This book treats atmospheric convection from different angles including the theoretical aspects of atmospheric deep convection and the weather phenomena related to convection. The problem of boundary conditions that result in severe convective weather patterns is explored within the framework of worldwide climatology. The book bridges the gap between theory and its operational application both within the fields of weather forecasting and that of risk management.

This book is volume 33 of the yearbook series 'Palaeoecology of Africa' presenting the outcome of a 'tribute conference' to the internationally recognized South African researcher and palynologist Professor Louis Scott. He has recently retired, but is continuing his active research career. The conference proceedings and articles published here highlight and celebrate Prof. Scott's contribution to palaeoscience and to the natural sciences in general. The conference was organized in July 2014 by the National Museum, Bloemfontein and the University of the Free State, South Africa, and focused on both past and present environments, ecosystems and climates of the arid regions of southern Africa, an area that serves as major focus of Prof. Scott's research. Louis Scott's research interests include stratigraphic palynology, long-term continental environmental change during the Cainozoic, and interpretation of palaeoenvironmental records associated with archaeological sites. His research has contributed insights into the origin of our current environment by identifying long-term patterns of climate change. Results have been applied in numerical models of vegetation change in Africa and globally. The results of these studies are relevant across the fields of botany, geology, climatology, archaeology, anthropology and palaeontology. The chapters revisit and discuss the scientific work of Prof. Scott: among others the reconstructions of vegetation and climatic history in various areas of southern Africa, including the Tswaing Crater with a record of 200 000 years, that give insights into environmental conditions during the Last Glacial Period and the subsequent development of modern conditions. Some observations also provide key baseline information, contributing to understanding past human and environmental contexts and climatic change and the effects of global warming.

The book focuses on the impact of energy policies on fossil fuel use, environmental quality, and economic growth in Mexico for the next 20 years.Part 1 examines the Mexican energy sector and its link to international trade, government revenues, economic welfare and environmental pollution. The scientific links between greenhouse gas emissions and climate change are presented. The effects of climate change on economic well-being in Mexico are examined. The role of Mexico and Latin America in current climate change negotiations is explained. Part 2 develops a Computable General Equilibrium model of the Mexican economy, paying attention to the energy sector and its links with other aspects of the aggregate economy. Conclusions for Mexico are placed in the context of the Americas. The effects of climate change policy are contrasted with that in Venezuela, Argentina, Brazil, and Chile...

The first part of the proceedings describes the current capabilities of various satellite experiments which are performing measurements of the Earth's atmosphere, as for example some of the results obtained recently by three experiments onboard the ENVISAT Environment Satellite (ENVISAT), namely, the Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment (GOME), the SCanning Imaging Absorption for Atmospheric CHartographY (SCIAMACHY) and the Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding (MIPAS). For the analysis of spectra recorded by these instruments it is necessary to make good use of efficient radiative transfer codes. These computer codes need as input, a dataset of high quality spectroscopic parameters which can be generated only through a careful analysis of high quality laboratory measurements. In addition some of the future satellite missions which are under preparation at the European Space Agency (ESA) are briefly described.

This book focuses on how climate affects or affected the biosphere and vice versa both in the present and in the past. The chapters describe how ecosystems from the Antarctic and Arctic, and from other latitudes, respond to global climate change. The papers highlight plant responses to atmospheric CO2 increase, to global warming and to increased ultraviolet-B radiation as a result of stratospheric ozone depletion.

Dust storms are a vital component of the environment. This book explores and summarises recent research on where dust storms originate, why dust storms are generated, where dust is transported and deposited, the nature of dust deposits and the changing frequency of dust storms over a range of time-scales. It is the first global study of causes and effects of dust storms, which are one of the increasing nature catastrophes.

On the night of September 21, 1938, news on the radio was full of the invasion of Czechoslovakia. There was no mention of severe weather. By the time oceanfront residents noticed an ominous yellow color in the sky, it was too late. In a matter of hours, a massive hurricane of unprecedented force ripped its way from Long Island to Providence, obliterating coastal communities, destroying whole commercial fishing fleets from Montauk to Narragansett Bay, and killing seven hundred people. Early that morning, old-salt fishermen heading out on calm seas noticed a sudden drop in the barometer, which made some turn back. Hurrling toward them at a record speed was a powerful hurricane--the big cat stalking the coast was ready to strike. It struck Long Island with the tide at an all-time high under a full, equinox moon. The sea rose out of its shores like a demon, with catastrophic waves surging over fifty feet. Winds whipped up to 186 miles per hour, trashing boats and smashing homes from Long Island to Connecticut and Rhode Island. Most victims never knew what hit them. Flowing through "The Great Hurricane: 1938 are personal stories of those like the Moore family who were sucked to sea clinging to a raft formerly their attic floor. Like "The Perfect Storm, Burns's masterful storytelling follows the storm's punishing path in a seamless and suspenseful narrative, preserving for posterity the legendary story of the Great Hurricane.

This book gives an accessible overview of the 70-year history of nuclear fusion research and the vain attempts to construct an energy-generating nuclear fusion reactor. It shows that even in the most optimistic scenario nuclear fusion, despite the claims of its proponents and the billions being spent on research, will not be able to make a sizable contribution to the energy mix in this century. The important consequence is that nuclear fusion will not be a factor in combating climate change, since the race for carbon-free energy will have been won or lost long before the first nuclear fusion power station comes on line.

This book describes the state-of-the art instruments for measuring the solar irradiance from soft x-ray to the near infrared and the total solar irradiance. Furthermore, the SORCE mission and early results on solar variability are presented along with papers that provide an overview of solar influences on Earth. This collection of papers provides the only detailed description of the SORCE mission and its instruments.

This is an introductory textbook on global spectral modeling designed for senior-level undergraduates and possibly for first-year graduate students. This text starts with an introduction to elementary finite-difference methods and moves on towards the gradual description of sophisticated dynamical and physical models in spherical coordinates. Computational aspects of the spectral transform method, the planetary boundary layer physics, the physics of precipitation processes in large-scale models, the radiative transfer including effects of diagnostic clouds and diurnal cycle, the surface energy balance over land and ocean, and the treatment of mountains are some issues that are addressed. The topic of model initialization includes the treatment of normal modes and physical processes. A concluding chapter covers the spectral energetics as a diagnostic tool for model evaluation. This revised second edition of the text also includes three additional chapters. Chapter 11 deals with the formulation of a regional spectral model for mesoscale modeling which uses a double Fourier expansion of data and model equations for its transform. Chapter 12 deals with ensemble modeling. This is a new and important area for numerical weather and climate prediction. Finally, yet another new area that has to do with adaptive observational strategies is included as Chapter 13. It foretells where data deficiencies may reside in model from an exploratory ensemble run of experiments and the spread of such forecasts.

The field of physical oceanography has matured to a point where it is now conceivable to combine numerical models and observations via data assimilation in order to provide ocean prediction products on various spatial and time scales. As a result, many nations have begun large-scale efforts to provide routine products to the oceanographic community and started to develop operational oceanography systems. The Global Ocean Data Assimilation Experiment (GODAE) provides a framework for these efforts, i.e., a global system of observations, communications, modeling, and assimilation that will deliver regular, comprehensive information on the state of the oceans, in a way that will promote and engender wide utility and availability of this resource for maximum benefit to the community. The societal benefit of this experiment will be an increased knowledge of the marine environment and ocean climate, predictive skills for societal, industrial, and commercial benefit and tactical and strategic advantage, as well as the provision of a comprehensive and integrated approach to the oceans. We therefore considered it timely, given the international context, to bring together leading scientists, system developers, and application providers to present an integrated view of oceanography. The chapters collected in this volume cover a wide range of topics and summarize our present knowledge in ocean modeling, ocean observing systems, and data assimilation.

The main purpose of this book is to introduce the reader to the subject of solar activity and the connection with Earth's climate. It commences with a brief review of the historical progress on the understanding of the solar-terrestrial connection and moves on to an objective scrutiny of the various hypothesis. The text focuses on how knowledge about the solar cycle and Earth's climate is obtained. It includes discussion of observations, methods and the physics involved, with the necessary statistics and analysis also provided, including an examination of empirical relations between sunspots and the Earth's climate. The author reviews plausible physical mechanisms involved in any links between the solar cycle and the Earth's climate, emphasizing the use of established scientific methods for testing hypothesized relationships.

Satellite observations and computing technology have advanced our understanding of the monsoon climate enormously in the last two decades. The author provides an update of the knowledge gained over this period, presenting the modern morphology and the physical principles of monsoon climate variation on all time scales ranging from intraseasonal to tectonic time scales. He brings new ideas that can be expected to markedly improve the prediction of monsoon climate, and includes contributions by experts who expand our understanding of the monsoon environment by their study of paleoclimate records, who present evidence of human influences on monsoon climate, and who describe the links of the monsoon to the economy and to human health.

This is a comprehensive interdisciplinary text book summarizing new knowledge of Asian monsoon climate variability, dynamics, modeling, and prediction from intraseasonal to geological time scales, and human influence and its links to environmetal/economic issues.

Triggered by a discussion on the nature of future electricity supplies, wind - ergy utilisation has boomed dramatically, ?rst in the United States of America and Denmark and later in Germany and Spain. Thanks to state subsidies, it has within 15 years overtaken the volume of the classic renewable hydro-power, and today it accountsforabout5%ofelectricitygeneration. Twofactorssetoffthisdevelopment: anawarenessofthelimitedavailabilityof fossilfuelsandtherecognitionthatinthe19thand20thcenturiesthemassiverelease of fossil CO had kicked off a gigantic climate experiment whose results remain 2 unpredictable. The discussion on the side effects of the wind energy boom, such asoccupationoflandandthechallengespresentedbyintegrationintoconventional electricity generation systems, frequently distract attention from the real goals and bene?ts of this technology. These are establishing an energy sector that will, in the shortterm, reduceCO emissionsandtheexploitationof?niteresourcesand, inthe 2 longterm, createanunlimitedsustainableenergysupply. Because fossil reserves are relatively easy to exploit, a system developed that could hardly be more convenient. It makes electric power available in large quan- tiesatmoderatepricesandinawaythatiseasytoplan.Thetaskofthepowerutility is essentially limited to "uncritically" adjusting the supply from central power s- tionstothedemandfromconsumers.Alow-CO sustainableenergysectordemands 2 differentstandards.Windandsolarpowerhaveahighpotential, buttheyaresubject tohighnatural?uctuationsand, ingeneral, areconnectedtotheelectricitygridina decentralway.Theshareoffuturestoragetechnologiessuchashydrogentechnology willbeassmallaspossibleforreasonsofef?ciencyandcost. So, future-compatibleelectricitygenerationwillcomprisemanydifferent, partly innovative components, which also demands a considerable research and devel- menteffort.Ontheonehand, thereisthe?uctuatinginputfromrenewablesources, and on the other, electricity consumption that must to a certain extent be adjusted to supply by means of intelligent solutions. In between, to a declining extent, VI Foreword modernconventionalenergyproducers, suchascoalandnaturalgaspowerstations, areallbroughttogetherwithagreatdealoftechnicalingenuityintheformofcontrol strategiesandinformation?ows

This book provides the first comprehensive analysis of how aerosols form in the atmosphere through in situ processes as well as via transport from the surface (dust storms, seas spray, biogenic emissions, forest fires etc.). Such an analysis has been followed by the consideration of both observation data (various field observational experiments) and numerical modeling results to assess climate impacts of aerosols bearing in mind that these impacts are the most significant uncertainty in studying natural and anthropogenic causes of climate change.

Since the Industrial Revolution the chemical composition of the atmosphere has changed at a rate unprecedented in recent history. Ozone depletion emerged as one of the most important environmental issues of the 20th century as evidence grew for substantial human influences on the atmospheric ozone abundances over much of the globe. The science of the ozone layer and its interactions with halogenated chemical compounds are the primary subjects of this book. The volume provides a comprehensive view of the chemical, dynamical, and radiative processes that affect ozone and other chemicals in the stratosphere and mesosphere.

Weather and climate are of concern to virtually all countries worldwide. For many countries the economy depends largely on agriculture, which is significantly affected by variations in weather and climate. This volume contains many original findings on weather and climate related to atmospheric and oceanic processes through mathematical modeling, numerical simulations, and field experiments and it will be useful as a reading material in graduate level courses dealing with weather, climate, boundary layer and air quality. The scientific community at large, especially younger scientists, will find this book a useful addition to their personal and institutional libraries.

This book provides an overview of the early years of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, and reviews the work of the institute over the past 30 years, describing along the way the European approach to medium-range weather forecasting. Its combination of historical view and scientific insight is unique.

Packed with provocative case studies, calculations and lifestyle comparisons, this entertaining and authoritative book makes the complexities of climatology understandable and challenges readers to rethink their notions of 'doing their bit'. The paperback edition features a new preface from Mark Lynas, author of High Tide: News From a Warming World

on the environment and actively to reduce the burden of mortality and disease on human populations and ecosystems. T ere is no time for complacency. Actions must be taken urgently to protect the environment of Europe and assure the health of its citizens. 1 Executive Director, European Environment Agency 2 Director, Special Programme on Health and Environment, WHO Regional Of ce for Europe 00_weather 00_weather events_neu. indd XVIII events_neu. indd XVIII 22. 06. 2005 22. 06. 2005 13:01:07 13:01:07 Editorial 'Si le respect de l'homme est fonde dans le c/ur des hommes, les hommes f niront bien par fonder en retour le systeme social, politique ou economique qui consacrera ce respect' "Lettre a un otage", Antoine de Saint-Exupery T e global climate is changing. During the last 100 years warming has been observed in all continents with an average increase of 0. 6 +- 0. 2 C (man +- SD) in the course of the 20th century. T e greatest temperature changes occurred at middle and high latitudes in the northern hemispheres. T e trend towards warmer average surface temperatures for the period since 1976 is roughly three times that of the past 100 years as a whole. In the last decades warming seems to be attributable to human activities (man-made environmental changes) like land-use changes, deforestation, urbanisation and the reduction of wetlands. Global climate change is likely to be accompanied by an increase in frequency and intensity of extreme weather events.

Developments in three-dimensional cloud radiation over the past few decades are assessed and distilled into this contributed volume. Chapters are authored by subject-matter experts who address a broad audience of graduate students, researchers, and anyone interested in cloud-radiation processes in the solar and infrared spectral regions. After two introductory chapters and a section on the fundamental physics and computational techniques, the volume extensively treats two main application areas: the impact of clouds on the Earth's radiation budget, which is an essential aspect of climate modeling; and remote observation of clouds, especially with the advanced sensors on current and future satellite missions.

Written by leading experts in optical radar, or lidar, this book brings all the recent practices up-to-date. With a Foreword by one of the founding fathers in the area. Its broad cross-disciplinary scope should appeal to scientists ranging from the view of optical sciences to environmental engineers. Optical remote sensing has matured to become a lead method for cross-disciplinary research. This new multi-authored book reviews the state-of-the-art in a readable monograph.

Weather radar systems provide data necessary for the understanding of weather systems, improved forecasts (especially critical for severe weather), hydrological applications, flood warnings and also for climate research in which ground verification is needed for global precipitation measurements by satellites. This book offers an accessible overview of advanced methods, applications and modern research from the European perspective. An extensive introductory chapter summarizes the principles of weather radars and discusses the potential of modern radar systems, including Doppler and polarisation techniques, data processing, and error-correction methods. Addressing both specialist researchers and nonspecialists from related areas, this book will also be useful for graduate students planning to specialize in this field.

Future Forests: Adaptation to Climate Change provides background on forests as natural and social systems, the current distribution and dynamics based on major biomes that set the stage for their role of forests in global systems, the nature of climate change organized by biomes, and detailed descriptions of mitigation and adaptation strategies. This book forms presents a foundational summary of the feedback between the effect of climate change on forests and the converse effects of forests on climate, leading to conclusions on how forest management needs to be dictated by climate change. The book will be ideal for readers in the fields of climate change science, forest science and conservation biology, helping them develop a thorough understanding on the broad perspective of climate change on forests, the response of forests to these changes, and other climate-forest interaction potentials.

As the first comprehensive and authoritative review of intra-seasonal variability (ISV), this multi-author work balances coverage of observation, theory and modeling and provides a single source of reference for all those interested in this important, multi-faceted natural phenomenon and its relation to major short-term climatic variations. Commencing with an overview of ISV and observations from an historical perspective, the book offers successive chapters that deal with the role of ISV in monsoon variability on the monsoon regions of South Asia, East Asia and South America, in North America, and in the oceans. The coupling between ocean and atmosphere is considered, together with the function of angular momentum and Earth rotation. Later chapters deal with modeling ISV in the atmosphere and oceans, and the connection between the Madden and Julian Oscillations, and El Nino/Southern Oscillation with short-term climate are considered.