Thermodynamics of the Atmosphere
A Course in Theoretical Meteorology

A textbook on atmospheric thermodynamics for graduate students and researchers in meteorology and related sciences.

Wilford Zdunkowski (Author), Andreas Bott (Author)

9780521006859, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 15 April 2004

268 pages, 36 b/w illus. 9 tables 88 exercises
24.7 x 17.5 x 1.4 cm, 0.547 kg

'This textbook is written for students and researchers in meteorology but nevertheless it is useful for all scientists in the field of thermodynamics, too.' ZAMM

This textbook is written for graduate students and researchers in meteorology and related sciences. While most meteorological textbooks only present equilibrium thermodynamics, this book also introduces the linear theory of non-equilibrium and provides the necessary background for more advanced studies. The authors start by introducing the equations that describe the basic laws of thermodynamics and entropy and go on to discuss the thermodynamics of blackbody radiation, thermodynamic potentials, and the constitutive equations of irreversible fluxes. Later chapters look at the state functions of ideal gases, thermodynamics of cloud air, heat equations for special adiabatic systems, atmospheric statics, stability, and atmospheric energetics of hydrostatic equilibrium. Each chapter ends with a set of exercises that are designed to help the reader develop a deeper understanding of the subject. Answers to all the exercises are given at the end of the book.

Preface
1. Basic thermodynamic concepts
2. Budget equations
3. The first law of thermodynamics
4. The second law of thermodynamics
5. Thermal radiation
6. Thermodynamic potentials, identities and stability
7. The constitutive equations for irreversible fluxes
8. State functions of ideal gases
9. State functions of the condensed pure phase
10. State functions for cloud air
11. Heat equation and special adiabatic systems
12. Special adiabats of homogeneous systems
13. Thermodynamic diagrams
14. Atmospheric statics
Answers to problems
List of frequently used symbols
List of constants
References and bibliography
Index.

Subject Areas: Atmospheric physics [PHVJ]