Climate Change: The Science of Global Warming and Our Energy Future

Description

This second edition of Climate Change is an accessible and comprehensive guide to the science behind global warming. Exquisitely illustrated, the text is geared toward students at a variety of levels. Edmond A. Mathez and Jason E. Smerdon provide a broad, informative introduction to the science that underlies our understanding of the climate system and the effects of human activity on the warming of our planet. Mathez and Smerdon describe the roles that the atmosphere and ocean play in our climate, introduce the concept of radiation balance, and explain climate changes that occurred in the past. They also detail the human activities that influence the climate, such as greenhouse gas and aerosol emissions and deforestation, as well as the effects of natural phenomena. Climate Change concludes with a look toward the future, discussing climate model projections, exploring the economic and technological realities of energy production, and presenting a view of the global warming challenge through the lens of risk. Each chapter features profiles of scientists who advanced our understanding of the material discussed. This new edition expands on the first edition’s presentation of scientific concepts, making it ideal for classroom use for a wide swath of undergraduate and masters students with both science and nonscience backgrounds. Table of Contents Preface Prologue Part I. The Climate System 1. The Atmosphere 2. The World Ocean 3. Ocean–Atmosphere Interactions 4. The Carbon Cycle and How It Influences Climate Part II. Climate Change and Its Drivers 5. The Concept of Radiation Balance, a Scientific Framework for Thinking About Climate Change 6. Radiative Forcing, Feedbacks, and Some Other Characteristics of the Climate System 7. Learning from the Climate of the Distant Past Part III. Consequences of Climate Change 8. The Climate of the Recent Past and Impacts on Human History 9. Observing the Change 10. Greenland, Antarctica, and Sea-Level Rise Part IV. The Future 11. Climate Models and the Future 12. Climate Change Risk in an Unknowable Future 13. Energy and the Future Epilogue Notes Glossary Bibliography Index