Climate System Dynamics and Modelling

An introductory textbook on all aspects of climate system dynamics and modelling for students, scientists and professionals.

Hugues Goosse (Author)

9781107445833, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 17 August 2015

273 pages, 3 b/w illus. 185 colour illus. 5 tables 95 exercises
25.5 x 17.9 x 1.7 cm, 0.8 kg

'This is exactly the book I wish I had when I started to study climate change! The book is well illustrated and written in a language clear enough for non-specialists to understand the dynamics of the climate system, but also provides clues on numerical approaches and references useful to specialists. The book offers a comprehensive view of the forcing and mechanisms driving the climate, the Earth's energy budget, and the global hydrological and carbon cycles. It guides the reader towards modelling as a tool for understanding climate change, in response to external forcing or internal dynamics. It also gives an excellent overview of the state-of-the-art knowledge on climate change from the formation of the Earth to the last centuries. Furthermore, it proposes a critical view on anticipated changes in climate, ice and ocean in the near- to long-term future. Beyond its scientific content, the book is written in such a way that it is ideal as handbook for undergraduate and graduate classes in the Earth sciences. In brief, Climate System Dynamics and Modelling by Hugues Goosse is a remarkable work that will serve as a reference for years!' Anne de Vernal, Université du Québec, Montréal

This textbook presents all aspects of climate system dynamics, on all timescales from the Earth's formation to modern human-induced climate change. It discusses the dominant feedbacks and interactions between all the components of the climate system: atmosphere, ocean, land surface and ice sheets. It addresses one of the key challenges for a course on the climate system: students can come from a range of backgrounds. A glossary of key terms is provided for students with little background in the climate sciences, whilst instructors and students with more expertise will appreciate the book's modular nature. Exercises are provided at the end of each chapter for readers to test their understanding. This textbook will be invaluable for any course on climate system dynamics and modeling, and will also be useful for scientists and professionals from other disciplines who want a clear introduction to the topic.

1. Description of the climate system and its components
2. The energy balance, hydrological and carbon cycles
3. Modelling the climate system
4. The response of the climate system to a perturbation
5. Brief history of climate: causes and mechanisms
6. Future climate changes.

Subject Areas: Mechanics of fluids [TGMF], Mechanics of solids [TGMD], Meteorology & climatology [RBP]