Climate Change and Climate Modeling

by J. David Neelin

Overview

Provides students with a solid foundation in climate science, with which to understand global warming, natural climate variations, and climate models. As climate models are one of our primary tools for predicting and adapting to climate change, it is vital we appreciate their strengths and limitations. Also key is understanding what aspects of climate science are well understood and where quantitative uncertainties arise. This textbook will inform the future users of climate models and the decision-makers of tomorrow by providing the depth they need, while requiring no background in atmospheric science and only basic calculus and physics. Developed from a course that the author teaches at UCLA, material has been extensively class-tested and with online resources of colour figures, Powerpoint slides, and problem sets, this is a complete package for students across all sciences wishing to gain a solid grounding in climate science.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780511993565
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	12/16/2010
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Sales rank:	842,100
File size:	10 MB

About the Author

J. David Neelin is a professor and chair of the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, and member of the Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics at the University of California, Los Angeles. He has published over 100 scientific papers, including contributions to understanding and predictability of the El Niño Southern oscillation phenomenon, decadal variability, vegetation interaction with climate variability, how rainfall interacts with natural climate variability and anthropogenic change and methods of improving representation of rainfall processes in climate models. He has taught courses in climate science from introductory undergraduate to advanced graduate level. He is a fellow of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, the Royal Meteorological Society and the American Meteorological Society, and the recipient of a Presidential Young Investigator Award, National Science Foundation Special Creativity Award, and the American Meteorological Society Meisinger Award.

Table of Contents

1. Overview of climate variability and climate science; 2. Basics of global climate; 3. Physical processes in the climate system; 4. El Niño and year-to-year climate prediction; 5. Climate models; 6. The greenhouse effect and climate feedbacks; 7. Climate model scenarios for global warming; References; Index.

Editorial Reviews

"This is a timely and important book that lucidly and engagingly covers topics related to climate change, topics that currently receive enormous attention and that unfortunately cause polarization." - Professor S. George Philander, Princeton University

"David Neelin’s book is a very valuable and accessible textbook for students of climate science, and all those with an interest in climate modeling. It is a thorough and highly readable book that neatly spans the gap between general interest climate change texts and higher-level books for specialists." - Dr. Drew Shindell, NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies

"This book presents the diverse subjects of climate modeling and climate variability in a way that is clear and understandable to students from different backgrounds. The author is a world-famous climate scientist who has been highly successful both in research and teaching, covering all of the theoretical, modeling and data analysis aspects of climate science. The book is based on a course he has been teaching at UCLA for many years, which has been extremely popular and highly valued by students from a variety of disciplines. I am sure that the book will soon become the standard textbook on climate modeling and climate change." - Professor Akio Arakawa, University of California, Los Angeles

"If you're looking for an up-to-date text that deals with the science of climate change and climate modelling in a way that is both rigorous and accessible, then this book is for you. This timely treatment of a vitally important topic presents a novel integration of climate system science, including variability and change, with the fundamental principles of climate modelling and its applications that is accurate, informative and useful in a range of contexts. The book is structured to provide engaging material for both those interested in engaging with the complex science of climate change, and those whose focus is on developing a broader understanding to apply in areas such as ecology, engineering or policy. Neelin's book will be a valuable addition to my library and mandatory reading for my students." - Dr Janette Lindesay, Australian National University

"With the looming prospect of serious climate change at hand, it is ever more important to interest the best and brightest minds in the challenging problems of climate science. But those of us who teach climate science have been handicapped by the lack of a comprehensive and engaging text. With his masterful Climate Change and Climate Modeling, David Neelin has answered our prayers." - Professor Kerry A. Emanuel, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

"Overall, this book is a positive addition to the library shelf. It is well written, clear, and accessible and fits nicely in between A. Gill's rather more cerebral Atmosphere-Ocean Dynamics and K. McGuffie and A. Henderson-Sellers's practical but somewhat dated A Climate Modelling Primer. As a textbook, Climate Change is not inexpensive, but for a beginning student in this field it will likely repay the investment." EOS

"text is generally well written and demonstrates the ability of the author to explain a wide range of concepts...a welcome addition to the set of introductory climate science books and should be especially valuable for students.." - Paul A. O’Gorman, Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, August 2012

From the Publisher