Numerical data and functional relationships in science and technology. New series, Group V, Geophysics and space research : volume 4, Meteorology ; subvolume c, Climatology, part 1

Meteorology was first considered in Landolt-Börnstein in Volume III (published 1952) of the 6th Edition. At that time, nine contributions with 153 pages seemed enough. In the meantime, meteorology has experienced a worldwide boom owing to the growing interest in environmental problems. New observation and evaluation methods together with high performance computers have produced an ever increasing amount of data on the atmosphere, which are being exploited for weather and climate problems in various ways. In addition to the improved knowledge gained directly by these observations they are indispensable in the verification of the diagnosed and predicted atmospheric states obtained by mathematically based weather forecasting and climate models. Volume V/4 of the New Series covers the field of meteorology as the physics of the atmosphere in several subvolumes. The first, V/4 a "Thermodynamical and dynamical structures of the global atmosphere", appeared in 1986. It was followed by subvolume V/4 b dealing with the physical and chemical data of the atmosphere. Subvolume V/4 c is concerned with the physical and meteorological aspects of climate. The first part, V/4 c 1, presented here, contains contributions on climate definition, specific surfaces climates, climate variations, and the planetary boundary layer. The second part, V/4 c 2, will treat the present global surface climate and the mathematical and physical concepts of climate modelling. 11.1 Qualitative definitions of climate....Pages 1-5 11.2 The climate system....Pages 5-9 11.3.1 Spectral definition of climate....Pages 10-18 11.3.2 Scale definition of climate....Pages 19-25 11.3.3 The Köppen type classification....Pages 25-26 11.4 References for 11....Pages 27-28 14.1 Scope of consideration....Pages 29-31 14.2.1 The hydrodynamic equations....Pages 32-33 14.2.2 The surface energy balance....Pages 33-49 14.2.3 The boundary layer thermodynamic energy budget....Pages 50-57 14.2.4 Gravity generated winds....Pages 57-72 14.2.5 Roughness effects....Pages 73-74 14.2.6 Leading edge effects....Pages 75-80 14.2.7 Effects of surface elevation....Pages 81-85 14.3 List of symbols and abbreviations....Pages 85-87 14.4 References for 14....Pages 88-92 15.1 Introduction....Pages 93-94 15.2 Information sources....Pages 94-95 15.3 Remarks on statistical problems....Pages 98-100 15.4.1 Pre-Archean interval....Pages 100-100 15.4.2 Archean to Mesozoic interval....Pages 101-108 15.4.3 Tertiary interval....Pages 108-110 15.4.4 Quaternary Pleistocene interval....Pages 111-116 15.4.5 Holocene interval before the modern interval....Pages 116-121 Figs. 19 - 22....Pages 122-125 Table 12....Pages 126-139 15.6 Overview of the northern hemisphere temperature variations....Pages 140-140 15.7 Spectral overview of the northern hemisphere temperature variations....Pages 141-141 15.8 Summary of possible causes of climate variations....Pages 142-145 15.9 List of symbols and abbreviations....Pages 145-146 15.10 Glossary....Pages 146-147 15.11 References for 15....Pages 148-150 16.2 The vertical structure of the PBL....Pages 151-152 16.3 Theoretical basis....Pages 152-153 16.4 The surface layer....Pages 153-160 16.5.1 The Ekman layer....Pages 160-161 16.5.2 The neutral PBL....Pages 161-163 16.5.3 The unstable PBL....Pages 164-170 16.5.4 The stable PBL....Pages 170-176 16.5.5 The resistance laws for the PBL....Pages 176-179 16.6 Observations in the PBL....Pages 179-180 16.7 Modelling of the PBL....Pages 180-181 16.8 List of symbols and abbreviations....Pages 182-183 16.9 Definitions....Pages 183-184 16.10 References for 16....Pages 184-188