Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Essenwanger, O. M. (1985) General Climatology. Vol.
1A. Heat Balance Climatology. World Survey of
Climatology , Elsevier, Amsterdam, 224pp. [Compre-
hensive overview of net radiation, latent, sensible and
ground heat fluxes; units are calories.]
Fröhlich, C. and London, J. (1985) Radiation Manual ,
World Meteorological Organization, Geneva.
Geiger, R. (1965) The Climate Near the Ground (2nd edn),
Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, 611pp.
Herman, J. R. and Goldberg, R. A. (1985) Sun, Weather
and Climate , Dover, New York, 360pp. [Useful survey
of solar variability (sunspots, electromagnetic and
corpuscular radiation, cosmic rays and geomagetic
sector structure), long- and short-term relations with
weather and climate, and design of experiments.]
Hewson, E. W. and Longley, R. W. (1944) Meteorology,
Theoretical and Applied , Wiley, New York, 468pp.
Miller, D. H. (1981) Energy at the Surface of the Earth ,
Academic Press, New York, 516pp. [Comprehensive
treatment of radiation and energy fluxes in ecosystems
and fluxes of carbon; many original illustrations, tables
and references.]
NASA (nd) From Pattern to Process: The Strategy of
the Earth Observing System , Vol. III, EOS Science
Steering Committee Report, NASA, Houston, Texas.
Sellers, W. D. (1965) Physical Climatology , University of
Chicago Press, Chicago, IL, 272pp. [Classic treatment
of the physical mechanisms of radiation, the budgets of
energy, momentum and moisture, turbulent transfer and
diffusion.]
Simpkin, T. and Fiske, R. S. (1983) Krakatau 1883 ,
Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC, 464pp.
Strahler, A. N. (1965) Introduction to Physical Geography ,
Wiley, New York, 455pp.
Sverdrup, H. V. (1945) Oceanography for Meteorologists ,
Allen & Unwin, London, 235pp. [Classic text.]
The excess of net radiation in lower latitudes leads
to a poleward energy transport from tropical latitudes
by ocean currents and by the atmosphere. This is in
the form of sensible heat (warm airmasses/ocean
water) and latent heat (atmospheric water vapour). Air
temperature at any point is affected by the incoming
solar radiation and other vertical energy exchanges,
surface properties (slope, albedo, heat capacity), land
and sea distribution and elevation, and also by horizontal
advection due to airmass movements and ocean
currents.
DISCUSSION TOPICS
Explain the respective roles of the earth's orbit about
the sun and the tilt of the axis of rotation for global
climate.
Explain the differences between the transmission of
solar and terrestrial radiation by the atmosphere.
What is the relative importance of incoming solar
radiation, turbulent energy exchanges and other
factors in determining local daytime temperatures?
Consider the role of clouds in global climate from a
radiative perspective.
What effects do ocean currents have on regional
climates? Consider the mechanisms involved for
both warm and cold currents.
Explain the concept of 'continentality'. What
climatic processes are involved and how do they
operate?
Articles
Ahmad, S. A. and Lockwood, J. G. (1979) Albedo. Prog.
Phys. Geog . 3, 520-43.
Ardanuy, P. E., Kyle, H. L. and Hoyt, D. (1992) Global
relationships among the earth's radiation budget,
cloudiness, volcanic aerosols and surface temperature.
J. Climate 5(10), 1120-39.
Barry, R. G. (1985) The cryosphere and climatic change.
In MacCracken, M. C. and Luther, F. M. (eds)
Detecting the Climatic Effects of Increasing Carbon
Dioxide , DOE/ER-0235, US Department of Energy,
Washington, DC, pp. 109-48.
Barry, R. G. and Chambers, R. E. (1966) A preliminary
map of summer albedo over England and Wales. Quart.
J. Roy. Met. Soc . 92, 543-8.
FURTHER READING
Books
Barry, R. G. (1992) Mountain Weather and Climate
(2nd edn), Routledge, London and New York, 402pp.
Budyko, M. I. (1974) Climate and Life , New York,
Academic Press, 508pp. [Provides ready access to the
work of a pre-eminent Russian climatologist.]
Campbell, I. M. (1986) Energy and the Atmosphere. A
Physical-Chemical Approach (2nd edn), John Wiley
& Sons, Chichester, 337pp.
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