This book explores a new realm in data-based modeling with applications to hydrology. Pursuing a case study approach, it presents a rigorous evaluation of state-of-the-art input selection methods on the basis of detailed and comprehensive experimentation and comparative studies that employ emerging hybrid techniques for modeling and analysis. Advanced computing offers a range of new options for hydrologic modeling with the help of mathematical and data-based approaches like wavelets, neural networks, fuzzy logic, and support vector machines. Recently machine learning/artificial intelligence techniques have come to be used for time series modeling. However, though initial studies have shown this approach to be effective, there are still concerns about their accuracy and ability to make predictions on a selected input space.

Coupled climate system models are of central importance for climate studies. A new model known as FGOALS ( the Flexible Global Ocean-Atmosphere-Land System model), has been developed by the Sate Key Laboratory of Numerical Modeling for Atmospheric Sciences and Geophysical Fluid Dynamics, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (LASG/IAP, CAS), a first-tier national geophysical laboratory. It serves as a powerful tool, both for deepening our understanding of fundamental mechanisms of the climate system and for making decadal prediction and scenario projections of future climate change. "Flexible Global Ocean-Atmosphere-Land System Model: A Modeling Tool for the Climate Change Research Community" is the first book to offer systematic evaluations of this model's performance. It is comprehensive in scope, covering both developmental and application-oriented aspects of this climate system model. It also provides an outlook of future development of FGOALS and offers an overview of how to employ the model. It represents a valuable reference work for researchers and professionals working within the related areas of climate variability and change. Prof. Tianjun Zhou, Yongqiang Yu, Yimin Liu and Bin Wang work at LASG, the Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China.

Farmers Agricultural policymakers Environmentalists

In this book an international group of specialists discusses studies of exoplanets subjected to extreme stellar radiation and plasma conditions. It is shown that such studies will help us to understand how terrestrial planets and their atmospheres, including the early Venus, Earth and Mars, evolved during the host star’s active early phase. The book presents an analysis of findings from Hubble Space Telescope observations of transiting exoplanets, as well as applications of advanced numerical models for characterizing the upper atmosphere structure and stellar environments of exoplanets. The authors also address detections of atoms and molecules in the atmosphere of “hot Jupiters� by NASA’s Spitzer telescope. The observational and theoretical investigations and discoveries presented are both timely and important in the context of the next generation of space telescopes. The book is divided into four main parts, grouping chapters on exoplanet host star radiation and plasma environments, exoplanet upper atmosphere and environment observations, exoplanet and stellar magnetospheres, and exoplanet observation and characterization. The book closes with an outlook on the future of this research field.

Computational Challenges in the Geosciences addresses a cross-section of grand challenge problems arising in geoscience applications, including groundwater and petroleum reservoir simulation, hurricane storm surge, oceanography, volcanic eruptions and landslides, and tsunamis. Each of these applications gives rise to complex physical and mathematical models spanning multiple space-time scales, which can only be studied through computer simulation. The data required by the models is often highly uncertain, and the numerical solution of the models requires sophisticated algorithms which are mathematically accurate, computationally efficient and yet must preserve basic physical properties of the models. This volume summarizes current methodologies and future research challenges in this broad and important field.

This book traces the evolution of climate change research, which, long dominated by the natural sciences, now sees greater involvement with disciplines studying the socio-cultural implications of change. In their introduction, the editors chart the changing role of the social and cultural sciences, delineating three strands of research: socio-critical approaches which connect climate change to a call for cultural or systemic change; a mitigation and adaption strand which takes the physical reality of climate change as a starting point, and focuses on the concerns of climate change-affected communities and their participation in political action; and finally, culture-sensitive research which places emphasis on indigenous peoples, who contribute the least to the causes of climate change, who are affected most by its consequences, and who have the least leverage to influence a solution. Part I of the book explores interdisciplinarity, climate research and the role of the social sciences, including the concept of ecological novelty, an assessment of progress since the first Rio climate conference, and a 'global village' case study from Portugal. Part II surveys ethnographic perspectives in the search for social facts of global climate change, including climate and mobility in the West African Sahel, and human-non human interactions and climate change in the Canadian Subarctic. Part III shows how collaborative and comparative ethnographies can spin "global webs of local knowledge," describing case studies of changing seasonality in Labrador and of rising water levels in the Chesapeake Bay. These perspectives are subjected to often-amusing, always incisive analysis in a concluding chapter entitled "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet: a death-defying look at the future of the climate debate." The contributors engage critically with the research subject of 'climate change' itself, reflecting on their own practices of knowledge production and epistemological presuppositions. Finely detailed and sympathetic to a broad range of viewpoints, the book sets out a profile for the social sciences and humanities in the climate change field by systematically exploring methodological and theoretical challenges and approaches.

Under one cover, Frank P. Incropera provides a comprehensive, objective and critical assessment of all issues germane to the climate change debate: science, technology options, economic ramifications, cultural and behavioural issues, the influence of special interests and public policy, geopolitics and ethical dimensions. The underlying science is treated in depth, but in an approachable and accessible manner. A strong case is made for the reality of anthropogenic climate change, while confronting the range of issues that remain uncertain and deconstructing opposing views. Incropera assesses the strengths and weaknesses of technology options for mitigating the effects of climate change, analyzes nontechnical factors - economic, cultural and political - and provides an in-depth treatment of ethical implications. This book is intended for those wishing to become fully informed about climate change and is designed to provide the reader with a firm foundation for drawing his or her own conclusions.

This textbook presents all aspects of climate system dynamics, on all timescales from the Earth's formation to modern human-induced climate change. It discusses the dominant feedbacks and interactions between all the components of the climate system: atmosphere, ocean, land surface and ice sheets. It addresses one of the key challenges for a course on the climate system: students can come from a range of backgrounds. A glossary of key terms is provided for students with little background in the climate sciences, whilst instructors and students with more expertise will appreciate the book's modular nature. Exercises are provided at the end of each chapter for readers to test their understanding. This textbook will be invaluable for any course on climate system dynamics and modeling, and will also be useful for scientists and professionals from other disciplines who want a clear introduction to the topic.

This edited volume, showcasing cutting-edge research, addresses two primary questions - what are the main drivers of change in high-mountains and what are the risks implied by these changes? From a physical perspective, it examines the complex interplay between climate and the high-mountain cryosphere, with further chapters covering tectonics, volcano-ice interactions, hydrology, slope stability, erosion, ecosystems, and glacier- and snow-related hazards. Societal dimensions, both global and local, of high-mountain cryospheric change are also explored. The book offers unique perspectives on high-mountain cultures, livelihoods, governance and natural resources management, focusing on how global change influences societies and how people respond to climate-induced cryospheric changes. An invaluable reference for researchers and professionals in cryospheric science, geomorphology, climatology, environmental studies and human geography, this volume will also be of interest to practitioners working in global change and risk, including NGOs and policy advisors.

The processes and consequences of climate change are extremely heterogeneous, encompassing many different fields of study. Dr David Rind in his career at the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies and as a professor at Columbia University has had the opportunity to explore many of these subjects with colleagues from these diverse disciplines. It was therefore natural for the Lectures in Climate Change series to begin with his colleagues contributing lectures on their specific areas of expertise.This first volume, entitled Our Warming Planet: Topics in Climate Dynamics, encompasses topics such as natural and anthropogenic climate forcing, climate modeling, radiation, clouds, atmospheric dynamics/storms, hydrology, clouds, the cryosphere, paleoclimate, sea level rise, agriculture, atmospheric chemistry, and climate change education. Included with this publication are downloadable PowerPoint slides of each lecture for students and teachers around the world to be better able to understand various aspects of climate change.The lectures on climate change processes and consequences provide snapshots of the cutting-edge work being done to understand what may well be the greatest challenge of our time, in a form suitable for classroom presentation.

This volume on "Advancement in the Design and Performance of Sustainable Asphalt Pavements" includes a collection of research and practical papers from an international research and technology activities on Mixture Design Innovation, Structural Pavement Design, Advancement in Production and Construction, Climate Changes and Effects on Infrastructure, Green Energy, Technology and Integration. The volume constitutes an important contribution in view of the urgent need to develop materials, designs, and practices to ensure the sustainability of transportation infrastructure. This volume is part of the proceedings of the 1st GeoMEast International Congress and Exhibition on Sustainable Civil Infrastructures, Egypt 2017.

This volume contains research articles that cover a wide range of topics related to ground improvement and subsurface structures. Selected papers represent the state-of-the-art in the analysis and design of reinforced retaining walls, diaphragm walls and buried pipes. In addition, topics related to ground improvement using vacuum consolidation and deep mixing techniques are also included. This volume is part of the proceedings of the 1st GeoMEast International Congress and Exhibition on Sustainable Civil Infrastructures, Egypt 2017.

This volume presents innovative work on innovative methods, tools and practices aimed at supporting the transition of Asian and Middle Eastern cities and regions towards a more smart and sustainable dimension. The role of the built and urban environment are becoming more pronounced in Asia and Middle East as the regions continues to experience rapid increase in population and urbanisation, which have only led to an increase in environmental degradation but also rise in energy consumption and emissions. Individual chapters covers timely topics such as sustainable infrastructure, transportation, renewable energy, water and methods supporting an innovative and sustainable development of urban areas. Real-world examples are presented to highlight recent developments and advancements in design, construction and transportation infrastructures. This volume is part of the proceedings of the 1st GeoMEast International Congress and Exhibition on Sustainable Civil Infrastructures, Egypt 2017.

This textbook develops a fundamental understanding of geophysical fluid dynamics by providing a mathematical description of fluid properties, kinematics and dynamics as influenced by earth's rotation. Its didactic value is based on elaborate treatment of basic principles, derived equations, exemplary solutions and their interpretation. Both starting graduate students and experienced scientists can closely follow the mathematical development of the basic theory applied to the flow of uniform density fluids on a rotating earth, with (1) basic physics introducing the "novel" effects of rotation for flows on planetary scales, (2) simplified dynamics of shallow water and quasi-geostrophic theories applied to a variety of steady, unsteady flows and geophysical wave motions, demonstrating the restoring effects of Coriolis acceleration, earth's curvature (beta) and topographic steering, (3) conservation of vorticity and energy at geophysical scales, and (4) specific applications to help demonstrate the ability to create and solve new problems in this very rich field. A comprehensive review of the complex geophysical flows of the ocean and the atmosphere is closely knitted with this basic description, intended to be developed further in the second volume that addresses density stratified geophysical fluid dynamics.

First published in 1943 as the second edition of a 1926 original, this book explains certain natural phenomena visible in the skies. Cave details the reasons for atmospheric features such as coronae, iridescent clouds, mirages and the various cloud formations, and illustrates the text with many photographs. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in the natural world or meteorology.

Originally published in 1923, this book was written by the pioneering British meteorologist Napier Shaw (1854-1945). It presents a selection of Shaw's essays and lectures dealing with 'the physical explanation of the atmospheric circulation', including his Rede Lecture for 1921, delivered at Cambridge University. Additionally, there are some papers on the 'application of meteorology to agriculture'. Numerous illustrative figures, including detailed charts and maps, are incorporated throughout the text. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in meteorology and the history of science.

Requirements.- Motivation.- Basics of Geophysical Fluid Dynamics.- Long Waves in a Channel.- 2D Shallow-Water Modelling.- Rotational Effects.

It is not known why Caroline Molesworth (1794-1872) began to make these detailed observations in the garden of her home in Cobham, Surrey. She was interested in botany, and when she moved with her widowed mother from London to Surrey in 1823, she undertook an almost daily survey of nineteen categories of information, which she maintained (with help in later years, as her health failed) until 1867. This 1880 publication, edited with a biographical introduction by the entomologist Eleanor Ormerod (1828-1901), summarises Molesworth's records for the period 1825-50. Ormerod explains the methods and instruments Molesworth used, and provides a complete record of the phenological detail over a 25-year period: she therefore omits what she considers less relevant meteorological data. The records enable year-on-year comparisons of dates on which flowers bloomed or migratory birds arrived, and this information remains of use to anyone studying long-term changes in climate.

How to interpret meteorological measurements made at a given level over a surface with regard to characteristic properties such as roughness, albedo, heat, moisture, carbon dioxide, and other gases is an old question which goes back to the very beginnings of modern micrometeorology. It is made even more challenging when it is unclear whether these measurements are only valid for this point/region and precisely describe the conditions there, or if they are also influenced by surrounding areas. After 50 years of field experiments, it has become both apparent and problematic that meteorological measurements are influenced from surfaces on the windward side. As such, extending these measurements for inhomogeneous experimental sites requires a quantitative understanding of these influences. When combined with atmospheric transport models similar to air pollution models, the 'footprint' concept - a fundamental approach introduced roughly 20 years ago - provides us with information on whether or not the condition of upwind site homogeneity is fulfilled. Since these first models, the development of more scientifically based versions, validation experiments and applications has advanced rapidly. The aim of this book is to provide an overview of these developments, to analyze present deficits, to describe applications and to advance this topic at the forefront of micrometeorological research.

This book investigates tropospheric delays, one of the main error sources in Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), and its impact plays a crucial role in near real-time weather forecasting. Accessibility and accurate estimation of this parameter are essential for weather and climate research. Advances in GNNS application has allowed the measurements of Zenith Tropospheric Delay (ZTD) in all weather conditions and on a global scale with fine temporal and spatial resolution. However, GPS data are not always available for a full 24-hour period. Using a soft computing technique such as Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) as a new alternative, the ZTD can be determined by using the surface meteorological data as inputs. The estimation and prediction of ZTD value are presented in this book.

Originally published in 1926, this book forms the first part of a four-volume work written by the renowned British meteorologist Napier Shaw (1854-1945). The text focuses on the history of meteorology, attempting to provide the reader with a grounding in the fundamental aspects of the area. Numerous illustrative figures are included, together with extensive textual notes. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in meteorology and the history of science.

First published in 1936, as the second edition of a 1927 original, this book forms part two of a four-volume work by the renowned British meteorologist Napier Shaw (1854-1945). The text focuses on comparative meteorology, attempting to provide the reader with a grounding in the fundamental aspects of the area. Numerous illustrative figures are included, together with extensive textual notes. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in meteorology and the history of science.

Originally published in 1930, this book forms part three of a four-volume work by the renowned British meteorologist Napier Shaw (1854-1945). The text focuses on the physical processes of weather, attempting to provide the reader with a grounding in the fundamental aspects of the area. Numerous illustrative figures are included, together with a table of symbols and extensive textual notes. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in meteorology and the history of science.

First published in 1931, as the second edition of a 1919 original, this book forms the final part of a four-volume work written by the renowned British meteorologist Napier Shaw (1854-1945). The text focuses on the meteorological calculus, attempting to provide the reader with a grounding in the fundamental aspects of the area. Numerous illustrative figures are included, together with extensive textual notes. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in meteorology and the history of science.

This volume includes the proceedings of the 2015 International Conference on Information Technology and Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITITS 2015) which was held in Xi'an on December 12-13, 2015. The conference provided a platform for all professionals and researchers from industry and academia to present and discuss recent advances in the field of Information Technology and Intelligent Transportation Systems. The presented information technologies are connected to intelligent transportation systems including wireless communication, computational technologies, floating car data/floating cellular data, sensing technologies, and video vehicle detection. The articles focusing on intelligent transport systems vary in the technologies applied, from basic management systems to more application systems including topics such as emergency vehicle notification systems, automatic road enforcement, collision avoidance systems and some cooperative systems. The conference hosted 12 invited speakers and over 200 participants. Each paper was under double peer reviewed by at least 3 reviewers. This proceedings are sponsored by Shaanxi Computer Society and co-sponsored by Chang'an University, Xi'an University of Technology, Northwestern Poly-technical University, CAS, Shaanxi Sirui Industries Co., LTD.