Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
DISCUSSION TOPICS
Mason, B. J. (1975)
Clouds, Rain and Rainmaking
(2nd
edn), Cambridge University Press, Cambridge and New
York, 189pp. [Valuable overview by a leading cloud
physicist.]
Petterssen, S. (1969)
Introduction to Meteorology
(3rd
edn), McGraw-Hill, New York, 333pp.
Strahler, A. N. (1965)
Introduction to Physical Geography
,
Wiley, New York, 455pp.
World Meteorological Organization (1956)
International
Cloud Atlas
, Geneva. [Cloud classification and photo-
graphs of all sky types.]
Account for the differences between the envi-
ronmental, dry adiabatic and saturated adiabatic
lapse rates.
What processes determine the presence of stability
and instability in the troposphere?
What factors cause air to ascend/descend on small
and large scales and what are the associated weather
outcomes?
Maintain a record of cloud type and amount over
several days and compare what you observe with the
cloud cover shown for your location on satellite
imagery from an appropriate website (see Appendix
4D).
Articles
Andersson, T. (1980) Bergeron and the oreigenic
(orographic) maxima of precipitation.
Pure Appl.
Geophys
. 119, 558-76.
Bennetts, D. A., McCallum, E. and Grant, J. R. (1986)
Cumulonimbus clouds: an introductory review.
Met.
Mag
. 115, 242-56.
Bergeron, T. (1960) Problems and methods of rainfall
investigation. In
The Physics of Precipitation
,
Geophysical Monograph 5, Amer. Geophys. Union,
Washington, DC, pp. 5-30.
Bering, E.A. III., Few, A.A. and Benbrook, J.R. (1998)
The global electric circuit.
Physics Today
51(9),
24-30.
Braham, R. R. (1959) How does a raindrop grow?
Science
129, 123-9.
Browning, K. A. (1980) Local weather forecasting.
Proc.
Roy. Soc. Lond. Sect. A
371, 179-211.
Browning, K. A. (1985) Conceptual models of precip-
itation systems.
Met. Mag
. 114, 293-319.
Browning, K. A. and Hill, F. F. (1981) Orographic rain.
Weather
36, 326-9.
Brugge, R. (1996) Back to basics. Atmospheric stability:
Part 1. Basic concepts.
Weather
51(4), 134-40.
Chacon, R. E. and Fernandez, W. (1985) Temporal and
spatial rainfall variability in the mountainous region of
the Reventazon River Basin, Costa Rica.
J. Climatology
5, 175-88.
Chinn, T. J. (1979) How wet is the wettest of the wet
West Coast?
New Zealand Alpine Journal
32, 85-7.
Dudhia, J. (1996) Back to basics: Thunderstorms. Part 1.
Weather
51(11), 371-6.
Dudhia, J. (1997) Back to basics: Thunderstorms. Part 2 -
Storm types and associated weather.
Weather
52(1),
2-7.
Durbin, W. G. (1961) An introduction to cloud physics.
Weather
16, 71-82, 113-25.
East, T. W. R. and Marshall, J. S. (1954) Turbulence in
clouds as a factor in precipitation.
Quart. J. Roy. Met.
Soc.
80, 26-47.
Make a cross-section of terrain height and precip-
itation amounts at stations along a height transect
in your own region/country. Use daily, monthly or
annual data as available. Note also the prevailing
wind direction with respect to the mountains/hills.
From national records/websites, examine the
occurrence of convective systems (thunderstorms,
tornadoes, lightning) in your country and determine
whether they are airmass storms, connected with
frontal lows, or mesoscale convective systems.
FURTHER READING
Books
Byers, H. R. and Braham, R. R. (1949)
The Thunderstorm
,
US Weather Bureau. [Classic study of thunderstorm
processes.]
Cotton, W. R. and Anthes, R. A. (1989)
Storm and Cloud
Dynamics
, Academic Press, San Diego, CA, 883pp.
[Discusses cloud types and physical and dynamical
processes, mesoscale structures, and the effects of
mountains on airflow and cloud formation.]
Kessler, E. (ed.) (1986)
Thunderstorm Morphology and
Dynamics
, University of Oklahoma Press, Norman,
OK, 411 pp. [Comprehensive accounts by leading
experts on convection and its modelling, all aspects of
thunderstorm processes and occurrence in different
environments, hail, lightning and tornadoes.]
Ludlam, F. H. (1980)
Clouds and Storms. The Behavior
and Effect of Water in the Atmosphere
, Pennsylvania
State University, University Park and London, 405pp.
[A monumental work by a renowned specialist.]
