Encyclopedia of Climate and Weather, Volume 1

Modern weather study goes far beyond traditional meteorology. In addition to phenomena such as rain, drought, and hurricanes, it now includes a wide range of natural and social factors that have contributed to or are affected by changes in the Earth's climate and weather systems. The Encyclopedia of Climate and Weather is designed to reflect this diversity. For those who would like to understand exactly what a tornado is and how it is formed, or the differences between cumulus and cirrus clouds, the encylcopedia offers accessible descriptions and illustrations of all of the essentials of meteorology. Cyclones, lightning, fog, cold fronts, dew point, and volcanoes - every weather phenomenon is covered. Over 400 photographs, charts, and illustrations help to clarify and concepts and processes described, giving visual immediacy to sometimes complex topics. Authoritative and engagingly written, it is an important reference on a subject that affects all inhabitants of planet Earth.

"At 929 pages, the Encyclopedia of Climate and Weather will take up about as much space on your shelf as the phone book. However, for many multidisciplinary researchers, teachers, and students it could be the next most used item on the shelf after the phone book, making it an excellent investment in shelf real estate....Technical explanations of topics are well conveyed for readers outside the topic or field....Contains a phenomenal wealth of information. It is a uniquely important and timely contribution to the field, and should serve as the definitive encyclopaedic reference on climate and weather for some time to come."--Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society"The Encyclopedia of Climate and Weather is ambitious and successful. It is the most up-to-date and panoramically complete treatment of its subject on the planet."--Jonathan Weiner, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Beak of the Finch"This Encyclopedia addresses a long neglected aspect of a very important subject: the strong interaction of ecosystems with the meteorological elements. By including state-of-the-art, yet highly readable, entries on topics such as the co-evolution of climate and life, ecology, biogeochemical cycles, as well as environmental economics, this work brings weather and climate-interested readers up to date. It provides both the broad perspective and depth that will be needed to address critical environmental problems of the 21st century."--Paul R. Ehrlich, Stanford University"The continuously changing patterns of weather are a large influence on our daily lives and increasingly we are recognizing our vulnerability as a global human community to future patterns of changing climate. The Encyclopedia of Climate and Weather contains a wealth of essential knowledge to inform the specialist and the general reader about the science behind the weather and climate we experience and about the actions that humans can take to adapt to and to mitigate climate change."--Sir John Houghton, Chair, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change"The Encyclopedia of Climate and Weather, despite its name, supplies much needed, comprehensive information on several important topics in atmospheric chemistry, including the effects of human activities, written by world experts. Just to mention a few of these topics: Atmospheric Chemistry and Composition, Acid Rain, Ozone, Ozone Hole, Pollution, Greenhouse Gases, Trace Gases. I am very much looking forward to having the two volumes both as a reference and just for browsing through."--Paul J. Crutzen, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, 1995"Weather and climate have moved center-stage in the past decade--and the number of actors has increased very greatly. For newcomers with little background in the atmospheric sciences this exciting new encyclopedia will be the most useful reference set. It covers the ground thoroughly subject by subject. There are brief sketches of the careers of many of the leading figures, and also a coverage of related fields (such as ecology). The impact of global warming will be felt strongly in the bordering disciplines. The Editor--himself a leading figure in climatology--has hence chosen very wisely to treat climate as a broad and still expanding subject area. He has also put together an excellent team of writers."--F. Kenneth Hare"A two-volume scientific survey aimed primarily at college students and professionals. In more than 350 signed articles, it presents detailed descriptions of weather-related processes from such fields as physics, chemistry, geology, oceanology, and glaciology."--Reference Books Bulletin"Highly recommended for all libraries."--Choice "At 929 pages, the Encyclopedia of Climate and Weather will take up about as much space on your shelf as the phone book. However, for many multidisciplinary researchers, teachers, and students it could be the next most used item on the shelf after the phone book, making it an excellent investment in shelf real estate....Technical explanations of topics are well conveyed for readers outside the topic or field....Contains a phenomenal wealth of information. It is a uniquely important and timely contribution to the field, and should serve as the definitive encyclopaedic reference on climate and weather for some time to come."--Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society "The Encyclopedia of Climate and Weather is ambitious and successful. It is the most up-to-date and panoramically complete treatment of its subject on the planet."--Jonathan Weiner, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Beak of the Finch "This Encyclopedia addresses a long neglected aspect of a very important subject: the strong interaction of ecosystems with the meteorological elements. By including state-of-the-art, yet highly readable, entries on topics such as the co-evolution of climate and life, ecology, biogeochemical cycles, as well as environmental economics, this work brings weather and climate-interested readers up to date. It provides both the broad perspective and depth that will be needed to address critical environmental problems of the 21st century."--Paul R. Ehrlich, Stanford University "The continuously changing patterns of weather are a large influence on our daily lives and increasingly we are recognizing our vulnerability as a global human community to future patterns of changingclimate. The Encyclopedia of Climate and Weather contains a wealth of essential knowledge to inform the specialist and the general reader about the science behind the weather and climate we experience and about the actions that humans can take to adapt to and to mitigate climate change."--Sir John Houghton, Chair, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change "The Encyclopedia of Climate and Weather, despite its name, supplies much needed, comprehensive information on several important topics in atmospheric chemistry, including the effects of human activities, written by world experts. Just to mention a few of these topics: Atmospheric Chemistry and Composition, Acid Rain, Ozone, Ozone Hole, Pollution, Greenhouse Gases, Trace Gases. I am very much looking forward to having the two volumes both as a reference and just for browsing through."--Paul J. Crutzen, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, 1995 "Weather and climate have moved center-stage in the past decade--and the number of actors has increased very greatly. For newcomers with little background in the atmospheric sciences this exciting new encyclopedia will be the most useful reference set. It covers the ground thoroughly subject by subject. There are brief sketches of the careers of many of the leading figures, and also a coverage of related fields (such as ecology). The impact of global warming will be felt strongly in the bordering disciplines. The Editor--himself a leading figure in climatology--has hence chosen very wisely to treat climate as a broad and still expanding subject area. He has also put together an excellent team of writers."--F. Kenneth Hare "A two-volume scientific survey aimed primarily at college students andprofessionals. In more than 350 signed articles, it presents detailed descriptions of weather-related processes from such fields as physics, chemistry, geology, oceanology, and glaciology."--Reference Books Bulletin "Highly recommended for all libraries."--Choice "At 929 pages, the Encyclopedia of Climate and Weather will take up about as much space on your shelf as the phone book. However, for many multidisciplinary researchers, teachers, and students it could be the next most used item on the shelf after the phone book, making it an excellent investment in shelf real estate....Technical explanations of topics are well conveyed for readers outside the topic or field....Contains a phenomenal wealth of information. It is a uniquely important and timely contribution to the field, and should serve as the definitive encyclopaedic reference on climate and weather for some time to come."--Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society "The Encyclopedia of Climate and Weather is ambitious and successful. It is the most up-to-date and panoramically complete treatment of its subject on the planet."--Jonathan Weiner, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Beak of the Finch "This Encyclopedia addresses a long neglected aspect of a very important subject: the strong interaction of ecosystems with the meteorological elements. By including state-of-the-art, yet highly readable, entries on topics such as the co-evolution of climate and life, ecology, biogeochemical cycles, as well as environmental economics, this work brings weather and climate-interested readers up to date. It provides both the broad perspective and depth that will be needed to address critical environmental problems of the 21st century."--Paul R. Ehrlich, Stanford University "The continuously changing patterns of weather are a large influence on our daily lives and increasingly we are recognizing our vulnerability as a globalhuman community to future patterns of changing climate. The Encyclopedia of Climate and Weather contains a wealth of essential knowledge to inform the specialist and the general reader about the science behind the weather and climate we experience and about the actions that humans can take to adapt to and to mitigate climate change."--Sir John Houghton, Chair, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change "The Encyclopedia of Climate and Weather, despite its name, supplies much needed, comprehensive information on several important topics in atmospheric chemistry, including the effects of human activities, written by world experts. Just to mention a few of these topics: Atmospheric Chemistry and Composition, Acid Rain, Ozone, Ozone Hole, Pollution, Greenhouse Gases, Trace Gases. I am very much looking forward to having the two volumes both as a reference and just for browsing through."--Paul J. Crutzen, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, 1995 "Weather and climate have moved center-stage in the past decade--and the number of actors has increased very greatly. For newcomers with little background in the atmospheric sciences this exciting new encyclopedia will be the most useful reference set. It covers the ground thoroughly subject by subject. There are brief sketches of the careers of many of the leading figures, and also a coverage of related fields (such as ecology). The impact of global warming will be felt strongly in the bordering disciplines. The Editor--himself a leading figure in climatology--has hence chosen very wisely to treat climate as a broad and still expanding subject area. He has also put together an excellent team ofwriters."--F. Kenneth Hare "A two-volume scientific survey aimed primarily at college students and professionals. In more than 350 signed articles, it presents detailed descriptions of weather-related processes from such fields as physics, chemistry, geology, oceanology, and glaciology."--Reference Books Bulletin "Highly recommended for all libraries."--Choice "At 929 pages, the Encyclopedia of Climate and Weather will take up about as much space on your shelf as the phone book. However, for many multidisciplinary researchers, teachers, and students it could be the next most used item on the shelf after the phone book, making it an excellent investment inshelf real estate....Technical explanations of topics are well conveyed for readers outside the topic or field....Contains a phenomenal wealth of information. It is a uniquely important and timely contribution to the field, and should serve as the definitive encyclopaedic reference on climate andweather for some time to come."--Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society"The Encyclopedia of Climate and Weather is ambitious and successful. It is the most up-to-date and panoramically complete treatment of its subject on the planet."--Jonathan Weiner, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Beak of the Finch"This Encyclopedia addresses a long neglected aspect of a very important subject: the strong interaction of ecosystems with the meteorological elements. By including state-of-the-art, yet highly readable, entries on topics such as the co-evolution of climate and life, ecology, biogeochemical cycles, as well as environmental economics, this work brings weather and climate-interested readers up to date. It provides both the broad perspective and depth that will be needed to address critical environmental problems of the 21st century."--Paul R. Ehrlich, Stanford University"The continuously changing patterns of weather are a large influence on our daily lives and increasingly we are recognizing our vulnerability as a global human community to future patterns ofchanging climate. The Encyclopedia of Climate and Weather contains a wealth of essential knowledge to informthe specialist and the general reader about the science behind the weather and climate we experience and about the actions that humans can take to adapt to and to mitigate climate change."--Sir John Houghton, Chair, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change"The Encyclopedia of Climate and Weather, despite its name, supplies much needed, comprehensive information on several important topics in atmospheric chemistry, including the effects of human activities, written by world experts. Just to mention a few of these topics: Atmospheric Chemistry andComposition, Acid Rain, Ozone, Ozone Hole, Pollution, Greenhouse Gases, Trace Gases. I am very much looking forward to having the two volumes both as a reference and just for browsing through."--Paul J. Crutzen, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, 1995"Weather and climate have moved center-stage in the past decade--and the number of actors has increased very greatly. For newcomers with little background in the atmospheric sciences this exciting new encyclopedia will be the most useful reference set. It covers the ground thoroughly subject bysubject. There are brief sketches of the careers of many of the leading figures, and also a coverage of related fields (such as ecology). The impact of global warming will be felt strongly in the bordering disciplines. The Editor--himself a leading figure in climatology--has hence chosen very wiselyto treat climate as a broad and still expanding subject area. He has also put together an excellent team of writers."--F. Kenneth Hare"A two-volume scientific survey aimed primarily atcollege students and professionals. In more than 350 signed articles, it presents detailed descriptions of weather-related processes from such fields as physics, chemistry, geology, oceanology, and glaciology."--Reference Books Bulletin"Highly recommended for all libraries."--Choice