ALBERT

Note: Fairbanks, Univ. of Alaska, PhD, 1994

Note: Contents: Introduction. - 1 Atmosphere: Origin, Composition, and Structure. - Understanding the Atmosphere. - Evolution of the Atmosphere. - Probing the Atmosphere. - Temperature Profile of the Atmosphere. - The Ionosphere and the Aurora. - Conclusions. - Special Topic: The Martian Atmosphere. - Special Topic: The Ionosphere and Radio Transmission. - Key Terms. - Summary Statements. - Review Questions. - Questions for Critical Thinking. - Selected Readings. - 2 Radiation. - Electromagnetic Radiation. - Radiation Laws. - Input of Solar Radiation. - Solar Radiation and the Atmosphere. - The Ozone Shield. - Solar Radiation and the Earth's Surface. - Solar Radiation Budget. - Infrared Response and the Greenhouse Effect. - Radiation Measurement. - Conclusions. - Special Topic: Why Is the Sky Blue?. - Special Topic: The Hazards of Sunbathing. - Weather Fact: Greenhouse Effect on Mars and Venus. - Mathematical Note: Blackbody Radiation Laws. - Key Terms. - Summary Statements. - Review Questions. - Quantitative Questions. - Questions for Critical Thinking. - Selected Readings. - 3 Heat and Temperature. - Distinguishing Heat and Temperature. - Temperature Scales. - Temperature Measurement. - Heat Units. - Transport of Heat. - Specific Heat. - Heating and Cooling Degree-days. - Windchill. - Conclusions. - Special Topic: Temperature and Human Comfort. - Special Topic: Temperature and Crop Yields. - Key Terms. - Summary Statements. - Review Questions. - Quantitative Questions. - Questions for Critical Thinking. - Selected Readings. - 4 Heat Imbalances and Weather. - Heat Imbalance: Atmosphere Versus Earth's Surface. - Heat Imbalance: Variation by Latitude. - Weather: Response to Heat Imbalances. - Variation of Air Temperature. - Conclusions. - Special Topic: The Unique Thermal Properties of Water. - Special Topic: Solar Power. - Weather Fact: Why Mountaintops Are Cold. - Key Terms. - Summary Statements. - Review Questions . - Quantitative Questions. - Questions for Critical Thinking. - Selected Readings. - 5 Air Pressure. - Defining Air Pressure. - Pressure Balance. - Variation with Altitude. - Horizontal Variations. - Highs and Lows. - Air Pressure Measurement. - Pressure Units. - The Gas Law. - Conclusions. - Special Topic: Human Response to Changes in Air Pressure. - Special Topic: Altimetry. - Mathematical Note: The Gas Law. - Key Terms. - Summary Statements. - Review Questions. - Questions for Critical Thinking. - Selected Readings. - 6 Humidity and Stability. - The Hydrologic Cycle. - How Humid Is It?. - The Saturation Concept. - Relative Humidity. - Humidification. - Humidity Measurement. - Achieving Saturation. - Atmospheric Stability. - Lifting Processes. - Conclusions. - Special Topic: Humidity and Human Comfort. - Special Topic: Clouds by Mixing. - Weather Fact: The Rainiest Place on Earth. - Mathematical Note: Energy Conservation and the Dry Adiabatic Process. - Key Terms. - Summary Statements. - Review Questions. - Quantitative Questions. - Questions for Critical Thinking. - Selected Readings. - 7 Dew, Frost, Fog, and Clouds. - Low-Level Saturation Processes. - Cloud Development. - Classification of Clouds. - Unusual Clouds. - Conclusions. - Special Topic: Freeze Prevention. - Special Topic: Jack Frost and Autumn Color. - Key Terms. - Summary Statements. - Review Questions. - Quantitative Questions. - Questions for Critical Thinking. - Selected Readings. - 8 Precipitation, Weather Modification, and Atmospheric Optics. - Precipitation Processes. - Forms of Precipitation. - Precipitation Measurement. - Weather Modification. - Atmospheric Optics. - Conclusions. - Special Topic: When Is It Too Cold or Too Warm to Snow?. - Special Topic: Mirages. - Key Terms. - Summary Statements. - Review Questions. - Quantitative Questions. - Questions for Critical Thinking. - Selected Readings. - 9 The Wind. - The Forces. - Joining Forces. - Continuity of Wind. - Scales of Weather Systems. - Wind Pressure. - Wind Measurement. - Conclusions. - Special Topic: Wind Power. - Special Topic: Wind Gusts, Wind Shear, and Atmospheric Stability. - Weather Fact: The Windiest Place on Earth. - Mathematical Note: Geostrophic and Gradient Winds. - Key Terms. - Summary Statements. - Review Questions. - Questions for Critical Thinking. - Selected Readings. - 10 Planetary-Scale Circulation. - Idealized Circulation Pattern. - Pressure Systems and Wind Belts. - Upper-Air Westerlies. - El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO). - Conclusions. - Special Topic: The ENSO Event of 1982-83. - Mathematical Note: The Polar Front and the Midlatitude Jet Stream. - Key Terms. - Summary Statements. - Review Questions. - Questions for Critical Thinking. - Selected Readings. - 11 Air Masses, Fronts, Cyclones, and Anticyclones by Patrìda M. Pauley. - Air Masses. - Frontal Weather. - Midlatitude Cyclones. - Anticyclones. - Conclusions. - Special Topic: The Case of the Missing Storm. - Mathematical Note: Vorticity. - Key Terms. - Summary Statements. - Review Questions. - Questions for Critical Thinking. - Selected Readings. - 12 Local and Regional Circulation Systems. - Monsoons. - Land and Sea (or Lake) Breezes. - Lake-Effect Snows. - Heat Island Circulation. - Katabatic Winds. - Chinook Winds. - Desert Winds. - Mountain and Valley Breezes. - Conclusion. - Special Topic: Monsoon Failure and Drought in Sub-Saharan Africa. - Key Terms. - Summary Statements. - Review Questions. - Questions for Critical Thinking. - Selected Readings. - 13 Thunderstorms. - Thunderstorm Life Cycle. - Thunderstorm Genesis. - Geographical Distribution. - Severe Thunderstorms. - Thunderstorm Hazards. - Conclusions. - Special Topic: Lightning Safety. - Special Topic: Hail Suppression. - Weather Fact: The Rumble of Thunder. - Key Terms. - Summary Statement. - Review Questions. - Questions for Critical Thinking. - Selected Readings. - 14 Tornadoes. - Tornado Characteristics. - Distribution of Tornadoes. - Hazards of Tornadoes. - The F-Scale. - The Tornado-Thunderstorm Connection. - Tornado Look-Alikes. - Weather Radar. - Conclusions. - Special Topic: Wind Profilers. - Weather Fact: Tornado Oddities. - Key Terms. - Summary Statements. - Review Questions. - Questions for Critical Thinking. - Selected Readings. - 15 Hurricanes. - Hurricane Characteristics. - Distribution of Hurricanes. - Hazards of Hurricanes. - Life Cycle of Tropical Storms. - Hurricane Threat to the Southeast. - Hurricane Modification. - Conclusions. - Special Topic: Atlantic Hurricanes and West African Rainfall. - Weather Fact: Naming Hurricanes. - Key Terms. - Summary Statements. - Review Questions. - Questions for Critical Thinking. - Selected Readings. - 16 Weather Analysis and Forecasting. - World Meteorological Organization. - Acquisition of Weather Data. - Meteorology by Satallite. - Data Depiction on Weather Maps. - Weather Prediction. - Communication and Dissemination. - Conclusions. - Special Topic: Weather Proverbs: Fact or Fiction?. - Special Topic: Aviation Weather Hazards. - Mathematical Note: Some Orbital Characteristics of Weather Satellites. - Key Terms. - Summary Statements. - Review Questions. - Questions for Critical Thinking. - Selected Readings. - 17 Air Pollution Meteorology. - Air Pollutants. - Air Pollution Episodes. - Air Pollution's Impact on Weather. - The Ozone Shield. - Conclusions. - Special Topic: Principal Air Pollutants. - Key Terms. - Summary Statements. - Review Questions. - Questions for Critical Thinking. - Selected Readings. - 18 World Climates. - Describing Climate. - Climate Controls. - Global Patterns of Climate. - Climate Classification. - Conclusions. - Special Topic: 1816, The Year Without a Summer?. - Special Topic: Agroclimatic Compensation: The Be