Thermodynamic Foundations of the Earth System

An accessible book for graduate students and researchers that describes how the laws of thermodynamics apply to Earth system processes.

Axel Kleidon (Author)

9781107029941, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 11 March 2016

396 pages, 82 b/w illus. 13 tables
26.1 x 18.5 x 2.5 cm, 0.93 kg

'Examines what goes on in the Earth's atmosphere, oceans, geosphere and biosphere from the perspective of energy and entropy flows. Kleidon draws on a wide range of research to help clarify in quantitative detail how thermodynamics shapes the entire Earth system, and, in particular, how humanity has come to play a central role in the Earth's physics … This important book fills a crucial gap by drawing out the implications of the second law of thermodynamics for the whole Earth system.' Mark Buchanan, Nature Physics

Thermodynamics sets fundamental laws for all physical processes and is central to driving and maintaining planetary dynamics. But how do Earth system processes perform work, where do they derive energy from, and what are the limits? This accessible book describes how the laws of thermodynamics apply to Earth system processes, from solar radiation to motion, geochemical cycling and biotic activity. It presents a novel view of the thermodynamic Earth system explaining how it functions and evolves, how different forms of disequilibrium are being maintained, and how evolutionary trends can be interpreted as thermodynamic trends. It also offers an original perspective on human activity, formulating this in terms of a thermodynamic, Earth system process. This book uses simple conceptual models and basic mathematical treatments to illustrate the application of thermodynamics to Earth system processes, making it ideal for researchers and graduate students across a range of Earth and environmental science disciplines.

Preface
List of symbols
1. Thermodynamics and the Earth system
2. Energy and entropy
3. The first and second law of thermodynamics
4. Thermodynamic limits
5. Dynamics, structures, and maximization
6. Radiation
7. Motion
8. Hydrologic cycling
9. Geochemical cycling
10. Land
11. Human activity
12. The thermodynamic Earth system
Glossary
References
Index.

Subject Areas: Environmental science, engineering & technology [TQ], Oceanography [seas RBKC], Earth sciences [RB], Geophysics [PHVG], Energy [PHDY]