Online Weather Studies Textbook
 |
|
The textbook is available as part of the entire course package and in the text-only option.
If you are a faculty member interested in using the Online Weather Studies textbook in a current or future course offering, you may request an examination copy of the text and study guide.
All student course materials must be ordered through your campus bookstore, which will order directly from AMS. Please have your bookstore send a purchase order by fax to 1-800-258-1176 or to AMS Online Weather Studies, 1120 G Street, NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20005-3826. Licensed colleges may order either the Online Weather Studies Textbook and Study Guide, or each component alone. College opting for the text-only option may just order the textbook. For more information on materials, go to Frequently Asked Questions-Textbook Issues.
If you would like to order the text for personal use, please send a purchase order or check for $86 ($79 List Price + $7 US Shipping/Handling) to 1-800-258-1176 or AMS Online Weather Studies, 1120 G Street, NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20005-3826. To pay by credit card (Mastercard, VISA, and American Express accepted), please call 1-800-824-0405. NOTE: Students enrolled in the Online Weather Studies course must purchase materials through their campus bookstore.
Online Weather Studies Textbook
Copyright © 2002 by the American Meteorological Society.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise. without the prior written permission of the publisher.
The American Meteorological Society is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization. Federal Tax-Exempt Identification No. 04-2103657
Brief Table of Contents |
Detailed Table of Contents (Note: this pdf file is 9 Mb)
Chapter 1: Monitoring Weather 1
(Read Chapter 1)
Chapter 2: Atmosphere: Origin, Composition, and Structure 15
Chapter 3: Solar and Terrestrial Radiation 37
Chapter 4: Heat, Temperature, and Atmospheric Circulation 69
Chapter 5: Air Pressure 93
Chapter 6: Humidity, Saturation, and Stability 109
Chapter 7: Clouds, Precipitation, and Weather Radar 139
Chapter 8: Wind and Weather 169
Chapter 9: Atmosphere’s Planetary Circulation 191
Chapter 10: Weather Systems of Middle Latitudes 221
Chapter 11: Thunderstorms and Tornadoes 249
Chapter 12: Tropical Weather Systems 279
Chapter A: Weather Analysis and Forecasting 301
Chapter B: Atmospheric Optics 319
Chapter C: Climate and Climate Change 329
Appendix I: Conversion Factors 359
Appendix II: Milestones in the History of Atmospheric Science 361
Appendix III: Climate Classification 367
Glossary: 375
Index: 403
License order form (for users of complete course package)
Return to the Faculty Info Page
Abridged Preface to Textbook |
Welcome to Online Weather Studies! You are about to embark on an exciting study of the science of the atmosphere by following weather as it happens, in real-time via the Internet. The purpose of this book is to provide you with background information on the properties of the atmosphere, the interactions between the atmosphere and the other components of the Earth system, and the principles that govern weather and climate. This information will assist you as you complete companion investigations whose components are available in the Online Weather Study Guide and via the Online Weather Studies Homepage. This inquiry-based approach is designed to promote critical thinking as you analyze and interpret real-time weather information.
This book consists of 12 main chapters plus 3 optional chapters. Each of the first 12 chapters corresponds to one week of the Online Weather Studies course. Chapters are organized so that concepts build logically one upon the other so that Earth's atmosphere emerges as an interactive system subject to physical laws. Twice-weekly investigations, partially delivered via the Internet and focused on actual atmospheric conditions, are tied directly to each chapter. Topics covered include sources of weather information (Chapter 1), composition and structure of the atmosphere (Chapter 2), the planet's radiation balance and controls of temperature (Chapters 3 and 4), air pressure (Chapter 5), humidity, clouds and precipitation (Chapter 6 and 7), forces governing atmospheric circulation (Chapter 8), and weather systems (Chapters 9, 10, 11, and 12).
Each of the first 12 chapters opens with a Case-in-Point, an authentic, relevant, and real-life event or issue that highlights or applies one or more of the main concepts covered in the chapter. In essence, the Case-in-Point previews the chapter and is intended to engage reader interest early on. Chapter 7 (Clouds, Precipitation, and Weather Radar), for example, opens with a discussion of the effects of jet aircraft contrails on cloud cover between major cities. The Case-in-Point is followed by a sample Driving Question, a broad-based query that links chapter concepts and provides a central focus for that week's study. Chapter content is science-rich and informs additional driving questions. Each chapter closes with a list of Basic Understandings. One or more Essays at the end of Chapters 1-12 address in some depth specific topics that complement or supplement a concept covered by the narrative. Examples include: The Atmosphere of Mars, Hazards of Solar Ultraviolet Radiation, and Rainmaking. All bold-faced terms are defined in the Glossary at the back of the book.
In this second edition, we have updated the science, included more Essays, added more photographs and line drawings, and used full color throughout. Three optional chapters are included so that Online Weather Studies will mesh with the various calendars of colleges and universities nationwide. These chapters cover weather analysis and forecasting (Chapter A), atmospheric optics (Chapter B), and climate and climate change (Chapter C). Each chapter has accompanying investigations in the Online Weather Study Guide. Appendixes cover unit conversions, milestones in the history of atmospheric science, and climate classification.
Online Weather Studies is the product of collaboration among many individuals having considerable teaching experience in the atmospheric sciences. This book is primarily the work of Joseph M. Moran of the American Meteorological Society's Education Program and Professor Emeritus of Earth Science at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. Development of this second edition benefited greatly from suggestions and critical reviews provided by Ira W. Geer, Bernard A. Blair, and Elizabeth W. Mills of the AMS Education Program, Robert S. Weinbeck of SUNY College at Brockport and the AMS Education Program, Edward J. Hopkins of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, James A. Brey of the University of Wisconsin-Fox Valley, William Porter of Elizabeth City State University (NC), David R. Smith of the U.S. Naval Academy, and Jeff Clark of Lawrence University. For numerous comments and suggestions, a special thanks is extended to all past instructors of Online Weather Studies and their students.
Norman J. Frisch of Brockport, NY did an excellent job of turning line drawings into final art. Unless otherwise indicated, Joseph M. Moran supplied photographs. Bernard Blair of the AMS Education Program met the numerous technical challenges in turning the original manuscript into this book with his usual skill, attention to detail, dedication, and enthusiasm. J. Randy McGinnis of the University of Maryland, College Park, provided valuable advice on project planning, learning strategies, and evaluation.
A special note concerns the use of units in Online Weather Studies learning materials, including this book. Generally the International System of Units (abbreviated SI, for Systéme Internationale d'Unitès) is employed with equivalent English or other units following in parentheses. Exceptions are units used by convention or convenience in meteorology or the user community (e.g., knots, calories, millibars). Also, the equivalence between units is given in context; that is, where general estimates are used, approximate values are shown in all units. Conversion factors are given in Appendix I.
Ira W. Geer AMS Education Program