An Introduction To Atmospheric Thermodynamics

This page intentionally left blank An Introduction to Atmospheric Thermodynamics This new edition is a self-contained, concise but rigorous book introducing the reader to the basics of the subject. It has been brought completely up to date and reorganized to improve the quality and flow of the material. The introductory chapters provide definitions and useful mathematical and physical notes to help readers understand the basics. The book then describes the topics relevant to atmospheric processes, including the properties of moist air and atmospheric stability. It concludes with a brief introduction to the problem of weather forecasting and the relevance of thermodynamics. Each chapter contains worked examples to complement the theory, as well as a set of student exercises. Solutions to these are available to instructors on a password protected website at www.cambridge.org/9780521696289. The author has taught atmospheric thermodynamics at undergraduate level for over 20 years and is a highly respected researcher in his field. This book provides an ideal text for short undergraduate courses taken as part of an atmospheric science, meteorology, physics, or natural science program. A n a st a si o s A. T soni s is a professor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. His main research interests include nonlinear dynamical systems and their application in climate, climate variability, predictability, and nonlinear time series analysis. He is a member of the American Geophysical Union and the European Geosciences Union. We have explained that the causes of the elements are four: the hot, the cold, the dry, and the moist. In every case, heat and cold determine, conjoin, and change things. Thus,