructing Holocene environments 10 Dating the past 10 Historical and archaeological dating 11 Radiometric dating methods 13 Dendrochronology and radiocarbon calibration 19 Other dating methods 25 Conclusion 28 Palaeoecological techniques 32 Pollen analysis 33 Plant remains 40 Creatures great and small 44 Freshwater and marine organisms 46 Geological techniques 47 Ice and ocean 51 Stable isotope analysis 53 Geomorphology and climate 55 Geo-archaeology 59 Modelling the past 61 Models of environmental reconstruction 61 Computer model simulations 64 Conclusion 66 References 66 3 The Pleistocene prelude (>11 700 Cal. yr bp) 83 Ice Age environments 83 The glacial–interglacial cycle 83 Understanding the causes of long-term climatic change 88 The Last Glacial Maximum and after 92 The terminal Pleistocene (15 000–11 700 Cal. yr bp) 96 The Late Glacial in the North Atlantic region 96 Terminal Pleistocene climatic oscillation: a globally synchronous event? 102 Adjustment of geomorphic systems 105 Human ecology at the end of the Pleistocene 107 Megafaunal extinctions 110 References 115 4 Early Holocene adaptations (11 700–6000 Cal. yr bp) 128 Changes in the physical environment 128 Ice sheets and sea levels 128 Human adaptations to coastal environments 131 Lake ontogeny and soil development 135 The return of the forests 140 Europe 140 Eastern North America 142 Dry Mediterranean woodland 144 Tropical forests 145 Factors affecting forest re-advance 146 The ecology of Mesolithic Europe 151 The early Holocene in the tropics 154 Saharan palaeoecology 155 Early Holocene climates: Pattern and process 158 Conclusion 165 References 167 5 The first farmers 178 Agricultural origins 178 Southwest Asia 179 China and South Asia 184 Mesoamerica 186 Tropical domesticates 190 Independent innovation or diffusion? 193 The role of environmental change in early agriculture 194 Early agricultural impacts 199 European agricultural dispersals 201 Ecological consequences of early European agriculture 204 Conclusion 207 References 208 6 The taming of nature (6000–1000 Cal. yr bp) 217 Introduction 217 Changes in the natural environment 219 Climate and vegetation 219 The origin and development of blanket mires 228 Coasts and rivers 232 Cultural evolution 235 Hydraulic civilisation in Mesopotamia 236 Environmental impact in pre-Hispanic Mesoamerica 239 Pastoral nomadism 241 Mediterranean ecosystems 242 The making of the landscape: The British Isles 249 The primaeval forest 250 Shaugh Moor – a Bronze Age landscape 254 The environmental impact of permanent agricultural clearance 256 Conclusion 261 References 262 7 The impact of modern times (1000–0 Cal. yr bp) 277 Introduction 277 Climatic changes in historical times 280 Climate history and global warming 282 Consequences of medieval and Little Ice Age climate change 288 Expansion at the periphery 291 Conquest of the Northlands 291 The Pacific 295 Ecological imperialism 300 Land-use history and soil erosion 303 Pollution histories 312 Eutrophication: natural or cultural? 312 Acidification and atmospheric pollution 318 References 323 8 The environmental future: A Holocene perspective 336 Holocene environmental crises 340 Environmental conservation and Holocene Environmental history 343 References 347 Appendix: Calibration table for radiocarbon ages 352 Glossary 353 Index 358

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book provides the reader a broad grounding in the science of Earth Observation (EO) of our changing planet. It contains a comprehensive sequenced discussion covering the significant themes of global change, their cause, and how they can be monitored through time.Trade Review"...the book provides a useful text and reference source for information on remote sensing of the Earth's surface for the study of global environmental change...the book's strengths include the comprehensive material presented in the chapters on remote sensing of the land, oceans and coastal regions, which are areas of expertise for the authors. For this reason alone it is a valuable addition to the bookshelf of any student of remote sensing." (Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, June 2013) “An exciting and informative book to read and a pleasure to review, this work constitutes a generalist’s dream. . . By that virtue, this book should also appeal to the informed public at large.” (Photogrammetric Engineering & Remote Sensing, 1 October 2012) "A comprehensive and accessible introduction to remote-sensing applications within the area of global environmental monitoring and should represent a welcome addition to the bookshelves of many university libraries, for undergraduate and postgraduate students, and non-specialists with an interest in applying remotely sensed data." (Rachel Gaulton, January 2013, International Journal of Remote Sensing, 34:2, 751-752) "This is an extremely valuable bock for educators and students alike, serving as a quick, high level, and accurate reference source for the basics, while offering current and solid examples of applications and results." (Demetrio Zourarakis, Photogrammatic Engineering & Remote Sensing, October 2012) “I would recommend this book to those unfamiliar with remote-sensing methods and applications and to others who want to see how these techniques can be applied to global environmental change.” (The Leading Edge, 1 May 2012) "I highly recommend the well explained and invaluable reference book Remote Sensing and Global Environmental Change by Samuel J. Purkis and Victor V. Klemas, to any students, professionals, and policy makers who are seeking a comprehensive and well presented approach to the application of remote sensing technology to global environmental change. This book will enhance and enrich your understanding of remote sensing, and of its accompanying technologies and environmental applications." (Blog Business World, 22 October 2011)Table of ContentsPreface. Acknowledgements. 1 Introduction. 1.1 Key concepts. 2 Remote sensing basics. 2.1 Electromagnetic waves. 2.2 The electromagnetic spectrum. 2.3 Reflectance and radiance. 2.4 Atmospheric effects. 2.5 Multispectral feature recognition. 2.6 Resolution requirements. 2.7 Key concepts. 3 Remote sensors and systems. 3.1 Introduction. 3.2 Remote sensors. 3.2.1 Multispectral satellite sensors. 3.2.2 Digital aerial cameras. 3.2.3 Thermal infrared sensors. 3.2.4 Radar and microwave radiometers. 3.2.5 Laser profilers. 3.3 Remote sensing platforms. 3.3.1 Airborne platforms. 3.3.2 Medium-resolution satellites. 3.3.3 High-resolution satellites. 3.3.4 Global observation satellites. 3.4 The NASA Earth observing system. 3.5 Global Earth observation systems. 3.5.1 Global Climate Observing System. 3.5.2 Global Earth Observation System of Systems. 3.5.3 Integrated Ocean Observing System. 3.6 Existing image archives. 3.7 Key concepts. 4 Digital image analysis. 4.1 Image data format. 4.2 Image pre-processing. 4.3 Image enhancement and interpretation. 4.4 Image classification. 4.5 Image band selection. 4.6 Error assessment. 4.7 Time-series analysis and change detection. 4.8 Field sampling using GPS. 4.9 Use of Geographic Information Systems. 4.10 Key concepts. 5 Monitoring changes in global vegetation cover. 5.1 EM spectrum of vegetation. 5.2 Vegetation indices. 5.3 Biophysical properties and processes of vegetation. 5.4 Classification systems. 5.5 Global vegetation and land cover mapping programmes. 5.5.1 NASA Pathfinder global monitoring project. 5.5.2 International geosphere-biosphere program. 5.5.3 Application of new satellites and radar. 5.6 Remote sensing of vegetation as a monitor for global change. CASE STUDY: Desertification in the African Sahel. CASE STUDY: Deforestation of Amazonia. 5.7 Remote sensing of wetlands change. 5.8 Fire detection. 5.9 Key concepts. 6 Remote sensing of urban environments. 6.1 Urbanization. 6.2 Urban remote sensing. 6.2.1 Three-dimensional urban model generation. 6.2.2 Stereo imaging. 6.2.3 LiDAR. 6.2.4 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR). 6.3 Microwave sensing of subsidence. 6.4 Textural metrics. 6.5 Monitoring city growth. 6.6 Assessing the ecology of cities. 6.7 Urban climatology. 6.8 Air quality and air pollution. 6.9 Climate change as a threat to urbanization. 6.10 Key concepts. 7 Surface and ground water resources. 7.1 Remote sensing of inland water quality. 7.2 Remote sensing sediment load and pollution of inland waters. 7.3 Remote sensing non-coastal flooding. 7.4 Bathymetry of inland waters. 7.5 Mapping watersheds at the regional scale. 7.6 Remote sensing of land surface moisture. 7.7 Remote sensing of groundwater. 7.8 Key concepts. 8 Coral reefs, carbon and climate. 8.1 Introduction. 8.2 The status of the world's reefs. 8.3 Remote sensing of coral reefs. 8.4 Light, corals and water. 8.4.1 Light and the water surface. 8.4.2 Light and the water body. 8.4.3 Reflectance models for optically shallow waters. 8.4.4 Reflectance signatures of reef substrata. 8.5 Passive optical sensing. 8.6 Sensor-down versus reef-up sensing. 8.7 Spectral unmixing. 8.8 Image-derived bathymetry. 8.9 LiDAR. 8.10 Sonar. 8.11 Sub-bottom acoustic profiling. 8.12 Radar applications. 8.13 Class assemblages and the minimum mapping unit. 8.14 Change detection. 8.15 Key concepts. 9 Coastal impact of storm surges and sea level rise. 9.1 Predicting and monitoring coastal flooding. 9.2 Coastal currents and waves. 9.3 Mapping beach topography. 9.4 LiDAR bathymetry. CASE STUDY: LiDAR application to modelling sea level rise at the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. 9.5 Key concepts. 10 Observing the oceans. 10.1 Introduction. 10.2 Ocean colour, chlorophyll and productivity. 10.3 Hazardous algal blooms and other pollutants. 10.4 Sea surface temperature. CASE STUDY: Upwelling and El Niño. 10.5 Ocean salinity. 10.6 Physical ocean features. 10.6.1 Sea surface elevation and ocean currents. 10.6.2 Sea surface winds. 10.6.3 Ocean waves. 10.6.4 Oil slicks and other surface features. 10.7 Ocean observing systems. 10.8 Marine GIS. 10.9 Key concepts. 11 Monitoring Earth's atmosphere. 11.1 The status of Earth's atmosphere. 11.2 Atmospheric remote sensing. 11.3 The 'A- Train' satellite constellation. 11.3.1 Dancing on the A- Train. 11.4 Remote sensing atmospheric temperature. 11.5 Atmospheric remote sensing of ozone. 11.6 Atmospheric remote sensing of carbon dioxide. 11.7 Remote sensing atmospheric dust. CASE STUDY: Spaceborne monitoring of African dust events. 11.8 Clouds. 11.9 Forecasting Earth's atmosphere. 11.10 Atmospheric models and reality. 11.11 Hurricanes. CASE STUDY: Hurricane Katrina. 11.12 Key concepts. 12 Observing the cryosphere. 12.1 Introduction. 12.2 The history and status of the polar ice sheets. 12.3 Ice and sea level. 12.4 Ice and climate. 12.5 Present ice loss in context. 12.6 Remote sensing of the Earth's ice sheets. 12.6.1 Passive optical and thermal remote sensing. 12.6.2 Passive microwave remote sensing. 12.6.3 Active microwave remote sensing. 12.6.4 Active optical remote sensing – ICESat. 12.7 Ice sheet mass balance. CASE STUDY: Disintegration of the Larsen and Wilkins ice shelves. 12.8 Remote sensing permafrost. 12.9 Key concepts. 13 Effective communication of global change information using remote sensing. 13.1 Global environmental change as an interdisciplinary issue. 13.2 Effective communication through accessibility of data. 14 Looking ahead: future developments. 14.1 Emerging technologies. 14.1.1 Fusion in remote sensing. 14.1.2 Hyper-spatial satellites. 14.1.3 Hyperspectral hyper-spatial satellites. 14.2 The near future. 14.3 The more distant future. 14.4 Advanced image analysis techniques. 14.5 Looking ahead at a changing Earth. References. Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn Immeasurable Weather Sara J. Grossman explores how environmental data collection has been central to the larger project of settler colonialism in the United States. She draws on an extensive archive of historical and meteorological data spanning two centuries to show how American scientific institutions used information about the weather to establish and reinforce the foundations of a white patriarchal settler society. Grossman outlines the relationship between climate data and state power in key moments in the history of American weather science, from the nineteenth-century public data-gathering practices of settler farmers and teachers and the automation of weather data during the Dust Bowl to the role of meteorological satellites in data science’s integration into the militarized state. Throughout, Grossman shows that weather science reproduced the natural world as something to be measured, owned, and exploited. This data gathering, she contends, gave coherence to a Trade Review“In her analysis of the relationship between weather data and human experience, Sara J. Grossman’s main point—all the data in the world won’t save us—is stupendously timely and significant. Scholars of environmental history, of environmental humanities, and of the history of science will learn a great deal from this important book.” -- Joyce E. Chaplin, author of * Round About the Earth: Circumnavigation from Magellan to Orbit *“Building on the idea that science has long been embedded in racial capitalism and settler colonialism, this book argues that we should approach weather and all its entanglements in ways that reinforce rather than sever our connections to the more-than-human world and our relationships with each other. Ultimately, the book challenges the environmentalist fetish for data and the assumption that it mobilizes people to action. Instead, the legacy of this data fetish shows that it can just as often lead to more damage, especially to the relationships and communities on which flourishing ecosystems depend.” -- Sarah Jaquette Ray, Professor, Cal Poly HumboldtTable of ContentsList of Illustrations ix Acknowledgments xi Introduction: About American Weather 1 1. Dreaming Data: Locating Early Nineteenth-Century Weather Data 25 2. Gendering Data: The Women of the Smithsonian Meteorological Project 57 3. Data in the Sky: Scientific Kites, Settler Masculinity, and Quantifying the Air 87 4. Data’s Edge: Cleaning Data and Dust Bowl Crises 111 5. Ugly Data in the Age of Satellites and Extreme Weather 137 Epilogue: Data’s Inheritance 171 Notes 179 Bibliography 209 Index 229

Read more less

Book SynopsisSince its first appearance in 1941, this book has remained, through various editions and reprintings, the standard, indeed the only modern work in English in its field. This third edition, completely reset, includes descriptions of the newer devices which have come into use in upper-atmosphere sounding, electronic techniques for wind finding, thunderstorm location, and through the renewed interest in meterorological observations from aircraft. A number of new illustrations have been added.The authors have followed the pattern of the earlier editions in presenting examples found in regular weather service. Some attention has been given, however, to new techniques which, though not widely in use at the present time, show such promise as to deserve the studen'ts attention. A general treatment of the application of radar, radio direction finders, and radiosoundes to meteorology has been included.Of the previous edition the bulletin of the American Meteorological Society sa

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe weather governs our lives. It fills gaps in conversations, determines our dress, and influences our architecture. Wait Five Minutes: Weatherlore in the Twenty-First Century draws from folkloric, literary, and scientific theory to offer up new ways of thinking about this most ancient of phenomena.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book is an introduction to the concepts behind the popular understanding of climate and global warming. The author provides readers with a survey and reference to the subject to be used before, during and after they delve into the details of statistics, dynamics and thermodynamics. Dynamic Climatology reviews the basic concepts in the study of dynamic climatology, their expression in the form of equations and the physics of models used to reproduce the weather phenomena of a specific location. It takes a historical approach concentrating on the development of ideas during the last four hundred years. Unlike most books in this field, which are devoted to a single aspect of dynamic climatology, the intent of this volume is to present a coherent narrative of the different components of climate thus providing a solid basis of understanding.Trade Review"One of the best textbooks I have read... In not trying to do too much it achieves everything." Times Higher Education Supplement "Graduate students and advanced undergraduates will find this book very useful for both refreshing forgotten material and learning the essentials of atmosphere science for the first time. Carefully and clearly written, interesting historical accounts enliven most topics, making for a work that is simultaneously rigorous, concise, and interesting." – Professor James Burt, University of Wisconsin, MadisonTable of ContentsList of Figures. List of Tables. Preface. Part I: The Field of Dynamic Climatology: . Part II: Mathematics:. 1. Geometry. 2. Differential Calculus. 3. Partial Derivatives. 4. Integral Calculus. 5. Development of Calculus. 6. Vectors. 7. The Exponential and Complex Numbers. 8. Finite Differences. 9. Comment. Part III: Statistics:. 10. Data. 11. One Variable Descriptive Statistics. 12. Two Variables. 13. Dependence. 14. Dependence for More Than One Variable. 15. Comment. Part IV: Mechanics:. 16. Newton's Definitions and Laws. 17. Base Units. 18. Derived Units. 19. Discussion. Part V: Thermodynamics:. 20. Definitions. 21. The Equation of State - The Macroscopic Approach. 22. Atmospheric Composition. 23. Heat. 24. The First Law of Thermodynamics. 25. The Carnot Cycle. 26. Dry Adiabats and Potential Temperature. 27. The Second Law of Thermodynamics. 28. Water. 29. Discussion. Part VI: Radiation: . 30. Early Work. 31. Quanta. 32. Definitions of Laws of Radiation. 33. Applications to the Earth. 34. Comment. Part VII: Atmospheric Equations:. 35. The Nature of Fluids. 36. Continuity - Conservation of Mass. 37. Molecular Viscosity. 38. The Stress Tenor. 39. Navier-Stokes Equations. 40. Turbulent Eddy Viscosity. 41. The Vector Equation of Motion. 42. General Coordinates. 43. Some Simple Solutions. 44. Fluid Rotation. 45. The Equation Set. 46. Comment. Part VIII: Observed Angular Momentum and Energy: . 47. Perspective. 48. Angular Momentum. 49. The Partition of Energy. 50. The Lorenz Model of Energy Flow. 51. Heat Budget. 52. Water Budget. 53. Conversion between Scales of Motion. 54. The General Circulation. Part IX: Towards an Explanation of Climate: . 55. The Problem. 56. Numerical Modeling. 57. Climate Modeling. Part X: Concluding Remarks:. 58. Power Notation. 59. Constants. 60. Conversions. 61. World Data. Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn November 1950, the greatest storm of the twentieth century crippled the eastern United States, affecting more than 100 million people. Sometimes referred to as the Great Appalachian or Thanksgiving storm, this was no ordinary weather event. Its giant size and multiple record-setting hazards—including snow, ice, flooding, wind, and cold temperatures—were cataclysmic. This superstorm was the most costly weather-related disaster when it occurred. Only two other storms that affected the US mainland since then, both hurricanes, have exceeded its death toll. The weather records it established remain benchmarks of extreme weather to this day. Superstorm 1950 examines the immediate impact of the storm, covering not just meteorology, but also its wide-ranging social impacts, which varied by race, class, and gender. The repercussions continue to affect us today, in obvious areas like weather forecasting, and in surprising areas like Ohio State football and government tax policy. Because superstorms are not as familiar as hurricanes or tornadoes, they can be overlooked in terms of weather-related disasters. This is a mistake. Vulnerability to weather disasters is increasing, and a similar storm today would likely be the most expensive weather disaster ever in the United States. Superstorm 1950 serves not only as a riveting account of one of the greatest disasters in US history, but also provides a premonition of what may come if global climate change is not confronted.Table of Contents An Introduction Part 1: The Genesis Then (1950) The Storm Part 2: The Effects Fifty-Seven Inches Dig-Out Days An Icy Blackout Water Everywhere Blown Away Frigid Part 3: The Upshot The Modelers Now and Beyond Acknowledgments Notes References Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn November 1950, the greatest storm of the twentieth century crippled the eastern United States, affecting more than 100 million people. Sometimes referred to as the Great Appalachian or Thanksgiving storm, this was no ordinary weather event. Its giant size and multiple record-setting hazards—including snow, ice, flooding, wind, and cold temperatures—were cataclysmic. This superstorm was the most costly weather-related disaster when it occurred. Only two other storms that affected the US mainland since then, both hurricanes, have exceeded its death toll. The weather records it established remain benchmarks of extreme weather to this day.Superstorm 1950 examines the immediate impact of the storm, covering not just meteorology, but also its wide-ranging social impacts, which varied by race, class, and gender. The repercussions continue to affect us today, in obvious areas like weather forecasting, and in surprising areas like Ohio State football and government tax policy. Because superstorms are not as familiar as hurricanes or tornadoes, they can be overlooked in terms of weather-related disasters. This is a mistake. Vulnerability to weather disasters is increasing, and a similar storm today would likely be the most expensive weather disaster ever in the United States. Superstorm 1950 serves not only as a riveting account of one of the greatest disasters in US history, but also provides a premonition of what may come if global climate change is not confronted.Table of Contents An Introduction Part 1: The Genesis Then (1950) The Storm Part 2: The Effects Fifty-Seven Inches Dig-Out Days An Icy Blackout Water Everywhere Blown Away Frigid Part 3: The Upshot The Modelers Now and Beyond Acknowledgments Notes References Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisHave you ever heard someone say that climate change is simply the result of natural cycles? Or that there can't be global warming because it still gets so cold out? While the claims climate-change deniers make can seem, on their surface, quite plausible, they simply don't hold up against the evidence: Beyond a shadow of a doubt, science proves that climate change is real and primarily human-driven. But the next time a skeptic puts you on the spot, will you know what to say to end the argument?HOW TO CHANGE MINDS ABOUT OUR CHANGING CLIMATE dismantles all the most pernicious misunderstandings using the strongest explanations science has to offer. Armed with airtight arguments, you'll never be at a loss for words again no matter how convincing or unexpected the misconception you're faced with. And with our planet's future in our hands, the time to change minds is now: The sooner we can agree, once and for all, that climate change is a significant threat to our well-being, the sooner we can start to do something about it.

Read more less

Book SynopsisGlobal warming and population growth have resulted in an increase in the intensity of natural and anthropogenic stressors. Investigating the complex nature of environmental problems requires the integration of different environmental processes across major components of the environment, including water, climate, ecology, air, and land. Cumulative effects assessment (CEA) not only includes analyzing and modeling environmental changes, but also supports planning alternatives that promote environmental monitoring and management. Disjointed and narrowly focused environmental management approaches have proved dissatisfactory. The adoption of integrated modelling approaches has sparked interests in the development of frameworks which may be used to investigate the processes of individual environmental component and the ways they interact with each other. Integrated modelling systems and frameworks are often the only way to take into account the important environmental processes and interactions, relevant spatial and temporal scales, and feedback mechanisms of complex systems for CEA. This book examines the ways in which interactions and relationships between environmental components are understood, paying special attention to climate, land, water quantity and quality, and both anthropogenic and natural stressors. It reviews modelling approaches for each component and reviews existing integrated modelling systems for CEA. Finally, it proposes an integrated modelling framework and provides perspectives on future research avenues for cumulative effects assessment.

Read more less

Book SynopsisClimate change is an issue in which every human being on the planet is a potential stakeholder. Therefore, equity and ethical considerations have an important role to play in determining a climate change response strategy that will prevent the worst case scenario. In this context, the authors of this important new book attempt to provide a better understanding of the practical and analytical issues surrounding climate change negotiations. Each of the chapters reflects on an issue linked to the concepts of ethics, equity and climate change such as economics, morality, politics, rights and law, philosophy, and atmospheric science. The authors, who come from a diverse range of national, disciplinary and sectoral backgrounds, advance pragmatic policy suggestions to enhance international negotiations on climate change and highlight the value of considering more humanistic aspects in the negotiation process.Greenhouse gas emissions are widely considered to be the ultimate environmental externality and consequently an issue of great contemporary concern. This insightful and original treatment of the important issues will be welcomed by climate change negotiators, policymakers, and economic, environmental and social researchers. It will also be of interest to anyone who believes that the negotiation process may benefit from a more deep-rooted shift in social attitudes and beliefs.Table of ContentsContents: Foreword 1. Ethics, Equity and Climate Change: An Overview 2. Equity, Responsibility and Climate Change 3. Equity and Climate Change 4. Analysing Ethics, Equity and Climate Change in the Sustainomics Trans-disciplinary Framework 5. Equity and the Clean Development Mechanism: Equity, Additionality, Supplementarity 6. Ethics, Equity and the Convention on Climate Change 7. The Ethics of International Emissions Trading Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Kyoto Protocol to reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the majority of industrialised countries is the first small step on the way to an effective climate policy. In the long-term, climate policy will call for greater GHG reductions and the full participation of the global community. The five integrated chapters of this book review theoretical findings and empirical evidence in the search for the right incentives which could induce firms and governments to undertake GHG abatement measures.This book analyses the policy mixes that provide the best possible incentives for firms and governments to act on climate change and sign up to international climate agreements. In doing so, the authors address a multitude of related issues including the linkages between flexible mechanisms and voluntary agreements; regulation and taxation; the opportunities and barriers of the Kyoto Protocol for industry; and the incentives for firms to undertake climate-related R&D and investments. As well as illustrating the environmental benefits and cost-effectiveness of alternative policy mixes in reducing GHG emissions, the authors also offer sensible policy prescriptions for increasing the numbers of countries that ratify and implement climate agreements.Environmental and resource economists, environmental scientists, climate analysts and policymakers should all read this book which offers an authoritative contribution to what is arguably the most critical contemporary environmental policy issue.Trade Review'Climate change policies will likely grow in importance and complexity in the near future. This book is a solid attempt to improve our ability to make the right choices if more action has to be taken on climate change.' -- Matti Liski, Journal of Economic LiteratureTable of ContentsContents: Preface Introduction 1. The Compatibility of the Kyoto Mechanisms with Traditional Environmental Instruments 2. Negotiated Agreements and Climate Change Mitigation 3. Kyoto Flexible Mechanisms: Opportunities and Barriers for Industry and Financial Institutions 4. Traditional Environmental Instruments, Kyoto Mechanisms and the Role of Technical Change 5. The Future Evolution of the Kyoto Protocol: Costs, Benefits and Incentives to Ratification and New International Regimes Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisClimate change is currently at the centre of scientific and political debate, and the need for well-designed international climate policies is widely recognised. Despite this, the complexity of both the climate change problem and the international negotiation process has resulted in a large number of outstanding issues which still require attention. The authors of this book attempt to address and resolve some of the problems which have remained on the climate change agenda, without serious action, for far too long.The authors contribute to the many discussions on international climate policy and provide an in-depth analysis of the main characteristics of the problem of climate change. They highlight the various potential solutions to the problem and their consequences, and look at the development and implementation of the international climate regime. Adopting a long-term perspective, they pay particular attention to the economic, institutional, political and social aspects of climate change.Issues in International Climate Policy is a comprehensive book which makes the complicated themes and issues accessible to a wider audience. It will be invaluable reading for all scientists, policymakers and environmental economists with a serious interest in climate change and the negotiation process.Table of ContentsContents: 1. Options for International Climate Policies: Towards an Effective Regime Part I: Problem Exploration and Relevant Context 2. Why Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions? Reasons, Issue-Linkages and Dilemmas 3. Challenges of Future Climate Policy: What Can Be Expected? 4. Global Trends and Climate Change Policies 5. Climate Change Policy in Changing Contexts: Globalization, Political Modernization and Legal Innovation Part II: Towards Solutions and Consequences of these Solutions 6. Policies and Measures in International Climate Policy: Price vs. Quantity 7. The Kyoto Mechanisms: Economic Potential, Environmental Problems and Political Barriers 8. Terrestrial Carbon Sinks and Biomass in International Climate Policies Part III: Implementation and the Development of a Climate Regime 9. Comprehensive Approaches to Differentiation of Future Climate Commitments – Some Options Compared 10. Linkages Between the Climate Change Regime and the International Trade Regime 11. Elaborating an International Compliance Regime under the Kyoto Protocol 12. Between ‘Curbing the Trends’ and ‘Business-as-Usual’: NGOs in International Climate Change Policies 13. Climate Options for the Long Term: Possible Strategies Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisTo date, research on the economic implications of climate change on fisheries has been both limited and fragmented. The contributors to this volume remedy the lack of attention by investigating the economic consequences of pelagic fish fluctuations in the recent past in order to understand how to adapt and respond to future climate changes.Small pelagic fish constitute approximately 30 per cent of the world's fish catch, have a global distribution, and are characterized by dramatic fluctuations in response to ocean climate. Despite this, countries adjust to changes in fish abundance, regardless of the cause, at variable time scales. These adjustments are often uncoordinated. The contributors address these concerns in chapters that cover a range of topics including: historical fluctuations of Atlanto-Scandian herring, management adaptations to climate regime shifts, differential consequences of pelagic fishery collapses in Southeast Asia, and the globalized nature of fishmeal markets. The case studies are complementary and yet self-standing, highlighting the need for a more coordinated assessment of impacts, and calling for more focused research.Students and scholars of climate change and environmental and resource economics will find this cohesive volume an instructive and enlightening resource. Policymakers and those in the fisheries management community will find the case studies and analyses useful in determining future goals and responses.Trade Review‘Climate Change and the Economics of the World's Fisheries brings together economists, other social scientists, fisheries biologists and mathematicians to ponder how projected changes in climate will affect fisheries and fisheries management throughout the world. . . I recommend this volume to professional fisheries economists and quantitatively oriented fisheries scientists. . . the book is provocative and likely to stimulate new research.' -- Martin D. Smith, International Journal of Maritime HistoryTable of ContentsContents: Climate Change and the Economics of the World’s Fisheries: An Introduction Manuel Barange, Rögnvaldur Hannesson and Samuel F. Herrick Jr 1. Global Warming, Small Pelagic Fisheries and Risk Ragnar Arnason 2. The Collapse of the Norwegian Herring Fisheries in the 1960s and 1970s: Crisis, Adaptation and Recovery Torbjørn Lorentzen and Rögnvaldur Hannesson 3. Sharing the Herring: Fish Migrations, Strategic Advantage and Climate Change Rögnvaldur Hannesson 4. Rise and Fall of the Herring Towns: Impacts of Climate and Human Teleconnections Lawrence Hamilton, Oddmund Otterstad and Helga Ögmundardóttir 5. An Optimal Harvest Policy for the Recently Renewed United States Pacific Sardine Fishery Samuel F. Herrick Jr, Kevin Hill and Christian Reiss 6. Long-term Harvest Strategies for Small Pelagic Fisheries under Regime Shifts: The South African Fishery for Pilchard and Anchovy José De Oliveira 7. Declines in Namibia’s Pilchard Catch: The Reasons and Consequences Ussif Rashid Sumaila and Kevin Stephanus 8. Climate Change and Small Pelagic Fisheries in Developing Asia: The Economic Impact on Fish Producers and Consumers Roehl Briones, Len Garces and Mahfuzuddin Ahmed 9. Bi-national Management of a Transboundary Marine Fishery: Modelling the Destabilizing Impacts of Erratic Climate Shifts Robert McKelvey, Peter Golubtsov, Kathleen Miller and Greg Cripe 10. Prototype of an Integrated Model of the Worldwide System of Small Pelagic Fisheries Christian Mullon and Pierre Fréon 11. On the Consequences of Climate Change in Pelagic Fish Populations: A Conclusion Rögnvaldur Hannesson, Samuel F. Herrick Jr and Manuel Barange Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book explores the current policy measures adopted by the EU in order to realize its Kyoto Protocol commitment and to prepare for further emission reductions after 2012. EU Climate Change Policy focuses on legal instruments, with emissions trading at the forefront of the policy package, accompanied by directives on energy taxation, energy efficiency and renewable energy. Distinguished authors provide a commentary on each aspect of the policy measures, discussing both theoretical and practical aspects. Overall, it is concluded that whilst EU policy is very 'green', it needs to be developed further in a comprehensive and meaningful way.With discussions on the current state of affairs of EU climate change policy, and on the issues that may shape its future agenda, this book will be of great interest to academics, civil servants, students and stakeholders.Trade Review'EU environmental law is now a dominant source of influence in the development and application of environmental law and policy in most Member States.This important new study provides a fresh appraisal of the changing nature of EU environmental legislation, and the tensions between discretion and goals. Above all it tackles the difficult questions of the appropriate role and design of law in tackling current and future environmental challenges. It should be required reading by all those concerned with the future of environmental law, both within Europe and elsewhere, and the authors are to be congratulated on the quality and scope of their analysis.’ -- Professor Richard Macrory, University College, London'. . . this excellent edited collection assembled by Peeters and Deketelaere on the achievements of EU climate change policy is a very timely publication. They have brought together nineteen distinguished, mostly European scholars, on climate law and policy to provide an informative account of the flurry of initiatives.' -- Benjamin J. Richardson, Maastricht Journal of European and Comparative LawTable of ContentsContents: PART I: INTRODUCTION 1. Key Challenges of EU Climate Change Policy: Competences, Measures and Compliance Kurt Deketelaere and Marjan Peeters 2. Climate Change: The International and European Policy Framework Marc Pallemaerts and Rhiannon Williams 3. The European Union, Russia and the Kyoto Protocol Wybe Th. Douma PART II: GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS TRADING WITHIN THE EU 4. Reviewing the Challenging Task Faced by Member States in Implementing the Emissions Trading Directive: Issues of Member State Liability Mar Campins Eritja 5. A Level Playing Field? Initial Allocation of Allowances in Member States Bettina Schmitt-Rady 6. Linking the Project Based Mechanisms with the EU ETS; the Present State of Affairs and Challenges Ahead Javier de Cendra de Larragán 7. Emissions Trading and the Aarhus Convention: A Proportionate Symbiosis? Karen MacDonald and Zen Makuch 8. The IPPC Permit and the Greenhouse Gas Permit Birgitte Egelund Olsen 9. Enforcement of the EU Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme Marjan Peeters 10. A Decade of Emissions Trading in the USA: Experiences and Observations for the EU George (Rock) Pring 11. Climate Change Taxes, Emission Trading, and International Trade Law Geert van Calster PART III: ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE MEASURES 12. EU Energy Policy and Legislation under Pressure since the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol? Véronique Bruggeman and Bram Delvaux 13. Energy Taxation within the EU Manfred Rosenstock 14. Critical Issues in Implementing Energy Taxation Claudia Dias Soares PART IV: GOOD GOVERNANCE FOR CLIMATE CHANGE: REFLECTIONS AND PERSPECTIVES 15. Some Reflections on the EU Mix of Instruments on Climate Change Ludwig Krämer 16. Good Governance and Climate Change: Recommendations from a North–South Perspective Joyeeta Gupta Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisClimate scientists have determined that recent global temperature increases are due in large part to increased greenhouse gas emissions from human activities. Even if mitigation of these gases begins immediately, there is every reason to believe that climate change will continue to occur. Every region in the world ought to forecast, as the contributors do in this study of California (a region of broad variation and high population), how it will be affected by climate change and how it might best adapt. Models are used to estimate potential physical and biological impacts, efficient adaptations, and residual damages from climate change. The contributors cover a broad array of climate change impacts on affected market sectors (including water supply, agriculture, coastal resources, timber, and energy demand) as well as ecosystems and biodiversity. An integrated hydrologic-agriculture model is developed to explore how the region would adapt to changes in water flows. Interactions between climate impacts and population and economic growth, urbanization, and technological change are also explored. For example, the study examines how both climate change and projected land development affect the region's terrestrial ecosystems and biodiversity.The level of geographical detail, along with the broad applicability of the modeling, methodology, and conclusions, make this a unique and valuable reference for environmental economists, scientists, planners, and policymakers.Trade Review'The book works well as a reference for how one can examine potential climate change impacts in a subnational area. A clear strength of the work lies in the unifying framework that the climate, population, and, to a somewhat lesser degree, urbanization scenarios provide. Collectively, these appear to bracket a wide range of possible drives that will shape climate change impacts. The overall analysis takes a refreshing approach in that it does not try to fit all these elements and the subsystem impact assessments into one grand integrated model, but rather develops the assessments from a common base while allowing each to follow its own logic and scale. . . it provides a welcome overview of how one can conduct a multisystem, multisector climate impact assessment that combines natural, engineering, and social sciences in a rigorous format.' -- Kris Wernstedt, Journal of Regional ScienceTable of ContentsContents: Preface 1. Introduction Joel B. Smith and Robert Mendelsohn 2. Socio-economic Changes Joel B. Smith 3. Urbanization Scenarios John D. Landis and Michael Reilly 4. Climate Change Scenarios Chuck Hakkarinen and Joel B. Smith 5. Terrestrial Ecosystem Changes James M. Lenihan, Raymond Drapek and Ronald Neilson 6. Biodiversity Changes and Adaptation Hector Galbraith, Joel B. Smith and Russell Jones 7. Timber Impacts Robert Mendelsohn 8. Changes in Runoff Norman L. Miller, Kathy E. Bashford and Eric Strem 9. Changes in Crop Yields and Irrigation Demand Richard M. Adams, JunJie Wu and Laurie L. Houston 10. Water Resources Impacts Jay R. Lund, Tingju Zhu, Stacy K. Tanaka and Marion W. Jenkins 11. Agricultural Impacts Richard Howitt and Elizabeth Pienaar 12. Energy Impacts Robert Mendelsohn 13. Coastal Impacts James Neumann and Daniel Hudgens 14. Conclusion Robert Mendelsohn and Joel B. Smith Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book presents an overview of the studies conducted by the Netherlands Climate Change Studies Assistance programme.The programme was set up in recognition of the need for developing countries, in particular, to face the challenges confronting all countries under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The book presents an overview of the main results in 13 countries: Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Egypt, Ghana, Kazakhstan, Mali, Mongolia, Senegal, Suriname, Vietnam, Yemen and Zimbabwe. It provides a critical evaluation of the methodologies and approaches used, a cross-country synthesis and recommendations for further studies. Subjects dealt with include not only impact studies, but also vulnerability and adaptation, mitigation and climate related policy.Table of Contents1: Introduction and NCCSAP methodology 1.1: Introduction 1.2: Approach NCCSAP Phase 1 1.3: Methodology for emission inventories 1.4: Methodology for mitigation assessment in the energy sector 1.5: Adaptation assessments 2: Country experiences and highlights 2.1: Introduction 2.2: Bolivia 2.3: Colombia 2.4: Ecuador 2.5: Egypt 2.6: Ghana 2.7: Kazakhstan 2.8: Mali 2.9: Mongolia 2.10: Senegal 2.11: Suriname 2.12: Vietnam 2.13: Yemen 2.14: Zimbabwe 3: Cross country syntheses 3.1: Introduction 3.2: Emission inventories 3.3: Mitigation assessment of the energy sector 3.4: Adaptation and water resources 3.5: Adaptation in coastal zones 3.6: Adaptation and land use 3.7: National communications 4: Evaluation, lessons learned and outlook 4.1: Introduction 4.2: Mitigation assessment 4.3: Adaptation assessments 4.4: National Communications 4.5: Capacity building and awareness raising 4.6: NCCSAP in comparison to other country study programmes 4.7: Recommendations

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book is designed to provide the theoretical, but most of all, the practical bases needed for the achievement of atmospheric composition analyses from infrared remote sensing.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements ix List of Symbols xi List of Acronyms xv Preface xxi Introduction xxv Chapter 1. Basic Physics of the Atmosphere and Radiation 1 1.1. Structure and composition of Earth’s atmosphere 2 1.1.1. Vertical structure of the atmosphere 2 1.1.2. Atmospheric gases 3 1.1.3. Aerosols and hydrometeors 6 1.2. Atmospheric aerosols 7 1.2.1. Overview 7 1.2.2. Microphysical properties of aerosols 9 1.3. Clouds 13 1.3.1. Definitions and classification 13 1.3.2. Formation 15 1.3.3. Microphysical properties 17 1.4. Radiation in Earth’s atmosphere 20 1.4.1. Electromagnetic radiation 20 1.4.2. The foundations of radiometry 21 1.4.3. Solar and terrestrial radiation 23 1.4.4. Reflection and emission of radiation by a surface 29 1.5. Radiation budget of the climate system 32 1.5.1. Radiative balance of the atmosphere 32 1.5.2. The greenhouse effect and parasol effect 34 1.5.3. Radiative forcing of atmospheric components 36 1.5.4. Impact of aerosols on climate 38 1.5.5. Impact of clouds on climate 39 1.5.6. Climate sensitivity 40 1.5.7. Observation of radiative budget 41 1.6. For further information 42 Chapter 2. Instrumentation and Sensors 45 2.1. Platforms, satellites and sensors 46 2.1.1. Types of orbits 46 2.1.2. Characteristic parameters of satellites 49 2.1.3. Geometry of lines of sight 50 2.2. Infrared detection techniques 56 2.2.1. Radiometers 56 2.2.2. High spectral resolution instruments 58 2.3. For further information 66 Chapter 3. Forward Radiative Transfer in Absorbing Atmosphere 69 3.1. Gaseous absorption and emission 70 3.1.1. Overview 70 3.1.2. Rovibrational spectroscopy 72 3.1.3. Line shapes 85 3.1.4. Line intensity and absorption coefficient 89 3.2. Radiative transfer equation in an absorbing medium 90 3.3. Solving the RTE 94 3.3.1. Models at high spectral resolution: line-by-line codes 94 3.3.2. Approximate modeling of gas absorption 95 3.3.3. Boundary conditions and atmospheric parameters 101 3.4. For further information 102 Chapter 4. Forward Radiative Transfer in Scattering Atmosphere 105 4.1. Atmospheric scattering 106 4.1.1. Main properties of scattering 106 4.1.2. Rayleigh scattering 110 4.1.3. Mie scattering 111 4.1.4. Non-spherical particles 112 4.1.5. Extinction coefficient and optical thickness 113 4.2. Polarization 114 4.3. Radiative transfer equation (RTE) in a scattering medium 118 4.3.1. General expression of the RTE 118 4.3.2. Solving of the RTE 120 4.3.3. Azimuthal dependence of the radiation field 124 4.3.4. Simplification of the phase function 125 4.4. Numerical methods to solve the RTE in a scattering plane–parallel medium 127 4.4.1. Approximate analytical expressions 128 4.4.2. Discrete ordinate method 129 4.4.3. Adding-doubling method 130 4.4.4. Successive orders of scattering method 131 4.5. List of radiative transfer codes 131 4.6. For further information 133 Chapter 5. Methods of Geophysical Parameter Retrieval 135 5.1. Inversion process 136 5.1.1. Principle of the inversion process 136 5.1.2. The measurement vector and state vector 137 5.1.3. The forward model 137 5.2. Linear models 138 5.2.1. Linear least squares (LLS) method 139 5.2.2. Regularized linear model 140 5.3. Nonlinear inversion 142 5.4. Optimal estimation method (OEM) 144 5.4.1. Inversion method 146 5.4.2. Sensitivity of the measurement and informational content analysis 148 5.4.3. Error analysis for the retrieved profile 150 5.4.4. Example of water vapor profile retrieval from IASI 151 5.5. Lookup tables 156 5.6. For further information 163 Chapter 6. Space Infrared Remote Sensing: Some Applications 165 6.1. Water vapor isotopologues 166 6.2. Biomass fires and trace gases 170 6.3. Volcanic eruptions 174 6.3.1. Sulphur dioxide 175 6.3.2. Volcanic aerosols 177 6.4. Physical properties of clouds 181 6.4.1. Classification and physical properties of ice clouds 184 6.4.2. Thermodynamic phase and altitude of clouds 185 6.5. For further information 193 Appendix 195 Bibliography 201 Index 211

Read more less

Book SynopsisA large part of the world’s coastlines consists of sandy beaches and dunes that may undergo dramatic changes during storms. Extreme storm events in some cases dominate the erosion history of the coastline and may have dramatic impacts on densely populated coastal areas. Policy, research and historical background are essential elements that need to be interconnected for effective coastal planning and management. This book discusses this framework, with Chapter 1 providing an insight into policy settings and science-policy interactions in the area of coastal risks related to storms and flooding, and integrated coastal zone management. This is followed by a review of the current understanding of the processes generating extreme coastal events, the morphological evolution of coastlines during and after the events, and the methods for monitoring the process as it occurs or for post-event appraisal. The final chapter discusses the importance of historical approaches regarding coastal threats, taking the Xynthia storm as an example. Table of ContentsPreface ix Chapter 1 Coastal Storms and Flooding: Regulatory Framework and Science–Policy Interactions 1 1.1 Introduction 1 1.2 Natural hazards and risks in coastal zones: needs to build-up a “culture of risks” 4 1.2.1 Introduction 4 1.2.2 Contribution of environmental policy to the development of a “culture of risks” 5 1.2.3 Toward an integrated management of coastal zones 9 1.2.4 Regional instruments 10 1.2.5 Emerging “culture of risk” beyond the environment legal framework? 13 1.2.6 Ecosystem services: a new orientation of environmental policies or an opportunity of risk socialization? 14 1.2.7 The international society facing (coastal) natural hazards: between protection of human rights and challenges of international security 15 1.3 Policy background 17 1.3.1 International policies 17 1.3.2 EU policies 19 1.4 Science–policy interactions 26 1.4.1 Scientific foundation of coastal risk policies 26 1.4.2 EU Scientific framework in support of coastal risk-related policies 28 1.4.3 Identification of research needs in the coastal risk-related policy sectors 29 1.4.4 Interactions with the scientific community 31 1.4.5 Science-based development of an integrated coastal risks policy 34 1.5 Research trends 35 1.5.1 Introduction 35 1.5.2 EU-funded instruments 36 1.5.3 Examples of research trends 38 1.6 Science–policy interfacing 44 1.6.1 Linking different actors 44 1.6.2 Governance and knowledge transfer 45 1.6.3 Networking needs 48 1.6.4 Who are the users of research? 49 1.6.5 Building-up of a “Community of Users” 50 1.7 Conclusions 57 Chapter 2 Techniques for the Assessment of Coastal Storm Risk 61 2.1 Introduction 61 2.2 Definition of coastal risk 65 2.3 Hazard time series in Europe and beyond 66 2.3.1 Short term: hours to days 70 2.3.2 Medium- and long term 71 2.4 Evaluation of coastal vulnerability 72 2.4.1 Evaluation on the basis of critical thresholds 72 2.4.2 Coastal risk maps 73 2.4.3 Topographic and bathymetric surveys 76 2.4.4 Estimation of wave parameters 82 2.4.5 Wave set-up 83 2.4.6 Wave run-up 85 2.4.7 Numerical models for beach dynamics 88 2.4.8 Development of vulnerability zones 89 2.4.9 Development of damage curves 90 2.4.10 Input-output economic model 91 2.4.11 Climate change scenario and predicted losses 91 2.5 Toward disaster risk reduction 92 2.5.1 Monitoring the storm impact 92 2.5.2 Operational Early Warning Systems for surges 96 2.5.3 Operational Early Warning Systems for beach morphological changes 104 2.6 Outlook for the future: a EU-wide system? 106 2.7 Conclusions 108 Chapter 3 Xynthia, February 2010: Autopsy of a Foreseable Catastrophe 111 3.1 Introduction 111 3.2 Scenario of the crisis 112 3.2.1 French coastlines 112 3.2.2 La Faute-sur-Mer: “martyred” city 117 3.2.3 The “unprecedented dogma” 121 3.3 The historical verdict 124 3.3.1 At the national and European levels 124 3.3.2 The example of La Faute-sur-Mer 128 3.4 The construction of the coastal vulnerability 134 3.4.1 The time of the precautionary principle (Middle Age – 1900) 134 3.4.2. The choice to live close to the sea (1900–2016). 138 3.4.3 A national symbol: La Faute-sur-Mer 143 Conclusion 149 Bibliography 153 Index 171

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn the biogeochemical dynamics of marine ecosystems, silicon is a major element whose role has, for a long time, been underestimated. It is however indispensable to the activity of several biomineralizing marine organisms, some of which play an essential role in the biological pump of oceanic carbon. This book presents notions indispensable to the knowledge on the silicon biogeochemical cycle in ocean systems, first of all describing the main quantitative analysis techniques and examination of the major organisms involved in the cycle. The author then moves on to study the most up-to-date processes to control the use of silicon and its regeneration in natural conditions, before mentioning the central role played by this original element in the control of all the biogeochemical cycles in the global ocean. The available information finally enables the global biogeochemical budget of silicon in the marine environment to be quantified.Table of Contents1 Chemical forms of silicon in the marine field 2 Technical study of stocks and flows 3 Marine producers of biogenic silica 4 Cellular mechanisms of silica deposition in diatoms 5 Dissolution of biogenic silica and regeneration of silicic acid 6 Overall balance of silicon in the oceans Conclusion Bibliography

Read more less

Book SynopsisTom Tietenberg, one of the leading economists working in the field of environmental economics has edited a collection of the most important articles and papers on global warming, which poses major challenges to our economic and political institutions. In this authoritative volume, leading economists bring unusual clarity and insight to the process of understanding these challenges and meets them with pragmatic solutions.Specific topics include: modelling and responding to the unique types of risks posed by global warming; estimating the cost of control and damages from global warming, as well as deriving optimum solutions; debating the appropriate role for discounting; estimating the value of information to reduce the uncertainty; and examining the issues associated with the use of two prominent policy approaches carbon taxes and transferable carbon permits.Few challenges pose a greater threat to our economic and political institutions than global warming. Uncertainty about the consequences of continued greenhouse gas emissions, the temporal and geographic separation of costs and benefits, the potentially enormous cost of making the wrong choices, and the necessity for (and the difficulties of) international cooperation all contribute to the complexity and the significance of the issue. In this book leading economists bring unusual clarity and insight to the process of understanding these challenges and meeting them with pragmatic solutions. Specific topics covered include: modeling and responding to the unique types of risks posed by global warming; estimating the costs of control and damages from discounting, estimating the value of information to reduce the uncertainty, and examining the issues associated with the use of the two most prominent policy approaches - carbon taxes and transferable carbon permits.Trade Review’. . . provides a thorough overview of the contribution of economic theory until 1995 to the debate on global warming. In summary, this book provides a helpful reference for economists working on global warming.’Table of ContentsContents: Part I: General Part II: Damages, Costs and the Search for an Optimal Response A: Damage Estimates B: Cost of Control Estimates C: Deriving Optimal Solutions Part III: The Choice of Instruments A: Carbon Taxes B: Tradeable Permits C: Hedging Strategies Part IV: Ethics and Intergenerational Discounting A: Defining Appropriate Discount Rates B: The Suitability of the Intergenerational Discounting Framework

Read more less

Book SynopsisOne of the greatest challenges facing atmospheric science instructors is helping students link theoretical and mathematical concepts to the real atmosphere. The past decade has been characterized by remarkable advances in meteorological observation, computing techniques, and data-visualization technology. However, the benefit of these advances can only be fully realized with the introduction of a systematic, applied approach to meteorological education that allows well-established theoretical concepts to be used with modernized observational and numerical datasets. This lab manual is a tool designed just for this purpose; it links theoretical concepts with groundbreaking visualization to elucidate concepts taught in the companion textbook by Gary Lackmann, Midlatitude Synoptic Meteorology, the most current text available on modern weather forecasting techniques. When used in concert with Lackmann's book and the companion CD of lecture slides, this lab manual will guide students in using contemporary observational and visualization techniques to provide in-depth understanding of fundamental concepts and serve as a catalyst for student-led innovation and application. With topics considered in an order that reinforces and builds upon new knowledge in meteorological observation and analysis, these materials will help students to deepen their understanding of synoptic-dynamic meteorology, synoptically-driven mesoscale phenomena, numerical weather prediction, ensemble prediction, and more, and put this understanding into practice.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe past decade has been characterized by remarkable advances in meteorological observation, computing techniques, and data-visualization technology. However, the benefit of these advances can only be fully realized with the introduction of a systematic, applied approach to meteorological education that allows well-established theoretical concepts to be applied to modernized observational and numerical datasets. Designed for use with the companion textbook, Midlatitude Synoptic Meteorology, this CD-rom takes just such an educational approach, reinforcing lessons on synoptic-dynamic meteorology, synoptically-driven mesoscale phenomena, numerical weather prediction, ensemble prediction, and more. The PowerPoint slides and additional resources on the CD will help form the basis of lectures and classroom work. The textbook, lecture slides, and lab manual were developed to be used in concert, with topics considered in an order that reinforces and builds upon new knowledge in meteorological observation and forecasting, week to week.

Read more less

Book SynopsisNortheast Snowstorms offers the most comprehensive treatment on winter storms ever compiled: more than 50 years of professional experience in the form of a two-volume compendium of insights, examples, photographs, over 200 color figures, and a DVD of added material.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Lewis and Clark Expedition (1803–06) systematically recorded weather and climate data during their 4,162-mile journey. This volume collects all such data from their various journals, describes the importance of this first-of-its-kind meteorological undertaking, and includes a color pictorial of the Lewis and Clark Trail. It will serve as a compelling resource for weather, history, and Lewis and Clark buffs alike, as well as for scientists looking back at weather and climate in the early 1800s.

Read more less