Climate Change and Climate Modeling

Provides students with a solid foundation in climate science, to help understand global warming, natural climate variations, and climate models.

J. David Neelin (Author)

9780521602433, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 16 December 2010

304 pages, 137 b/w illus. 8 tables
24.6 x 18.9 x 1.5 cm, 0.65 kg

'… well written and demonstrates the ability of the author to explain a wide range of concepts … a welcome addition to the set of introductory climate science books and should be especially valuable for students …' Paul A. O'Gorman, Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society

Provides students with a solid foundation in climate science, with which to understand global warming, natural climate variations, and climate models. As climate models are one of our primary tools for predicting and adapting to climate change, it is vital we appreciate their strengths and limitations. Also key is understanding what aspects of climate science are well understood and where quantitative uncertainties arise. This textbook will inform the future users of climate models and the decision-makers of tomorrow by providing the depth they need, while requiring no background in atmospheric science and only basic calculus and physics. Developed from a course that the author teaches at UCLA, material has been extensively class-tested and with online resources of colour figures, Powerpoint slides, and problem sets, this is a complete package for students across all sciences wishing to gain a solid grounding in climate science.

1. Overview of climate variability and climate science
2. Basics of global climate
3. Physical processes in the climate system
4. El Niño and year-to-year climate prediction
5. Climate models
6. The greenhouse effect and climate feedbacks
7. Climate model scenarios for global warming
References
Index.

Subject Areas: Meteorology & climatology [RBP], Atmospheric physics [PHVJ], Fluid mechanics [PHDF]