Essentials of Meteorology An Invitation to the Atmosphere

About this book

This updated and enhanced seventh edition of Essentials of Meteorology is written by the most widely read and authoritative author in introductory meteorology – Donald Ahrens. Ahrens' ability to explain relatively complicated ideas in a student-friendly, manageable fashion allows even non-science students to visualize the principles of meteorology. The text's clear and inviting narrative is supplemented by numerous pedagogical features that encourage observing, calculating, and synthesizing information. New concept animation boxes direct students to online animations which help students to immediately apply the text material-and understand the underlying meteorological principles.

A new icon directs students to Online Appendices which enable students to explore data such as world temperature extremes and precipitation extremes over a 30 year period. Suggested activities to interact with the data make it easier to assign student projects for developing critical thinking and quantitative skills using meteorological data.

Contents

1. The Earth's Atmosphere
2. Warming the Earth and the Atmosphere
3. Air Temperature
4. Humidity, Condensation, and Clouds
5. Cloud Development and Precipitation
6. Air Pressure and Winds
7. Atmospheric Circulations
8. Air Masses, Fronts, and Middle Latitude Cyclones
9. Weather Forecasting
10. Thunderstorms and Tornadoes
11. Hurricanes
12. Climate Change
13. Global Climate
14. Air Pollution
15. Light, Color, and Atmospheric Optics

Customer Reviews

Biography

C. Donald Ahrens is Emeritus Professor at Modesto Junior College and the author of two best-selling textbooks for Cengage Learning. The Textbook and Academic Authors Association awarded Professor Ahrens its 2009 McGuffey Longevity Award in the physical science category for his market-leading text Meteorology Today. Dr. Ahrens has influenced not only professionals in the field of atmospheric science, but has brought better understanding of the science to hundreds of thousands of non-atmospheric science majors who used his books to expand their knowledge of weather and climate. In 2007, the National Weather Association awarded Professor Ahrens a lifetime achievement award for these accomplishments.