Modern Climatology

Climatology, the study of climate, is no longer regarded as a single discipline that treats climate as something that fluctuates only within the unchanging boundaries described by historical statistics. The field has recognized that climate is something that changes continually under the influence of physical and biological forces and so, cannot be understood in isolation but rather, is one that includes diverse scientific disciplines that play their role in understanding a highly complex coupled "whole system" that is the earth's climate. The modern era of climatology is echoed in this book. On the one hand it offers a broad synoptic perspective but also considers the regional standpoint, as it is this that affects what people need from climatology. Aspects on the topic of climate change - what is often considered a contradiction in terms - is also addressed. It is all too evident these days that what recent work in climatology has revealed carries profound implications for economic and social policy; it is with these in mind that the final chapters consider acumens as to the application of what has been learned to date.

Now in its second edition,Climatology continues to provide an up-to-date stimulating and comprehensive guide to the nature of the earth's climate. It presents a synthesis of contemporary scientific ideas about atmospheric circulation. Topics covered include: -Energy systems-The hydrological cycle-General circulation, local and regional climate-Application of climate information-Use of satellite observations

Climate study appears to be closely related to the environmental studies. In a degrading environment climate conditions, particularly changing situation happens to be of a great concern for sustainable future. In this context the book has been written understanding the tenets of underlying principles and processes of global climate

Composed of two extensive sections, this book surveys important work in climate change science, mainly in the United States, and introduces contributions to the body of science that have arrived on the scene between January 2013 and February 2014. The opening section offers a broad examination of contemporary climate change science, with subsections on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC); Earth’s energy imbalance and energy flow; carbon dioxide’s role in the greenhouse effect; climate forcing, and climate feedbacks; Charles David Keeling and the Keeling Curve; the interfaces of atmosphere with oceans and land; paleoclimates and paleoclimatology; rising sea level; melting glaciers; deforestation; desertification; more violent storms, animal and human migration, extinction of species and more. The second section reviews and assesses the newest contributions to the body of research. Among the topics discussed are current and recent research on rising temperatures; the BEST study; the Global Historical Climatology Network (GHCN) and the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC); current and recent research on climate models, new research on global warming 56 million years ago; ecosystem impacts, projections of future climate and more. This book can be considered a bridge between the volumes of Farmer and Cook’s Climate Change Science: A Modern Synthesis, as it arrives between the release of the first volume on the Physical Climate (2013) the second, on Earth’s climate history, which is now in preparation. The book benefits a wide audience as its survey of the science of climate change provides an introduction to the subject and a discussion of current research in the field. The book may be used as a refresher for those who have had prior courses in climate science and related fields. Each chapter includes a comprehensive list of references for subjects discussed in the text.

Today, given the well-publicized impacts of events such as El Niño, there is an unequaled public awareness of how climate affects the quality of life and environment. Such awareness has created an increasing demand for accurate climatological information. This information is now available in one convenient, accessible source, the Encyclopedia of World Climatology. This comprehensive volume covers all the main subfields of climatology, supplies information on climates in major continental areas, and explains the intricacies of climatic processes. The level of presentation will meet the needs of specialists, university students, and educated laypersons. A successor to the 1986 Encyclopedia of Climatology, this compendium provides a clear explanation of current knowledge and research directions in modern climatology. This new encyclopedia emphasizes climatological developments that have evolved over the past twenty years. It offers more than 200 informative articles prepared by 150 experts on numerous subjects, ranging from standard areas of study to the latest research studies. The relationship between climatology and both physical and social science is fully explored, as is the significance of climate for our future well-being. The information is organized for speedy access. Entries are conveniently arranged in alphabetical order, thoroughly indexed, and cross-referenced. Every entry contains useful citations to additional source materials. The Editor John E. Oliver is Professor Emeritus at Indiana State University. He holds a B.Sc. from London University, and a MA and Ph.D from Columbia University. He taught at Columbia University and then at Indiana State where he was formerly Chair of the Geography-Geology Department, and Assoc iate Dean, College of Arts and Sciences. He has written many books and journal articles in Climatology, Applied Climatology and Physical Geography.

With the inclusion of new material, preface and illustrations, this 2nd edition of Lamb's acclaimed book covers issues of past and present climates, impacts on human affairs and an understanding of the problems of forecasting.