Thermodynamics of the Atmosphere: A Course in Theoretical Meteorology

Description

This textbook is written for graduate students and researchers in meteorology and related sciences. While most meteorological textbooks only present equilibrium thermodynamics, this book also introduces the linear theory of non-equilibrium and provides the necessary background for more advanced studies. The authors start by introducing the equations that describe the basic laws of thermodynamics and entropy and go on to discuss the thermodynamics of blackbody radiation, thermodynamic potentials, and the constitutive equations of irreversible fluxes. Later chapters look at the state functions of ideal gases, thermodynamics of cloud air, heat equations for special adiabatic systems, atmospheric statics, stability, and atmospheric energetics of hydrostatic equilibrium. Each chapter ends with a set of exercises that are designed to help the reader develop a deeper understanding of the subject. Answers to all the exercises are given at the end of the book.

Wilford Zdunkowski is Professor Emeritus in the Institute of Atmospheric Physics in the Universitat Mainz, Germany. Andreas Bott is a University Professor for Theoretical Meteorology at the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universitat in Bonn, Germany.

'... a useful reference for researchers in dynamic meteorology.' Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union 'This textbook is written for students and researchers in meteorology but nevertheless it is useful for all scientists in the field of thermodynamics, too.' ZAMM