Air Turbulence and Its Methods of Detection

The book is a concise guide dealing with the subject of air turbulence and its methods of detection with particular applications to aviation turbulence. It begins with a general description of turbulence and provides a background into the nature and causes of atmospheric turbulence that affect aircraft motion, giving updates on the state-of-the-art research on clear air turbulence (CAT). Important physical processes leading to the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability, a primary producer of CAT, are also explained. The several categories of CAT along with its impact on commercial aviation are also presented in a separate chapter, with particular emphasis on the structural damages to planes and injuries. The central theme of the book deals with both the earlier and the latest CAT detecting methods and techniques for remote and in situ sensing and forecasting. A concise presentation of new technologies for reducing aviation weather-related accidents is also offered. A chapter on the weather accident prevention project of the NASA aviation safety program is also included. Additionally, the book ends with a full description of the recent research activities on CAT and future challenges in turbulence detection, prediction and avoidance.

Leonardo Di G. Sigalotti is a professor in Physics of Irreversible Processes at the Department of Basic Sciences, Autonomous Metropolitan University - Azcapotzalco (UAM-A), Mexico City, Mexico. He received his B.A. in Physics from University of Los Andes (Merida, Venezuela) and his Master and PhD in Astrophysics from the Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA) Trieste, Italy. He was a postdoc under Dr. Dennis W. Sciama’s supervision at the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), Trieste, Italy, and later he accepted a position in the Physics Center of the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research, Caracas, and after fourteen years he moved to the Autonomous Metropolitan University – Azcapotzalco (UAM-A), Mexico City, where he is a full professor in the Area of Physics of Irreversible Processes at the Department of Basic Sciences. In addition, he has authored and co-authored numerous papers and articles in books on Star Formation Theory and Computational Fluid Dynamics. He is co-editor of several edited volumes on Computational and Experimental Fluid Dynamics and co-author of a book on Time Series Analysis in Seismology. He is a member of the International Astronomical Union (IAU), the National System of Researchers (SNI) of Mexico and the Venezuelan Physical Society (SVF).

Fidel Cruz Peregrino is a professor in Basic Science Teaching Research at the Department of Basic Sciences, Autonomous Metropolitan University - Azcapotzalco (UAM-A), Mexico City, Mexico. He received his B.A. in Physics from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) and his Master and PhD in Science (Astrophysics) from UNAM. He was a postdoc under the supervision of with Dr. David Merritt at the Rutgers University in New Jersey, USA, and joined the Institute of Astronomy at UNAM in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico thereafter. After eight years he moved to Mexico City and work as scientific consultant in medicine, ecology and social science, and science outreach. At present he is an associate professor in the Area of Basic Science Teaching Research at the Department of Basic Sciences of the Autonomous Metropolitan University – Azcapotzalco (UAM-A), Mexico City. In addition, he has authored and co-authored a number of papers on galactic evolution with central supermassive black holes as well as on protostellar and planetary formation.

Alejandro Ramírez Rojas is a professor in Physics of Irreversible Processes at ​​the Department of Basic Sciences, Autonomous Metropolitan University - Azcapotzalco (UAM-A), Mexico City, Mexico. He received his B.A. in Physics from the National Autonomous University of Mexico, his Master's degree in Physics from the National Polytechnic Institute of Mexico and his PhD in Nonlinear Physics from the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico. He did a short stay at the International Center for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), Trieste, Italy. Since 1985 he has been working in the Autonomous Metropolitan University – Azcapotzalco (UAM-A), Mexico City, where he is a full professor in the Area of Physics of Irreversible Processes at the Department of Basic Sciences. In addition, he is the author and co-author of numerous papers and book articles on time series analysis of complex systems with a primary focus on seismology. He is co-author of a book on time series analysis in seismology. He is a member of the Mexican Academy of Sciences and the National System of Researchers (SNI) of Mexico as well as the European Geosciences Union (EGU).