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Introduction to boundary layer meteorology
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Scale and the Measurement of Nitrogen-Gas Fluxes from Terrestrial Ecosystems; Spatial and Temporal Scales in Groundwater Modelling; Variability of the Fluvial System in Space and Time; Estuaries - Their Natural and Anthropogenic Changes; - Use of Satellite Ocean Colour Observations to Refine Understanding of Global Geochemical Cycles; - The Ocean System - Ocean/Climate and Ocean/CO2 Interactions. This volume will be of universal value to all who are developing graduate seminars in the area of global change. Perhaps the most key missing parts are a lack of discussion of the behaviour of the sun, transient geological phenomena, and the scale of anthropogenic influences. Finally, I have just returned from the Vth International Congress of Ecology in Japan. I was impressed by what we know now, and depressed by the lack of synthesis of the data on a global scale.
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W.S. FYFE (London, Ont. )
Introduction to Boundary Layer Meteorology, by Roland B. StuU, 1988. Kluwer, Dordrecht, 1988, xii+666 pp., Dfl. 1,220.00 (hardback). Boundary layer meteorology covers the manifold and sometimes confusing pheonmena observed in the lower troposphere adjacent to the ground. The book by Roland B. Stull introduces into what I like to call the "classical" meteorological point of view of boundary layer physics. The text is well organized within 14 chapters with the following titles: mean boundary layer characteristics; some mathematical and conceptual tools (part 1, statistics); application of the governing equations to turbulent flow; prognostic equations for turbulent fluxes and variances; turbulence kinetic energy, stability, and scaling; turbulence closure techniques; boundary conditions and external forcings; some mathematical and conceptual tools (part 2, time series ); similarity theory; measurement and simulation techniques; convective mixed layer; stable boundary layer; boundary layer clouds; geographic effects. Several useful appendices are added. The subject index is very detailed. Not covered in this book are introductions to agricultural micrometeorology, dispersion of pollutants in the atmosphere, and the manifold relations between boundary layer state/processes and microphysical phenomena concerning aerosol and cloud particles as well as air chemistry. To understand the book, the basics of general meteorology and theory (including thermodynamics, dynamics and radiative transfer) are required. The language is brief and lucid. Many figures with qualitative and quantitative
184
results illustrate the text. Presentation of the theoretical material is simple and reduced to a m i n i m u m (leaving many derivations as exercises to the reader). Thus, reading the book for review was an enjoyable task. Roland B. Stull's book on boundary layer meteorology is the first one covering almost completely the whole subject. Some weaknesses (somewhat too short presentations in the chapters on measurement and simulation techniques, boundary layer clouds, and geographic effects ) do not lessen significantly its overall quality. Because of the many references being added to each chapter, the book allows to easily find the relevant background literature for each topic. Thus the book may be an excellent starting point for students or even researchers who want to go beyond the scopes of the book. In summary the book is highly recommended for graduate students of meteorology as well as air chemists and aerosol physicists wanting to interpret their measured data in terms of boundary layer phenomena. G. HANEL ( Frankfurt/Main )
Applied Environmetrics Meteorological Tables by T. Beer, 1989. Applied Environmetrics, Balwyn, Melbourne, 5.25 d i s k + 5 6 pp., ISBN 0-9590809, US $124.95 (hardback). A companion to Beer's previously published Applied Environmetrics Oceanographic Tables, this publication consists of hardbound documentation volume and a 5.25-inch double-sided, double-density (360K) disk. It requires an IBM-compatible personal computer with MSDOS 2.10 or later and at least 256K of RAM to run. In preparing this review, I tried the package on an IMB XT clone with a Hercules graphics card and on a IBM PS/2 50 with VGA. In both cases, it worked flawlessly. Response speed was quite good, even on the slower machines. The only shortcoming discovered is that this software does not appear to be compatible with the popular Borland Sidekick software. This is not a serious problem as Beer has built-in a very satisfactory screen-capture capability. Beer's intent, as stated in his preface, is to provide a standard reference work for commonly used meteorological data, focusing on the special needs of the fire meteorologist. A valid comparison is to the classic Smithsonian Meteorological Tables (List, 1951 ), last revised in 1949. However, instead of the familiar tabulations, the disk contains a set of computer programs, each with one or more algorithms that generate data as needed. The programs are accessed through a relatively user-friendly menu. While the format of the programs' outputs are arranged differently than
Scale and the Measurement of Nitrogen-Gas Fluxes from Terrestrial Ecosystems; Spatial and Temporal Scales in Groundwater Modelling; Variability of the Fluvial System in Space and Time; Estuaries - Their Natural and Anthropogenic Changes; - Use of Satellite Ocean Colour Observations to Refine Understanding of Global Geochemical Cycles; - The Ocean System - Ocean/Climate and Ocean/CO2 Interactions. This volume will be of universal value to all who are developing graduate seminars in the area of global change. Perhaps the most key missing parts are a lack of discussion of the behaviour of the sun, transient geological phenomena, and the scale of anthropogenic influences. Finally, I have just returned from the Vth International Congress of Ecology in Japan. I was impressed by what we know now, and depressed by the lack of synthesis of the data on a global scale.
-
-
-
-
W.S. FYFE (London, Ont. )
Introduction to Boundary Layer Meteorology, by Roland B. StuU, 1988. Kluwer, Dordrecht, 1988, xii+666 pp., Dfl. 1,220.00 (hardback). Boundary layer meteorology covers the manifold and sometimes confusing pheonmena observed in the lower troposphere adjacent to the ground. The book by Roland B. Stull introduces into what I like to call the "classical" meteorological point of view of boundary layer physics. The text is well organized within 14 chapters with the following titles: mean boundary layer characteristics; some mathematical and conceptual tools (part 1, statistics); application of the governing equations to turbulent flow; prognostic equations for turbulent fluxes and variances; turbulence kinetic energy, stability, and scaling; turbulence closure techniques; boundary conditions and external forcings; some mathematical and conceptual tools (part 2, time series ); similarity theory; measurement and simulation techniques; convective mixed layer; stable boundary layer; boundary layer clouds; geographic effects. Several useful appendices are added. The subject index is very detailed. Not covered in this book are introductions to agricultural micrometeorology, dispersion of pollutants in the atmosphere, and the manifold relations between boundary layer state/processes and microphysical phenomena concerning aerosol and cloud particles as well as air chemistry. To understand the book, the basics of general meteorology and theory (including thermodynamics, dynamics and radiative transfer) are required. The language is brief and lucid. Many figures with qualitative and quantitative
184
results illustrate the text. Presentation of the theoretical material is simple and reduced to a m i n i m u m (leaving many derivations as exercises to the reader). Thus, reading the book for review was an enjoyable task. Roland B. Stull's book on boundary layer meteorology is the first one covering almost completely the whole subject. Some weaknesses (somewhat too short presentations in the chapters on measurement and simulation techniques, boundary layer clouds, and geographic effects ) do not lessen significantly its overall quality. Because of the many references being added to each chapter, the book allows to easily find the relevant background literature for each topic. Thus the book may be an excellent starting point for students or even researchers who want to go beyond the scopes of the book. In summary the book is highly recommended for graduate students of meteorology as well as air chemists and aerosol physicists wanting to interpret their measured data in terms of boundary layer phenomena. G. HANEL ( Frankfurt/Main )
Applied Environmetrics Meteorological Tables by T. Beer, 1989. Applied Environmetrics, Balwyn, Melbourne, 5.25 d i s k + 5 6 pp., ISBN 0-9590809, US $124.95 (hardback). A companion to Beer's previously published Applied Environmetrics Oceanographic Tables, this publication consists of hardbound documentation volume and a 5.25-inch double-sided, double-density (360K) disk. It requires an IBM-compatible personal computer with MSDOS 2.10 or later and at least 256K of RAM to run. In preparing this review, I tried the package on an IMB XT clone with a Hercules graphics card and on a IBM PS/2 50 with VGA. In both cases, it worked flawlessly. Response speed was quite good, even on the slower machines. The only shortcoming discovered is that this software does not appear to be compatible with the popular Borland Sidekick software. This is not a serious problem as Beer has built-in a very satisfactory screen-capture capability. Beer's intent, as stated in his preface, is to provide a standard reference work for commonly used meteorological data, focusing on the special needs of the fire meteorologist. A valid comparison is to the classic Smithsonian Meteorological Tables (List, 1951 ), last revised in 1949. However, instead of the familiar tabulations, the disk contains a set of computer programs, each with one or more algorithms that generate data as needed. The programs are accessed through a relatively user-friendly menu. While the format of the programs' outputs are arranged differently than