Climatic Change and Variability de AB Pittock

Climatic Change and Variability: A Southern Perspective

AB Pittock

L. A. Frakes

D. Jenssen

J. A. Peterson

J. W. Zillman

en Limba Engleză Paperback – 16 feb 2011

This book was first published in 1978. It responds to a rapid growth of scientific and popular interest in questions of climatic change, variability and stability. The many distinguished contributors have combined to present a broad and authoritative interdisciplinary approach to the study of climatic change and its impact on mankind. There is a particular reference to data from the southern hemisphere. The topics discussed include a description of the physical basis of climate; the long- and short-term climatic record; models and mechanisms of climatic change; climate forecasting; and the economic, social and political implications of climatic change. While the book was intended as a university text suitable for introductory courses in the earth sciences, it is written with a minimum of mathematics and jargon. It is therefore intelligible to the interested lay person, and of relevance to those having responsibilities in areas such as economics, agriculture and environmental planning.

Citește tot Restrânge

Cuprins

List of contributors; Foreword C. H. B. Priestley; Preface; Part I. An Overview A. B. Pittock: Part II. The Physical Basis of Climate: 1. The climatic system; 2. The general circulation of the atmosphere G. B. Tucker; 3. The role of the oceans B. V. Hamon and J. S. Godfrey; Part III. The Long-Term Climatic Record: 4. Cenozoic climates: Antarctica and the Southern Ocean L. A. Frakes; 5. Some results of the CLIMAP project N. J. Shackleton; 6. Climatic and topographic changes from glaciological data D. Jenssen; 7. Quaternary climates of the Australian region D. Walker; 8. Closed lakes and the palaeoclimatic record D. M. Churchill, R. W. Galloway and G. Singh; 9. Eustatic sea-level changes and environmental gradients H. A. Martin and J. A. Peterson; 10. Abrupt events in climatic history H. Flohn; Part IV. Patterns of Shorter-Term Change and Variability: 11. Climatic variability and extremes W. J. Gibbs, J. V. Maher and M. J. Coughlan; 12. Climatic fluctuations during the period of historical and instrumental record R. G. Barry; 13. Patterns of variability in relation to the general circulation A. B. Pittock; 14. The Southern Oscillation P. B. Wright; 15. Regional mechanisms and variations S. Hastenrath, J. Williams, H. van Loon and M. J. Coughlan; Part V. Models of Climatic Change: 16. Global cycles and climate R. W. Fairbridge; 16. Theories of Upper Quaternary ice ages J. Chappell; 17. Modelling of ice masses: implications for climatic change W. Budd and B. McInnes; 18. Mathematical modelling of climate J. S. A. Green and G. W. Paltridge; 19. Volcanic events, climate, and climate modelling J. R. Bray and B. G. Hunt; Part VI. Modification of Climate: 20. The biosphere, atmospheric composition and climate I. E. Galbally and J. R. Freney; 21. Atmospheric carbon dioxide: recent advances in monitoring and research G. I. Pearman; Part VII. The Effect of Climatic Change and Variability on Mankind: 22. Cultural and economic aspects G. W. Arnold, K. A. Galbraith and P. J. Walsh; 23. Climate and the historians J. L. Anderson; 24. The cultural, economic and climatic records R. A. Bryson; 25. Economic and political issues W. J. Maunder; 26. Mankind, climate and doomsday science M. Charlesworth; Part VIII. Progress and Prospect: 27. The problem of short-term climatic forecasting R. A. S. Ratcliffe; 28. Possible future climatic trends: a panel discussion; 29. Reflections on climatological research G. Manley, J. Oliver and B. R. Morton; References; Indices.