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Fields currents and aerosols in the lower troposphere
Dynamics of Atmospheres and Oceans, 11 (1988) 351-353
351
Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., Amsterdam - Printed in The Nethedands
Book Reviews
Fields Currents and Aerosols in the Lower Troposphere. R. Reiter. Scientific Research Reports Natural Science Series, Vol. 71. A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam, 1986, xix + 714 pp., Dfl. 115.00, hardback.
This book, a reprinting of the 1976 English translation, was first published in German in 1964. Upgraded references were added in the 1976 edition. An extensive analysis of the various atmospheric electricity elements in the lower troposphere ( Z < 3 kin) and their relation to the overall meteorology in an alpine area (the Wetterstein Mountains) takes up the first two-thirds of the book. The remainder principally examines the climatology and lower-tropospheric transport of radioactive particles in this same alpine area; in particular, natural thoron and radon daughters and also bomb-test debris which was prevalent in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The book's format follows the style of an expanded research report and is logically presented. The first two chapters outline the objectives of the research program, the philosophy of using a network of mountain stations and a synoptic analysis procedure, descriptions of the network stations and the instrumentation used. Although by modern standards much of the instrumentation now appears rather antiquated, the actual methods used, in general, are quite sound. One notable area of rapid change since this experimental work is in aerosol research. Indeed, one criticism of the book, in view of its title is the relatively slight emphasis given to the synoptic variation and transport of neutral aerosol in its own right. In this work aerosol is treated mainly as a perturbing agent on the atmospheric electricity elements and a carrier of radioactivity. The main body of atmospheric electricity observations are described in Chapter Three. This comprises detailed interpretations of the interrelations between the electric parameters (field strength, current density, ion concentration, etc.) and meteorology throughout the lower 3 km of the atmosphere for virtually all weather conditions. In all cases arguments are well supported by data from over a decade of measurements in specific case studies, summarised synopses, and averages. Chapters Four and Five are short sections on solar-terrestrial relationships, sources of ionizing radiation in the atmosphere and the dependence of ion-density on ionization. Results from the studies of radioactive particles are given in Chapter Six. Synoptic variation of radioactivity in relation to the meteorology, determination of
352 the coefficient of exchange from measurements of natural radioactivity at different altitudes, radioactivity in precipitation and washout are among the topics covered. Finally, two short sections, Chapters Seven and Eight, describe data collected during 1958-1961 on the composition of, and contamination caused by, bomb-test debris. It is quite clear that the strength of this work and the reason for its enduring quality lies in the original philosophy of the careful measurement of a wide range of related physical parameters on a continuous basis at a network of stations. The atmospheric electricity data set this has yielded is still quite unique. JOHN GRAS (MordiaUoc, Vic., Australia)
An Introduction to the Theory of Climate. A.S. Monin. Atmospheric Sciences Library. Reidel, Dordrecht, 1986, viii + 261 pp., Dfl 165.00, US$ 64.00, £Stg 45.75, hardback. This book attempts to cover a great deal of ground, namely the physics and dynamics of all components of the climate system, the atmosphere, ocean, land and ice, and the application of that physics and dynamics to climate. On the whole it fails for a number of reasons. Much theory is presented without adequate derivation or significant application--the reader, encouraged by the title to look for introductory and expository material, will mainly be disappointed. Too much ground is covered, much material being thrown at the reader in what appears an arbitrary and bewildering fashion. The book is also badly out of date having been published in Russian a number of years ago. Very little reference is made to work subsequent to 1975 so that none of the impact of the World Climate Research Programme is represented. There are 10 chapters. The first is a short, useful and readable introduction defining what is meant by climate and explaining some of the background. The second chapter is also a useful well-presented account of the astronomical factors which influence climate--a good introduction to the Milankovitch theory. Chapter 3 is concerned with radiation theory and fails completely either to introduce the subject in an adequate manner (no description of the atmospheric spectrum for instance is given) or to apply it to climate. The reader is plunged into a maze of equations without any logical pattern to their presentation or much in the way of applications being given. Little useful material is presented concerning clouds or cloudradiation feedback which is one of the most important potential radiative
351
Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., Amsterdam - Printed in The Nethedands
Book Reviews
Fields Currents and Aerosols in the Lower Troposphere. R. Reiter. Scientific Research Reports Natural Science Series, Vol. 71. A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam, 1986, xix + 714 pp., Dfl. 115.00, hardback.
This book, a reprinting of the 1976 English translation, was first published in German in 1964. Upgraded references were added in the 1976 edition. An extensive analysis of the various atmospheric electricity elements in the lower troposphere ( Z < 3 kin) and their relation to the overall meteorology in an alpine area (the Wetterstein Mountains) takes up the first two-thirds of the book. The remainder principally examines the climatology and lower-tropospheric transport of radioactive particles in this same alpine area; in particular, natural thoron and radon daughters and also bomb-test debris which was prevalent in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The book's format follows the style of an expanded research report and is logically presented. The first two chapters outline the objectives of the research program, the philosophy of using a network of mountain stations and a synoptic analysis procedure, descriptions of the network stations and the instrumentation used. Although by modern standards much of the instrumentation now appears rather antiquated, the actual methods used, in general, are quite sound. One notable area of rapid change since this experimental work is in aerosol research. Indeed, one criticism of the book, in view of its title is the relatively slight emphasis given to the synoptic variation and transport of neutral aerosol in its own right. In this work aerosol is treated mainly as a perturbing agent on the atmospheric electricity elements and a carrier of radioactivity. The main body of atmospheric electricity observations are described in Chapter Three. This comprises detailed interpretations of the interrelations between the electric parameters (field strength, current density, ion concentration, etc.) and meteorology throughout the lower 3 km of the atmosphere for virtually all weather conditions. In all cases arguments are well supported by data from over a decade of measurements in specific case studies, summarised synopses, and averages. Chapters Four and Five are short sections on solar-terrestrial relationships, sources of ionizing radiation in the atmosphere and the dependence of ion-density on ionization. Results from the studies of radioactive particles are given in Chapter Six. Synoptic variation of radioactivity in relation to the meteorology, determination of
352 the coefficient of exchange from measurements of natural radioactivity at different altitudes, radioactivity in precipitation and washout are among the topics covered. Finally, two short sections, Chapters Seven and Eight, describe data collected during 1958-1961 on the composition of, and contamination caused by, bomb-test debris. It is quite clear that the strength of this work and the reason for its enduring quality lies in the original philosophy of the careful measurement of a wide range of related physical parameters on a continuous basis at a network of stations. The atmospheric electricity data set this has yielded is still quite unique. JOHN GRAS (MordiaUoc, Vic., Australia)
An Introduction to the Theory of Climate. A.S. Monin. Atmospheric Sciences Library. Reidel, Dordrecht, 1986, viii + 261 pp., Dfl 165.00, US$ 64.00, £Stg 45.75, hardback. This book attempts to cover a great deal of ground, namely the physics and dynamics of all components of the climate system, the atmosphere, ocean, land and ice, and the application of that physics and dynamics to climate. On the whole it fails for a number of reasons. Much theory is presented without adequate derivation or significant application--the reader, encouraged by the title to look for introductory and expository material, will mainly be disappointed. Too much ground is covered, much material being thrown at the reader in what appears an arbitrary and bewildering fashion. The book is also badly out of date having been published in Russian a number of years ago. Very little reference is made to work subsequent to 1975 so that none of the impact of the World Climate Research Programme is represented. There are 10 chapters. The first is a short, useful and readable introduction defining what is meant by climate and explaining some of the background. The second chapter is also a useful well-presented account of the astronomical factors which influence climate--a good introduction to the Milankovitch theory. Chapter 3 is concerned with radiation theory and fails completely either to introduce the subject in an adequate manner (no description of the atmospheric spectrum for instance is given) or to apply it to climate. The reader is plunged into a maze of equations without any logical pattern to their presentation or much in the way of applications being given. Little useful material is presented concerning clouds or cloudradiation feedback which is one of the most important potential radiative