Measuring global temperatures
Subtitle: analysis and interpretation
By: Ian C. Strangeways.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: 2009
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
ISBN-13: 9780521898485
Subjects: Atmospheric temperature -- Observations; Atmospheric temperature -- Measurement; Global temperature changes
Description: "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.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: Machine generated contents note: Preface; 1. The balance of energy; 2. Thermometry; 3. Screens, stands and shelters; 4. Measuring land surface air temperatures; 5. Measuring sea surface and marine air temperatures; 6. Measuring sea temperature profiles; 7. Global instrument networks; 8. From point measurements to global means; 9. Temperature changes since 1850; 10. Temperature profiles through the atmosphere; 11. Future measurements; 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.