Thermodynamics of Atmospheres and Oceans

Judith A. Curry and Peter J. Webster (Eds.)0-12-199570-4, 9780121995706

Atmospheric and climatological studies are becoming more and more important in day-to-day living. Winds and ocean current owe their existence to the thermodynamic imbalances that arise from the differential heating of the Earth and air by the sun. Accounting for heat exchanges with the atmosphere and ocean is essential in any predictive model of the ocean and/or atmosphere. Thermodynamic feedback processes in the atmosphere and ocean are critical to understanding the overall stability of the Earth’s climate and climate change. Water and its phase changes make the thermodynamics of the atmosphere and ocean uniquely interesting and challenging.Written by leading scientists in the field, Thermodynamics of Atmospheres and Oceans incorporates all the relevant information from the varying fields of dynamics meteorology, atmospheric physics and cloud physics, into a comprehensive, self-contained guide ideal for students and researchers of atmospheric thermodynamics. At the moment, courses in atmospheric thermdynamics typically have to use one or two chapters in textbooks on dynamic meteorology, atmospheric physics or cloud physics. This book combines these topics in one text.

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Table of contents :
Content:
Preface
Pages x-xiii
Judith A. Curry, Peter J. Webster

Acknowledgements
Page xiv
Judith A. Curry, Peter J. Webster

Publisher’s credits
Pages xv-xvii

Chapter 1 Composition, structure, and state
Pages 1-34

Chapter 2 The first and second laws of thermodynamics
Pages 35-73

Chapter 3 Transfer processes
Pages 74-95

Chapter 4 Thermodynamics of water
Pages 96-128

Chapter 5 Nucleation and diffusional growth
Pages 129-158

Chapter 6 Thermodynamic transformations of moist air
Pages 159-190

Chapter 7 Static stability of the atmosphere and ocean
Pages 191-205

Chapter 8 Cloud characteristics and processes
Pages 206-246

Chapter 9 Ocean surface exchanges of heat and fresh water
Pages 247-266

Chapter 10 Sea ice, snow, and glaciers
Pages 267-298

Chapter 11 Thermohaline processes in the ocean
Pages 299-330

Chapter 12 Global energy and entropy balances
Pages 331-350

Chapter 13 Thermodynamic feedbacks in the climate system
Pages 351-385

Chapter 14 Planetary atmospheres
Pages 386-424

Appendix A Notation
Pages 425-445

Answers to selected problems
Pages 446-449

References
Pages 450-455

Index
Pages 456-467