Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
|
Your cart is empty |
|||
Books > Earth & environment > Earth sciences > Meteorology > General
It is now accepted that the world's climate has warmed by about 0.5A DegreesC over the past one hundred years and will continue to warm by as much as 6A DegreesC by the end of the current century. What, however, do such fundamental changes actually mean for life and the economy at the local and regional scales for the industrialized nations? This extensive study represents a state-of-the-art regional assessment of the impacts of climate change in an industrialized European nation. Providing a comprehensive set of tools, techniques and strategies, it explores the potential impacts of climate change upon key landscapes, economic and social sectors.
For the past decade, historian Dipesh Chakrabarty has been one of the most influential scholars addressing the meaning of climate change. Climate change, he argues, upends long-standing ideas of history, modernity, and globalization. The burden of The Climate of History in a Planetary Age is to grapple with what this means and to confront humanities scholars with ideas they have been reluctant to reconsider-from the changed nature of human agency to a new acceptance of universals. Chakrabarty argues that we must see ourselves from two perspectives at once: the planetary and the global. This distinction is central to Chakrabarty's work-the globe is a human-centric construction, while a planetary perspective intentionally decenters the human. Featuring wide-ranging excursions into historical and philosophical literatures, The Climate of History in a Planetary Age boldly considers how to frame the human condition in troubled times. As we open ourselves to the implications of the Anthropocene, few writers are as likely as Chakrabarty to shape our understanding of the best way forward.
Precipitation: Earth Surface Responses and Processes provides readers with a general and indispensable overview of processing rainfall processes through radar techniques, numerical models, geostatistical tools, photogrammetric methods, plots, indexes of connectivity or rainfall simulations. The handbook follows a clear and consistent format, and is structured as follows: Introduction (State-of-the-Art); Part 1. Rainfall and climate/atmosphere; Part 2. Models and applications; Part 3. Rainfall as a key actor playing the main role affecting different ecosystems. Part 3: Rainfall affecting the earth surface from different scales and landforms; Part 4: Rainfall and stormwater quality management in urban and rural areas. Precipitation is a key factor needed for understanding landscape evolution and ecosystem services. Knowing the main precipitation composition, mechanisms and processes allows for efficient land management plans and ecosystem restoration activities. However, precipitation shows different responses under specific environments depending on the climate (from the arid to the polar areas), parent material, scale (from the raindrops to catchment scale), intensity, landscape morphologies (soil sealing, rills, gullies or rivers) or human activities (agriculture or urban areas). Precipitation: Earth Surface Responses and Processes bring this information together and provides indispensable material in a holistic manner for students, scientists and lecturers from different environmental disciplines such as climatology, meteorology, geomorphology, hydrology, soil science, geography, engineering, or ecology.
Global Warming: The Hard Science presents a comprehensive,
qualitatively rigorous, and critical discussion of the science
underlying the global warming issue. The major processes in the
climate system needed to understand projected human-induced
climatic change are presented in detail. Observational systems used
to monitor changes in the climate system and the ways in which the
raw data are analyzed in order to produce estimates of current
trends are also critically reviewed.
Our understanding of climate and its role in human affairs has changed markedly over recent years, as have climate observation systems and modelling capabilities. Reliance on recent weather statistics to provide a guide for future climate is no longer viable. Evidence of human-induced climate change has placed climate high on political and the media agendas. This text provides an account of what we know about climate and changing climates at the end of the 20th century. Integrating the historical and geographical dimensions of climate, the crucial link between past and future climatic conditions is examined through the geographical lens of the British Isles. Climates of past ages are reconstructed and full descriptions of the present climate are illustrated by graphs, maps and images. Important climate data sets are provided. Marking the 25th anniversary of the Climatic Research Unit, this book distils much of the leading research of present and recent members of the unit and presents a view of climatic change and prospects for the next millenium and beyond.
Offering all aspects of humidity measurement and instrumentation, this work includes rudiments and theory, common applications, advantages and limitations of frequently-used sensors and techniques, and guidelines for installation, maintenance and calibration. The disk is intended for easy conversions of humidity parameters and units.
A comprehensive and unique account of the creation of artificially
ionized layers in the middle and upper atmosphere, using powerful
radio waves. Major physical mechanisms associated with the
formation of the ionized region are studied in detail. The main
part of the author's research is devoted to problems associated
with the breakdown mechanisms for radio frequency discharges in
air. A special chapter deals with breakdown in intersecting pulsed
beams and the effects of recombination, diffusion and atmospheric
winds on the stability of the structure. The kinetics of the plasma
produced are also described.
As the planet warms, winter is shrinking. In the last fifty years, the Northern Hemisphere lost a million square miles of spring snowpack, and high-elevation snowpacks in the western United States have decreased by nearly half since 1982. On average, winter has shrunk by a month in most northern latitudes. In this deeply researched, beautifully written, and adventure-filled book, journalist Porter Fox travels along the edge of the Northern Hemisphere's snow line to track the scope of this drastic change and how it will literally change everything-from rapid sea level rise, to fresh water scarcity for two billion people, to massive greenhouse gas emissions from thawing permafrost, and several climate tipping points that could very well spell the end of our world. This original research is animated by four harrowing and illuminating journeys-each grounded by interviews with idiosyncratic, charismatic experts in their respective fields and Fox's own narrative of growing up on a remote island in northern Maine. Timely, atmospheric, and expertly investigated, The Last Winter showcases a shocking and unexpected casualty of climate change-which may well set off its own unstoppable warming cycle.
The second edition of this concise, affordable textbook is ideal for curious undergraduate majors and non-majors taking a first course in meteorology. The first two chapters introduce readers to the main concepts and tools used to analyze weather patterns. Chapters 3-8 provide a foundational understanding of the fundamental processes taking place in the atmosphere, and in Chapters 9-12 these physical concepts are applied to specific weather phenomena. Weather concepts are then used in Chapters 13-15 to explain weather forecasting, air pollution, and the impact of climate change on weather. Key concepts are illustrated through a running case study of a single mid-latitude cyclone, providing students with an opportunity to progressively develop their understanding of weather phenomena with a familiar example approached from multiple perspectives. This edition includes expanded and updated coverage of precipitation types and formation, satellite and radar technology, tornadoes, and more. It also features thought-provoking end-of-chapter review questions, new visual analysis exercises, an expanded test bank and nearly 100 new figures.
Confronted with the complex environmental crises of the Anthropocene, scientists have moved towards an interdisciplinary approach to address challenges that are both social and ecological. Several arenas are now calling for co-production of new transdisciplinary knowledge by combining Indigenous knowledge and science. This book revisits epistemological debates on the notion of co-production and assesses the relevant methods, principles and values that enable communities to co-produce. It explores the factors that determine how indigenous-scientific knowledge can be rooted in equity, mutual respect and shared benefits. Resilience through Knowledge Co-Production includes several collective papers co-authored by Indigenous experts and scientists, with case studies involving Indigenous communities from the Arctic, Pacific islands, the Amazon, the Sahel and high altitude areas. Offering guidance to indigenous peoples, scientists, decision-makers and NGOs, this book moves towards a decolonised co-production of knowledge that unites indigenous knowledge and science to address global environmental crises.
IDEAL, the International Decade for East African Lakes, is a ten-year multi-national, multi-disciplinary investigation of the biological, geological, chemical, and physical limnology of the East African Lakes, taking into special account the Great Lakes of the East African Rift Valley and the climatology and paleoclimatology of the Rift Valley itself. The selected papers in this book serve as baseline knowledge for this intensive examination, with most of the contributing authors already actively researching these lakes. The oldest in the world and the largest on the continent, the lakes are vital resources for the indigenous populations of their basins. They are unique not only in their diverse populations of endemic species of fish and invertebrates, but in their sensitivity to climatic change, unusual circulation dynamics and water-column chemistry in relation to higher altitudes, and continuous record of climatic change in tropical Africa. This volume provides an overview of our current knowledge of the lakes combined with the most recent results of specific research efforts by African, American, and European investigators. Included also are some discussions on the impact of man, as well as comprehensive bibliographies.
For years hillwalkers and climbers have struggled to understand the complexities of weather systems. Written by a professional weather forecaster, Weather for Hillwalkers provides invaluable insight to the beginner and veteran alike. Now in a new edition, Malcolm Thomas offers an understanding of the principles of the elements - the causes of wind, rain, snow, cloud, fog, thunder and clear skies - and looks at how they are affected by mountains and high ground. Readers will learn the terminology of depressions, warm and cold fronts, air masses and more; how to interpret weather maps; and how to make short-term weather forecasts from observations. This is essential reading for those tackling the elements amongst the hills.
As governments around the globe begin to wake up to the far reaching effects of changes in climate, the search for available options and instruments for addressing the issue becomes increasingly vital. This authoritative, step-by-step guide to the assessment of the impacts from, and potential adaptations to, changes of climate is based on the approach developed by the authors and other scientists for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). This approach has been widely adopted as 'best practice' by experienced researchers but has not, until now, been available in an accessible form. This illuminating account of the methods used by the IPCC scientists will be essential for all those involved in the study of climate impacts and adaptations, or designing and implementing policies for dealing with them. Written in non-technical language, this state-of-the-art guide is ideal for all people interested in the far-reaching implications of climate change and the greenhouse effect. The book contains numerous illustrations, including several worked examples, clearly presented in boxes and diagrams.
The impact of a changing environment on human society and, conversely, the impact of man's activities upon the environment are important and contentious subjects today. Climatic and environmental change have also been credited with bringing about major shifts in human history. One such case is that of the decline of Roman North Africa and its conquest by the Arabs. The evidence for this process is, however, far from clear-cut, and Professor Shaw's concern in these studies is firstly to re-examine what is known, from both archaeological and written sources, and how it has been interpreted, work which has led to some substantial revisions of accepted accounts. In the final three articles he turns to analyse how Roman society functioned on the edge of the desert and, in particular, to investigate the careful exploitation and control of critical water resources.
The sixth edition of a bestseller, Air Quality provides students with a comprehensive overview of air quality, the science that continues to provide a better understanding of atmospheric chemistry and its effects on public health and the environment, and the regulatory and technological management practices employed in achieving air quality goals. Maintaining the practical approach that has made previous editions popular, the chapters have been reorganized, new material has been added, less relevant material has been deleted, and new images have been added, particularly those from Earth satellites. New in the Sixth Edition New graphics, images, and an appended list of unit conversions New problems and questions Presents all-new information on the state of air quality monitoring Provides the latest updates on air quality legislation in the United States Updates the effects of air pollution and CO2 on climate change Examines the effects of the latest changes in energy production and the related emissions and pollutants Offers broadened coverage of air pollutant emissions and air quality in a global context This new edition elucidates the challenges we face in our efforts to protect and enhance the quality of the nation's air. It also highlights the growing global awareness of air quality issues, climate change, and public health concerns in the developing world. The breadth of coverage, review questions at the end of each chapter, extensive glossary, and list of readings place the tools for understanding into your students' hands.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the leading international body for assessing the science related to climate change. It provides policymakers with regular assessments of the scientific basis of human-induced climate change, its impacts and future risks, and options for adaptation and mitigation. This IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate is the most comprehensive and up-to-date assessment of the observed and projected changes to the ocean and cryosphere and their associated impacts and risks, with a focus on resilience, risk management response options, and adaptation measures, considering both their potential and limitations. It brings together knowledge on physical and biogeochemical changes, the interplay with ecosystem changes, and the implications for human communities. It serves policymakers, decision makers, stakeholders, and all interested parties with unbiased, up-to-date, policy-relevant information. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.
Conceptual Boundary Layer Meteorology: The Air Near Here explains essential boundary layer concepts in a way that is accessible to a wide number of people studying and working in the environmental sciences. It begins with chapters designed to present the language of the boundary layer and the key concepts of mass, momentum exchanges, and the role of turbulence. The book then moves to focusing on specific environments, uses, and problems facing science with respect to the boundary layer.
'The clouds are nature's poetry, and the most egalitarian of her displays, since everyone has an equally fantastic view of them. Clouds are for dreamers, and their contemplation benefits the soul. Yet their beauty is so everyday as to be in danger of being overlooked ...' Gavin Pretor Pinney is the chairman and founder member of the Cloud Appreciation Society. He contends that we are blessed in this country with a uniquely rich and varied cloudscape, which has hitherto been sadly undervalued. His book teaches us to appreciate their different varieties -- the cumulus, nimbostratus and Morning Glory to name only a few -- and all their beauties and significances, both meteorological and cultural. We learn how Hindus believed the cumulus clouds were the spiritual cousins of elephants, how thermal air currents act on fair weather cumuli, and how to save a fortune in psychiatric bills by using the clouds as Rorschach images that reflect our state of mind as well as nature's moods. Looking up will never be the same again.
Urban Heat Island Modeling for Tropical Climates takes into account the different urban physics in tropical environments, presenting a way of UHI scaling for tropical cities. Topics include measuring, modeling and proper mitigation strategies, which account for the surface energy balance of tropics. Tropical cities are more susceptible to the effects of projected global warming because of conditions in tropical climates and the rapid growth of so many cities in this zone. The need for research on measuring, modeling and mitigation of UHI effects in tropical cities is of growing importance. This book walks through the basics of Urban Heat Islands, including causes, measurement and analysis then expands upon issues as well as the novel techniques that can be used to address issues specific to the region.
Based on the industry leading short course "Transportation of Solids using Centrifugal Pumps," founded by Dr. Kenneth Wilson and Graeme Addie, and hosted by the GIW Industries Hydraulic Laboratory, this expanded fourth edition has been extensively updated by the international team of engineers and authors who inherited this legacy and continue its development to the present day. Focusing on the hydraulic design of slurry pipelines, the pumps that power them, and the interactions between pumps and systems, it retains the classroom tested balance of theoretical development and practical engineering which have made it a slurry transport classic. The topics covered are important to slurry system engineers for the optimization of new designs, as well as the operators of existing systems, who may need to calculate and plan for changing conditions from day to day. Updates to the fourth edition include: * Careful formulation of the theoretical concepts, providing greater clarity of slurry flow dynamics, including a new chapter on the principles and characterization of slurry flows. * Expansion of the 4-Component Models for settling slurry pipeline flow and pump solids effect, based on an extensive series of full-sized tests. * An expanded treatment of complex slurries, including a broader discussion of non-Newtonian fluids and their interaction with coarse particles. * A new chapter on test methods, presenting an overview of slurry system instrumentation, modern techniques for characterizing slurry rheology, and practical advice for planning and executing a slurry test. * An overview of advances in the computational modeling of slurries, including an in-depth parametric study of slurry pump wear and operating cost. The authors highlight methods for achieving energy efficiency, which are crucial to the effective use of scarce resources, given the foundational role of slurry transport systems in the energy intensive industries of mining and dredging. Key concepts are supported with case studies and worked examples. Slurry Transport Using Centrifugal Pumps, fourth edition, is both methodical and in-depth. It is ideal as a teaching tool for classroom or self-directed learning domains, and valuable as a design guide for engineer practitioners at all experience levels.
Numerous laws - including the Green New Deal - have been proposed or passed in cities, states, and countries to transition from fossil fuels to 100% clean, renewable energy in order to address climate change, air pollution, and energy insecurity. This textbook lays out the science, technology, economics, policy, and social aspects of such transitions. It discusses the renewable electricity and heat generating technologies needed; the electricity, heat, cold, and hydrogen storage technologies required; how to keep the electric power grid stable; and how to address non-energy sources of emissions. It discusses the history of the 100% Movement, which evolved from a collaboration among scientists, cultural leaders, business people, and community leaders. Finally, it discusses current progress in transitioning to 100% renewables, and the new policies needed to complete the transition. Online course supplements include lecture slides, answers to the end-of-chapter student exercises, and a list of extra resources.
When their favorite pizza restaurant almost goes out of business, the Alden children try to help their friends stay open while they find out who is behind all their problems. |
You may like...
Integrated Drought Management, Two…
Vijay P. Singh, Deepak Jhajharia, …
Hardcover
R9,712
Discovery Miles 97 120
EU Climate Change Policy - The Challenge…
Marjan Peeters, Kurt Deketelaere
Hardcover
R3,797
Discovery Miles 37 970
|