Carbon in the Geobiosphere
Carbon in the Geobiosphere

Author: Fred T. Mackenzie

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2006-12-29

Total Pages: 414

ISBN-13: 1402042388

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The book covers the fundamentals of the biogeochemical behavior of carbon near the Earth’s surface. It is mainly a reference text for Earth and environmental scientists. It presents an overview of the origins and behavior of the carbon cycle and atmospheric carbon dioxide, and the human effects on them. The book can also be used for a one-semester course at an intermediate to advanced level addressing the behavior of the carbon and related cycles.

Global Physical Climatology
Global Physical Climatology

Author: Dennis L. Hartmann

Publisher: Academic Press

Published: 1994-07-06

Total Pages: 425

ISBN-13: 0080571638

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Global Physical Climatology is an introductory text devoted to the fundamental physical principles and problems of climate sensitivity and change. Addressing some of the most critical issues in climatology, this text features incisive coverage of topics that are central to understanding orbital parameter theory for past climate changes, and for anthropogenic and natural causes of near-future changes--Key Features* Covers the physics of climate change* Examines the nature of the current climate and its previous changes* Explores the sensitivity of climate and the mechanisms by which humans are likely to produce near-future climate changes* Provides instructive end-of-chapter exercises and appendices

Encyclopedia of Snow, Ice and Glaciers
Encyclopedia of Snow, Ice and Glaciers

Author: Vijay P. Singh

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2011-06-29

Total Pages: 1301

ISBN-13: 9048126428

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The earth’s cryosphere, which includes snow, glaciers, ice caps, ice sheets, ice shelves, sea ice, river and lake ice, and permafrost, contains about 75% of the earth’s fresh water. It exists at almost all latitudes, from the tropics to the poles, and plays a vital role in controlling the global climate system. It also provides direct visible evidence of the effect of climate change, and, therefore, requires proper understanding of its complex dynamics. This encyclopedia mainly focuses on the various aspects of snow, ice and glaciers, but also covers other cryospheric branches, and provides up-to-date information and basic concepts on relevant topics. It includes alphabetically arranged and professionally written, comprehensive and authoritative academic articles by well-known international experts in individual fields. The encyclopedia contains a broad spectrum of topics, ranging from the atmospheric processes responsible for snow formation; transformation of snow to ice and changes in their properties; classification of ice and glaciers and their worldwide distribution; glaciation and ice ages; glacier dynamics; glacier surface and subsurface characteristics; geomorphic processes and landscape formation; hydrology and sedimentary systems; permafrost degradation; hazards caused by cryospheric changes; and trends of glacier retreat on the global scale along with the impact of climate change. This book can serve as a source of reference at the undergraduate and graduate level and help to better understand snow, ice and glaciers. It will also be an indispensable tool containing specialized literature for geologists, geographers, climatologists, hydrologists, and water resources engineers; as well as for those who are engaged in the practice of agricultural and civil engineering, earth sciences, environmental sciences and engineering, ecosystem management, and other relevant subjects.

Observing and Modeling Earth's Energy Flows
Observing and Modeling Earth's Energy Flows

Author: Lennart Bengtsson

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2012-09-07

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9789400743267

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This book provides a comprehensive presentation of Earth’s energy flows and their consequences for the climate. The Earth’s climate as well as planetary climates in general, are broadly controlled by three fundamental parameters: the solar irradiance, the planetary albedo and the planetary emissivity. Space measurements indicate that these three quantities are remarkably stable. A minor decrease in planetary emissivity is consistent with theoretical calculations. This is due to the ongoing increase of atmospheric greenhouse gases making the atmosphere more opaque to long wave terrestrial radiation. As a consequence radiation processes are slightly out of balance as less heat is leaving the Earth in the form of thermal radiation than the incoming amount of heat from the sun. Present space-based systems cannot yet satisfactorily measure this imbalance, but the effect can be inferred from the measurements of the increase of heat in the oceans. Minor amounts of heat are also used to melt ice and to warm the atmosphere and the surface of the Earth. The book brings to fore the complexity of feedback processes of the Earth’s climate system and in particular the way clouds and aerosols affect the energy balance both directly and indirectly through feed-back loops driven by the dynamics of atmospheric, ocean and land surface processes. The book highlights recent scientific progress as well as remaining challenges. Previously published in Surveys in Geophysics, Volume 33, Nos. 3-4, 2012

Physical Climatology
Physical Climatology

Author: Williams Sellers

Publisher:

Published: 2014-03-11

Total Pages: 280

ISBN-13: 9789383305575

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This text is based on a wide range of disciplines, including meteorology, hydrology, watershed and range management, agricultural chemistry and soils, agricultural economics, botany, zoology, electrical and civil engineering, geography, and geochronology. Most of the students are in the Graduate College, and all have had at least an introductory course in meteorology. The mathematical preparation of the students various considerably. Some have carried their training through boundary value problems and complex variables; others have had little more than college algebra and have done poorly in that. To teach a course that would be useful and interesting to all of these students turned out to be almost impossible.