I. M. Vardavas and F. W. Taylor
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- January 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780199227471
- eISBN:
- 9780191711138
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199227471.003.0002
- Subject:
- Physics, Geophysics, Atmospheric and Environmental Physics
This chapter discusses the main components of the atmosphere and the trace gases that are significant for the greenhouse effect. The most important of these is water vapour, and hence the basic ...
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This chapter discusses the main components of the atmosphere and the trace gases that are significant for the greenhouse effect. The most important of these is water vapour, and hence the basic physical processes and thermodynamics that control atmospheric water vapour and the vertical temperature structure are examined. The basic processes that lead to cloud particle growth are given, as clouds are the least understood of the main determinants of the climate system. Aerosol size distributions and sources are also discussed.Less
This chapter discusses the main components of the atmosphere and the trace gases that are significant for the greenhouse effect. The most important of these is water vapour, and hence the basic physical processes and thermodynamics that control atmospheric water vapour and the vertical temperature structure are examined. The basic processes that lead to cloud particle growth are given, as clouds are the least understood of the main determinants of the climate system. Aerosol size distributions and sources are also discussed.
Joanna D. Haigh and Peter Cargill
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691153834
- eISBN:
- 9781400866540
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691153834.001.0001
- Subject:
- Environmental Science, Climate
The Earth's climate system depends entirely on the Sun for its energy. Solar radiation warms the atmosphere and is fundamental to atmospheric composition, while the distribution of solar heating ...
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The Earth's climate system depends entirely on the Sun for its energy. Solar radiation warms the atmosphere and is fundamental to atmospheric composition, while the distribution of solar heating across the planet produces global wind patterns and contributes to the formation of clouds, storms, and rainfall. This book provides an unparalleled introduction to this vitally important relationship. The book covers the basic properties of the Earth's climate system, the structure and behavior of the Sun, and the absorption of solar radiation in the atmosphere. It explains how solar activity varies and how these variations affect the Earth's environment, from long-term paleoclimate effects to century timescales in the context of human-induced climate change, and from signals of the 11-year sunspot cycle to the impacts of solar emissions on space weather in our planet's upper atmosphere.Less
The Earth's climate system depends entirely on the Sun for its energy. Solar radiation warms the atmosphere and is fundamental to atmospheric composition, while the distribution of solar heating across the planet produces global wind patterns and contributes to the formation of clouds, storms, and rainfall. This book provides an unparalleled introduction to this vitally important relationship. The book covers the basic properties of the Earth's climate system, the structure and behavior of the Sun, and the absorption of solar radiation in the atmosphere. It explains how solar activity varies and how these variations affect the Earth's environment, from long-term paleoclimate effects to century timescales in the context of human-induced climate change, and from signals of the 11-year sunspot cycle to the impacts of solar emissions on space weather in our planet's upper atmosphere.
Kelly Chance and Randall V. Martin
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- May 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780199662104
- eISBN:
- 9780191748370
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780199662104.001.0001
- Subject:
- Physics, Geophysics, Atmospheric and Environmental Physics
This book develops both spectroscopy and radiative transfer for planetary atmospheric composition in a rigorous and quantitative sense for students of atmospheric and/or planetary science. ...
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This book develops both spectroscopy and radiative transfer for planetary atmospheric composition in a rigorous and quantitative sense for students of atmospheric and/or planetary science. Spectroscopic field measurements including satellite remote sensing have advanced rapidly in recent years, and are being increasingly applied to provide information about planetary atmospheres. Examples include systematic observation of the atmospheric constituents that affect weather, climate, biogeochemical cycles, air quality on Earth, as well as the physics and evolution of planetary atmospheres in our solar system and beyond. Understanding atmospheric spectroscopy and radiative transfer is important throughout the disciplines of atmospheric science and planetary atmospheres to understand principles of remote sensing of atmospheric composition and the effects of atmospheric composition on climate. Atmospheric scientists need an understanding of the details, strength and weaknesses of the spectroscopic measurement sources. Those in remote sensing require an understanding of the information content of the measured spectra that are needed for the design of retrieval algorithms and for developing new instrumentation.Less
This book develops both spectroscopy and radiative transfer for planetary atmospheric composition in a rigorous and quantitative sense for students of atmospheric and/or planetary science. Spectroscopic field measurements including satellite remote sensing have advanced rapidly in recent years, and are being increasingly applied to provide information about planetary atmospheres. Examples include systematic observation of the atmospheric constituents that affect weather, climate, biogeochemical cycles, air quality on Earth, as well as the physics and evolution of planetary atmospheres in our solar system and beyond. Understanding atmospheric spectroscopy and radiative transfer is important throughout the disciplines of atmospheric science and planetary atmospheres to understand principles of remote sensing of atmospheric composition and the effects of atmospheric composition on climate. Atmospheric scientists need an understanding of the details, strength and weaknesses of the spectroscopic measurement sources. Those in remote sensing require an understanding of the information content of the measured spectra that are needed for the design of retrieval algorithms and for developing new instrumentation.
Han Dolman
- Published in print:
- 2019
- Published Online:
- June 2019
- ISBN:
- 9780198779308
- eISBN:
- 9780191824388
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780198779308.003.0003
- Subject:
- Physics, Geophysics, Atmospheric and Environmental Physics
This chapter focuses on tools for climate research: biogeochemical observations and models. It discusses physical climate observations, such as temperature and humidity, and in situ observations of ...
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This chapter focuses on tools for climate research: biogeochemical observations and models. It discusses physical climate observations, such as temperature and humidity, and in situ observations of atmospheric composition. Turning these into reliable climate records appears to be non-trivial. The chapter describes how isotopes are used to get insight into biogeochemical processes. A special category of observations is biogeochemical proxy observations, used to gain insight into geological processes when no direct observations are possible. The example of climate proxy observations, such as those obtained via ice cores, is described. Models are increasingly used to gain insight into sensitivity of climate to changes in the forcing. Earth system modelling has become increasingly complex over the last two decades, including often detailed biogeochemical processes in the ocean and on land. The parametrization of these remains an important research subject. Inverse modelling is being used to identify sources and sinks of greenhouse gases.Less
This chapter focuses on tools for climate research: biogeochemical observations and models. It discusses physical climate observations, such as temperature and humidity, and in situ observations of atmospheric composition. Turning these into reliable climate records appears to be non-trivial. The chapter describes how isotopes are used to get insight into biogeochemical processes. A special category of observations is biogeochemical proxy observations, used to gain insight into geological processes when no direct observations are possible. The example of climate proxy observations, such as those obtained via ice cores, is described. Models are increasingly used to gain insight into sensitivity of climate to changes in the forcing. Earth system modelling has become increasingly complex over the last two decades, including often detailed biogeochemical processes in the ocean and on land. The parametrization of these remains an important research subject. Inverse modelling is being used to identify sources and sinks of greenhouse gases.
William J. Bond
- Published in print:
- 2019
- Published Online:
- September 2019
- ISBN:
- 9780198812456
- eISBN:
- 9780191850318
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780198812456.003.0005
- Subject:
- Biology, Ecology, Biodiversity / Conservation Biology
Explanations for vegetation change in the past, including the ‘deep past’ (many millions of years ago) are deeply rooted in the idea that climate determines major vegetation patterns. But other ...
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Explanations for vegetation change in the past, including the ‘deep past’ (many millions of years ago) are deeply rooted in the idea that climate determines major vegetation patterns. But other factors have also changed, including large fluctuations in atmospheric CO2, influencing plant growth, and atmospheric oxygen, altering fire activity. Vertebrate herbivores have changed from gigantic dinosaurs, to small forest mammals, to the giant beasts of the Pleistocene. Plant growth forms dominating current biomes are relatively recent; broadleaved tropical and temperate forests only became common 50 million years ago (50 Ma), and C4 savannas began to sweep over the tropics from ~7 Ma. This chapter describes the changing fortunes of uncertain ecosystems and the forces that drove those changes. Researching the deep past exposes the antiquity of fire and large vertebrate consumers as processes creating open ecosystems. The past is also a test of our understanding of uncertain ecosystems in the present.Less
Explanations for vegetation change in the past, including the ‘deep past’ (many millions of years ago) are deeply rooted in the idea that climate determines major vegetation patterns. But other factors have also changed, including large fluctuations in atmospheric CO2, influencing plant growth, and atmospheric oxygen, altering fire activity. Vertebrate herbivores have changed from gigantic dinosaurs, to small forest mammals, to the giant beasts of the Pleistocene. Plant growth forms dominating current biomes are relatively recent; broadleaved tropical and temperate forests only became common 50 million years ago (50 Ma), and C4 savannas began to sweep over the tropics from ~7 Ma. This chapter describes the changing fortunes of uncertain ecosystems and the forces that drove those changes. Researching the deep past exposes the antiquity of fire and large vertebrate consumers as processes creating open ecosystems. The past is also a test of our understanding of uncertain ecosystems in the present.
