The Atmospheric Environment.Effects of Human Activity

342 pages, parution le 09/12/2002

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Résumé

This comprehensive introduction to the physics and chemistry of Earth's atmosphere explains the science behind some of the most critical and intensely debated environmental controversies of our day. In it, one of the world's leading experts on planetary environments presents the background necessary to assess the complex effects of human activity on our atmosphere and climate.

Unique in its breadth and depth of coverage, The Atmospheric Environment includes a survey of Earth's climatic history to provide a context for assessing the changes underway today. It is written for--and will be of lasting value to--a varied audience, including not only students but also professional scientists and others seeking a sophisticated but readable introduction to the frontiers of contemporary research on biogeochemistry, depletion of stratospheric ozone, tropospheric air pollution, and climatology.

The book covers both the chemistry and physics of the atmosphere with an account of relevant aspects of ocean science, treats atmospheric science and the climate as an integrated whole, and makes explicit the policy implications of what is known. Its critical account of steps taken by the international community to address the issue of climatic change highlights the challenge of dealing with a global issue for which the political and economic stakes are high, where uncertainties are common, and where there is an urgent need for clear thinking and informed policy. The book also sketches key gaps in our knowledge, outlining where we need to go to fully understand the impact of our actions on the climate.

Thorough, timely, and authoritative, this is the book to consult for answers about some of the thorniest and most pressing environmental questions that we face.

Contents

Introduction
Basic Physical Concepts
Basic Chemical Concepts
Properties of Water
Atmospheric History and Composition
Energy Budget of the Atmosphere
Vertical Structure of the Atmosphere
Horizontal Motion of the Atmosphere
Dynamics of the Ocean
Climate through the Ages
The Carbon Cycle
Cycles of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Sulfur
Stratospheric Ozone (I): Chapman's Formulation for the
Chemistry of an Oxygen-Nitrogen Atmosphere
Stratospheric Ozone (II): The Role of Radicals
Stratospheric Ozone (III): Influence of Heterogeneous Chemistry
Stratospheric Ozone (IV): Influence of Dynamics
The Chemistry of the Troposphere
The Chemistry of Precipitation
Prospects for Climate Change
Policy Responses to Climate Change

Caractéristiques techniques

	PAPIER
Éditeur(s)	Princeton University Press
Parution	09/12/2002
Nb. de pages	342
Format	22 x 28,5
Couverture	Relié
Poids	1259g
Intérieur	Noir et Blanc
EAN13	9780691006918
ISBN13	978-0-691-00691-8