This revised text presents a cogent explanation of the fundamentals of meteorology, and explains storm dynamics for weather-oriented meteorologists. It discusses climate dynamics and the implications posed for global change. The new edition features a companion website with MATLAB exercises and updated treatments of several key topics. Much of the material is based on a two-term course for seniors majoring in atmospheric sciences.
Key features:
- lead author Gregory J. Hakim, a major contributor to the 4th Edition, succeeds James Holton (deceased) on this 5th Edition
- provides clear physical explanations of key dynamical principles
- contains a wealth of illustrations to elucidate text and equations, plus end-of-chapter problems
- and "Instructor's Manual" available to adopters. New in this edition: substantial chapter updates, and integration of new research on climate change
- content on the most recent developments in predictability, data assimilation, climate sensitivity, and generalized stability
- a fresh streamlined pedagogical approach to tropical meteorology, baroclinic development, and quasi-geostrophic theory
- aspects of synoptic meteorology provide stronger linkage to observations
- and companion website includes MATLAB codes for plotting animated weather patterns
- Problem sets and exercises
- streaming video, illustrations and figures
1 Introduction
2 The Basic Conservation Laws
3 Elementary Applications of the Basic Equations
4 Circulation and Vorticity
5 The Planetary Boundary Layer
6 Synoptic Scale Motions I: Quasi-geostrophic Analysis
7 Atmospheric Oscillations: Linear Perturbation Theory
8 Extratropical Synoptic Scale Motions II: Baroclinic Instability
9 Mesoscale Circulations
10 The General Circulation
11 Tropical Dynamics
12 Middle Atmosphere Dynamics
13 Numerical Prediction
Appendix A Useful Constants and Parameters
Appendix B List of Symbols
Appendix C Vector Analysis
Appendix D Moisture Variables
Appendix E Standard Atmosphere Data
Appendix F Symmetric Baroclinic Oscillations
Answers to Selected Problems
Review from previous editions:
"The book is very clearly and well written [...] the author succeeds in presenting the fundamentals while providing a motivating discussion on the full scope of dynamic meteorology and its applications."
– Jorg Matschullat, Interdisciplinary Environmental Research Center, in Environmental Geology, Vol. 49, March 2006
" [...] reflects the full scope of modern dynamic meteorology, while providing a presentation of the fundamentals."
– Bulletin American Meteorological Society
"The careful presentation of introductory material and clear discussion of dynamical principles make this an excellent basic account of dynamical meteorology."
– Journal of Fluid Mechanics