Measuring global temperatures : their analysis and interpretation /

Measuring global temperatures : their analysis and interpretation /

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Author / Creator:Strangeways, Ian, 1932-
Imprint:Cambridge, UK ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 2010.
Description:xviii, 233 p. : ill., maps ; 26 cm.
Language:English
Subject:
Atmospheric temperature -- Observations.
Atmospheric temperature -- Measurement.
Global temperature changes.
Atmospheric temperature -- Measurement.
Atmospheric temperature -- Observations.
Global temperature changes.
Format: Print Book
URL for this record:http://pi.lib.uchicago.edu/1001/cat/bib/7915110
Hidden Bibliographic Details
ISBN:9780521898485 (hardback)
052189848X (hardback)
Notes:Includes bibliographical references and index.
Summary:"Temperature is probably the most influential of all climatic variables. Our only direct, quantitative knowledge of global temperatures comes from instruments operated over the last 150 or so years. Yet as crucial and as central as these data are to our understanding of the climate, they are largely taken for granted, even by many of those using them. Measuring Global Temperatures will fill this gap by explaining how global temperatures are measured, how the data is analysed, what the potential errors are, and what needs to be done to improve temperature measurement in the future. The book is of great interest to all meteorologists, climatologists, and hydrologists, and especially those concerned with climate change and global warming. It is written in accessible language with little mathematics, and so will appeal to students and amateur meteorologists with a strong interest in weather and climate"--Provided by publisher.
Table of Contents:
  • Preface
  • Acknowledgements
  • List of acronyms
  • 1. The balance of energy
  • Solar radiation
  • Infrared radiation and the greenhouse effect
  • Measuring the radiation
  • Changes in solar activity and climate change
  • References
  • 2. Thermometry
  • Air thermometers
  • Liquid-in-glass thermometers
  • Fixed points and scales
  • 'Centigrade' scales
  • The absolute, or thermodynamic, temperature scale
  • The International Practical Temperature Scale
  • Modern thermometers
  • Electrical thermometers
  • Satellite measurements of surface temperature
  • References
  • 3. Screens, stand sand shelters
  • The need for thermometer protection
  • The evolution of screens
  • References
  • 4. Measuring land surface air temperature
  • The origin of data
  • The instruments
  • Met enclosures
  • References
  • 5. Measuring sea surface and marine air temperature
  • A brief history of measurements at sea
  • Air versus sea temperatures
  • Definition of 'sea surface temperature'
  • Ships as instrument platforms
  • Measuring air temperature on ships
  • Measuring sea surface temperature (SST) from ships
  • Buoys as instrument platforms
  • References
  • 6. Measuring sea temperature profiles
  • The bathythermograph
  • Argo: a drifting profiler float
  • References
  • 7. Global instrument networks
  • First station compilations
  • World Weather Records (WWR)
  • The Climatic Research Unit (CRU) network
  • The Global Historical Climatology Network (GHCN)
  • The Global Climate Observing System (GCOS)
  • The adequacy of the GCOS network
  • Using Google Earth to assess GCOS site conditions
  • Disseminating the data
  • References
  • 8. From point measurements to global averages
  • Data from the land
  • Data from the oceans
  • Combining sea and land datasets
  • References
  • 9. Changes in air and sea temperatures
  • The datasets
  • Causes of temperature change
  • Hemispheric and global temperature changes since 1850
  • Central England Temperature since 1659
  • Changes in maximum and minimum temperatures
  • References
  • 10. Temperature profiles through the atmosphere
  • Early measurements
  • Radiosondes
  • Sounders
  • Temperature profiles from sonde data
  • References
  • 11. Future climate measurements
  • The Global Climate Observing System
  • A new instrument network
  • Design of the new stations
  • Data telemetry
  • Site locations
  • Cost and management
  • Concluding remarks
  • References
  • Appendix A. The gas laws
  • Appendix B. Relative humidity and dew point
  • Appendix C. The electromagnetic spectrum
  • Appendix D. Satellite measurements of surface temperature
  • Appendix E. Metadata
  • Appendix F. The Southern Oscillation Index
  • Index.
The John Crerar Library bookplate

Similar Items