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Descriptive micrometeorology—advances in geophysics, supplement 1
212
I1{ }(}K RI.~, IE\VH
are briefly presented, lollowed by a discussion of three of the systems (Penman. Thornthwaite and Budyko} which have been devised for estimating evapotranspiration from standard meteorological observations. Unfortunately, the references do not include other empirical formulas which have been used, such as those of Blaney-Criddle, Turc, Uhlig and Kohler. The final chapter by J. D. McQuigg on decision making in agriculture seems somewhat out of place in a volume devoted otherwise to discussions of physical environments and their effects on biological processes. On the other hand, there is little point in trying to develop agricultural meteorology if no use is to be made of the knowledge and information. McQuigg points out a number of situations in which one can couple decision theory with a knowledge of meteorological effects and methodically arrive at appropriate farm management decisions. From a practical standpoint, the chapter is not entirely convincing, but the logic and need for such an approach are inescapable. Though the lack of a modern comprehensive textbook in agricultural meteorology remains, this monograph will serve as an excellent reference. The book may be a milestone in the renewed development of a science which most meteorologists chose to ignore for nearly a quarter of a century. WAYNE C. PALMER(Silver Spring, Md.}
Descriptive Micrometeorolog)'--Advances in Geophysics, Supplement 1. R. E. MUNN. Academic Press, New York, N.Y., 1966, 245 pp., 82 illus., 29 tables, US $ 9,75.
One of the greatest tasks for the present agricultural meteorologists is to understand well the physics of the atmospheric surface layer, especially that over vegetated covers. R. E. Munn well recognizes this fact and his Descriptive Micrometeorology provides most successfully the necessary and up-to-date information for the agricultural meteorologists. This volume is stated in the foreword by the editors to be a natural outgrowth of a major theme dominating the Symposium Volume 6 of the Advances in Geophysics published in 1959 in which the diverse aspects of atmospheric diffusion and air pollution were dealt with. Munn states also in the preface that he has given considerable attention to the properties of the underlying medium, which was not taken so much into account in the preceding Symposium Volume. He separates intentionally the micrometeorology into seven aspects, i. e., soil, short vegetation, forest, water, ice, snow, and built-up urban surfaces. Of all the 22 chapters in the whole volume the following chapters are especially attractive to the agricultural meteorologist: Chapter 9, "Turbulent transfer of heat
Agr. Meteorol.,4 (1967) 209-213
BOOK REVIEWS
213
from homogeneous surfaces"; Chapter 10, "Evaporation from homogeneous surface"; Chapter 12, "Transitional zones and states"; Chapter 14, "The air over ground"; Chapter 16, "The energy balance of a plant cover"; and Chapter 17, "Forest meteorology". Munn is most succesfully in producing a broad descriptive survey of recent advances in micrometeorology in the volume. He starts from the heat balance idea over the earth's surface and makes a clear-cut description of atmospheric turbulence, transfer and diffusion. One of the most distinctive differences from the past texts is that he deals with the microenvironment within plant covers, which is a most recent development. The number of references (297) cited is very important for scientists who have either no well-organized libraries or no time. In particular the reviewer was much struck by the fact that Munn has referred to so many non-English references, such as Russian and Japanese, as well as unpublished data obtained in Canada. If I would like to add some comments to this book I should say if it is too much to expect Munn to include some articles on the similarity laws of model experiments with respect to the wind force to the obstacles in chapter 11. This comment is, however, only minute and I believe Munn's book is of the great help not only to agricultural meteorologists but also to botanists, foresters, ecologists, etc. E. INOUE (Tokyo)
Agr. Meteorol., 4 (1967) 209-2l 3
I1{ }(}K RI.~, IE\VH
are briefly presented, lollowed by a discussion of three of the systems (Penman. Thornthwaite and Budyko} which have been devised for estimating evapotranspiration from standard meteorological observations. Unfortunately, the references do not include other empirical formulas which have been used, such as those of Blaney-Criddle, Turc, Uhlig and Kohler. The final chapter by J. D. McQuigg on decision making in agriculture seems somewhat out of place in a volume devoted otherwise to discussions of physical environments and their effects on biological processes. On the other hand, there is little point in trying to develop agricultural meteorology if no use is to be made of the knowledge and information. McQuigg points out a number of situations in which one can couple decision theory with a knowledge of meteorological effects and methodically arrive at appropriate farm management decisions. From a practical standpoint, the chapter is not entirely convincing, but the logic and need for such an approach are inescapable. Though the lack of a modern comprehensive textbook in agricultural meteorology remains, this monograph will serve as an excellent reference. The book may be a milestone in the renewed development of a science which most meteorologists chose to ignore for nearly a quarter of a century. WAYNE C. PALMER(Silver Spring, Md.}
Descriptive Micrometeorolog)'--Advances in Geophysics, Supplement 1. R. E. MUNN. Academic Press, New York, N.Y., 1966, 245 pp., 82 illus., 29 tables, US $ 9,75.
One of the greatest tasks for the present agricultural meteorologists is to understand well the physics of the atmospheric surface layer, especially that over vegetated covers. R. E. Munn well recognizes this fact and his Descriptive Micrometeorology provides most successfully the necessary and up-to-date information for the agricultural meteorologists. This volume is stated in the foreword by the editors to be a natural outgrowth of a major theme dominating the Symposium Volume 6 of the Advances in Geophysics published in 1959 in which the diverse aspects of atmospheric diffusion and air pollution were dealt with. Munn states also in the preface that he has given considerable attention to the properties of the underlying medium, which was not taken so much into account in the preceding Symposium Volume. He separates intentionally the micrometeorology into seven aspects, i. e., soil, short vegetation, forest, water, ice, snow, and built-up urban surfaces. Of all the 22 chapters in the whole volume the following chapters are especially attractive to the agricultural meteorologist: Chapter 9, "Turbulent transfer of heat
Agr. Meteorol.,4 (1967) 209-213
BOOK REVIEWS
213
from homogeneous surfaces"; Chapter 10, "Evaporation from homogeneous surface"; Chapter 12, "Transitional zones and states"; Chapter 14, "The air over ground"; Chapter 16, "The energy balance of a plant cover"; and Chapter 17, "Forest meteorology". Munn is most succesfully in producing a broad descriptive survey of recent advances in micrometeorology in the volume. He starts from the heat balance idea over the earth's surface and makes a clear-cut description of atmospheric turbulence, transfer and diffusion. One of the most distinctive differences from the past texts is that he deals with the microenvironment within plant covers, which is a most recent development. The number of references (297) cited is very important for scientists who have either no well-organized libraries or no time. In particular the reviewer was much struck by the fact that Munn has referred to so many non-English references, such as Russian and Japanese, as well as unpublished data obtained in Canada. If I would like to add some comments to this book I should say if it is too much to expect Munn to include some articles on the similarity laws of model experiments with respect to the wind force to the obstacles in chapter 11. This comment is, however, only minute and I believe Munn's book is of the great help not only to agricultural meteorologists but also to botanists, foresters, ecologists, etc. E. INOUE (Tokyo)
Agr. Meteorol., 4 (1967) 209-2l 3