Applied Thermodynamics for Meteorologists

About this book

Applied Thermodynamics for Meteorologists on atmospheric thermodynamics is for students of meteorology or atmospheric science. It also serves as a reference text for working professionals in meteorology and weather forecasting. It is unique because it provides complete, calculus-based derivations of basic physics from first principles, and connects mathematical relationships to real-world, practical weather forecasting applications. Worked examples and practice problems are included throughout.

Contents

1. Basic concepts and terminology
2. Equations of state
3. Work, heat, and temperature
4. The first law of thermodynamics
5. Adiabatic processes
6. The second law of thermodynamics
7. Water vapor and phase transitions
8. Moisture considerations: effects on temperature
9. Atmospheric statics
10. Model and standard atmospheres
11. Stability
12. Severe weather applications
Index

Customer Reviews

Biography

Sam Miller began his career in meteorology as a weather observer in the United States Air Force in 1982. In 1984 he attended the weather forecaster school at Chanute Air Force Base, Illinois, and graduated with honors. He worked as a USAF weather observer in Maine and as a forecaster in northern California, upstate New York, and in Adana, Turkey. He eventually earned the rank of Technical Sergeant and left the USAF in 1989 after more than ten years on active duty. Miller then attended the University of New Hampshire and earned a BSc in Physics (1996), an MSc in Earth Sciences: Oceanography (1999), and a PhD in Earth Sciences (2003), while also working as a weather observer in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, a research scientist at the university, and a teacher in New Hampshire's public university system. From 2003 to 2005, Miller was a weather forecaster with the US National Weather Service in Anchorage, Alaska. Since 2005 he has served as a Professor of Meteorology at Plymouth State University, New Hampshire, where he teaches courses in basic meteorological analysis, atmospheric thermodynamics, instrumentation, weather forecasting, satellite meteorology, and radar meteorology. Miller is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, the American Meteorological Society, the Royal Meteorological Society, and many other professional organizations. He has published research papers on the sea breeze and has worked extensively as a meteorological consultant in legal matters.