U-X-L Encyclopedia of Weather and Natural Disasters - 5 Volumes

Cover Page......Page 1 UXL Encyclopedia of Weather and Natural Disasters......Page 3 1414418795......Page 4 Table of Contents......Page 5 Scope and format......Page 7 Acknowledgements......Page 8 1643......Page 9 1860......Page 10 1906......Page 11 1969......Page 12 2007......Page 13 agricultural report:......Page 14 avalanche:......Page 15 calvus:......Page 16 coalescence:......Page 17 conventional radar:......Page 18 debris avalanche:......Page 19 downdraft:......Page 20 El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO):......Page 21 fair-weather waterspout:......Page 22 foreshock:......Page 23 global warming:......Page 24 hair hygrometer:......Page 25 humiture index:......Page 26 intortis:......Page 27 lahar:......Page 28 loose-snow avalanche:......Page 29 Milankovitch theory:......Page 30 NEXRAD:......Page 31 ozone layer:......Page 32 polar easterlies:......Page 33 radar:......Page 34 ridge:......Page 35 semipermanent highs and lows:......Page 36 smokejumper:......Page 37 subsidence:......Page 38 tornadic waterspout:......Page 39 tropopause:......Page 40 upwelling:......Page 41 waterspout:......Page 42 wind turbine:......Page 43 windward:......Page 44 It starts with the Sun......Page 45 Try this: How the seasons change......Page 46 Heat and temperature......Page 49 Who’s who: Joseph Black......Page 50 The atmosphere: Where weather occurs......Page 52 Who’s who: Antoine Lavoisier......Page 53 Who’s who: John Dalton......Page 54 A key reference to: Laws of air pressure......Page 55 Who’s who: Blaise Pascal......Page 56 Wind: Air in motion......Page 57 A key reference to: How the horse latitudes and doldrums got their names......Page 61 Air masses......Page 66 Fronts: Where the action is......Page 69 What is a storm?......Page 71 Water in the air......Page 75 Akeyreferenceto:Whyyoufeel cooler after a shower......Page 76 A key reference to: Why people use humidifiers and dehumidifiers......Page 77 Condensation......Page 78 Weather report: Supercooled water......Page 79 Cloud formation......Page 82 Clouds and precipitation......Page 88 Who’s who: Alfred Wegener......Page 90 Land and weather......Page 92 Oceans and weather......Page 94 For More Information......Page 99 Climate......Page 101 A key reference to: Climate types (hot/wet to cold/dry)......Page 108 What to watch......Page 125 Weather report: Emperor penguins......Page 127 A key reference to: Climates of the United States......Page 130 Who’s who: Jean Louis Agassiz, discoverer of ice ages......Page 132 Experiment: Create a weather ‘‘log’’......Page 149 Cloud classification systems......Page 151 Experiment: Make a cloud in a bottle......Page 154 Middle clouds......Page 156 High clouds......Page 158 Vertical clouds......Page 162 Variations in cloud base heights......Page 166 Cloud species......Page 167 A key reference to: Learning to identify clouds......Page 168 Unusual clouds......Page 170 Cloud identification and forecasting......Page 175 Weather report: Keep a cloud journal......Page 179 Precipitation......Page 181 Weather report: The shape of a raindrop......Page 183 A key reference to: Measuring the intensity of rainfall......Page 186 Weather report: Rainmaking......Page 188 Weather report: Ice and aircraft......Page 190 Question: Why do we salt icy roads?......Page 192 Can two snowflakes be alike?......Page 195 Weather report: Lake-effect snow......Page 196 A key reference to: Winter storm alerts and safety procedures......Page 198 Weather report: Snow rollers......Page 199 Weather report: Hail alley......Page 201 For More Information......Page 202 The Mount Huascara´ n avalanche of 1962......Page 205 Reports from the past: Ancient avalanches......Page 210 Eyewitness report: An English avalanche?......Page 211 Recent events: The 1998–99 Swiss avalanche......Page 213 Watch this: ‘‘Avalanche!’’......Page 214 Aftermath: The effects of avalanches......Page 218 Eyewitness report: The Wellington disaster......Page 219 The human factor......Page 220 Eyewitness report: The Iceman appears......Page 225 Reports from the past: Avalanche casualties in World War I......Page 226 For More Information......Page 227 The blizzard of 1888......Page 229 Recent events: Catastrophic blizzards......Page 233 Dangerous science: How blizzards happen......Page 234 Consequences of blizzards......Page 235 A key reference to: The structure of snowflakes......Page 236 Extreme weather: The New England blizzard of 1978......Page 239 Technology connection......Page 241 Extreme weather: The great Midwest blizzard of 1967......Page 243 Experiment: Freezing salty water......Page 246 Reports from the past: Tragedy at Donner Pass......Page 247 For More Information......Page 249 The African Sahel: Devastated by drought......Page 251 What causes a drought?......Page 257 Question: Is global warming causing droughts?......Page 260 The water cycle......Page 261 Experiment: How rainfall affects soil......Page 263 The human factor......Page 264 Drought in Australia......Page 267 How to survive a heat wave......Page 268 The technology connection......Page 269 For More Information......Page 272 Dust Storm......Page 273 The Dust Bowl......Page 274 Eyewitness report: A first-hand account of the Dust Bowl......Page 280 On the shelf: Dust Bowl migrants immortalized in TheGrapesofWrath......Page 284 Dangerous science: How dust storms happen......Page 286 Consequences of dust storms......Page 288 Dust devils......Page 290 On the shelves: DustBowlDiary......Page 291 Extreme weather: Dust storm accidents......Page 292 For More Information......Page 293 The 1906 San Francisco earthquake......Page 295 Most intense earthquakes in U.S. history......Page 301 Recent events: Catastrophic earthquakes since 2000......Page 302 Dangerous science: What causes earthquakes?......Page 304 Reports from the past: Prehistoric earthquakes point to the future......Page 306 Experiment: Understanding plate tectonics......Page 309 Pre-Renaissance artwork destroyed by earthquakes......Page 311 Kobe earthquake of 1995......Page 312 Turkey’s earthquakes of 1999......Page 314 Earthquakes usher in year 2001......Page 316 Technology connection: Measuring and predicting earthquakes......Page 318 Earthquake rattles Washington State......Page 323 A matter of survival: How can we live through earthquakes?......Page 324 For More Information......Page 326 Defining El Niño......Page 327 The 1997 to 1998 El Niño......Page 328 Weather report: El Niño is hardest on the poor......Page 335 Weather report: United States has typical El Niño winter in 1997-98......Page 336 Dangerous science: What causes an El Niño?......Page 337 Experiment: Measuring atmospheric pressure......Page 341 Who’s who: Jacob Bjerknes and ENSO......Page 342 Who’s who: Sir Gilbert Walker and the Southern Oscillation......Page 343 Weather report: Shifting air pressure patterns in the North Atlantic......Page 344 oandthe anchovy industry......Page 346 A key reference to: How El Niño reaches Africa and India......Page 347 Weather report: El Niño weather around the world......Page 348 The 1982–83 El Niño......Page 350 Did you know: El Niño bleaches coral reefs......Page 354 Orangutans struggle to survive......Page 355 A key reference to: El Niño since 1950......Page 358 Watch this: ‘‘Chasing El Niño"......Page 359 Exploring: Take a virtual cruise on a research ship......Page 362 A key reference to: El Niño warning signs......Page 363 For More Information......Page 364 Coastal floods......Page 365 On the shelves: TheEpicof Gilgamesh......Page 367 River floods and flash floods......Page 368 Watch this: RiverVoices:A PortraitofanAmericanRiver Community.......Page 369 Weather report: Flash flood alerts and safety procedures......Page 370 Did you know? Floods and the spread of disease......Page 372 Extreme weather: Killer flash floods......Page 373 Watch this: TheJohnstown Flood.......Page 374 China’s Joy; China’s Sorrow......Page 375 Did you know? Dams for flood control......Page 376 Floods in popular music......Page 377 Extreme weather: The Grand Forks flood of 1997......Page 378 For More Information......Page 379 Radiation fog......Page 381 Advection fog......Page 383 Experiment: Make fog in a jar......Page 384 Sea fog......Page 385 Weather report: Smothered by sea fog......Page 386 Did you know? Driving in fog......Page 388 Freezing fog......Page 389 Fog stratus......Page 390 For More Information......Page 391 Hurricane......Page 393 Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans, Gulf Coast......Page 394 Weather extremes: The Galveston disaster......Page 397 Recent events: Catastrophic hurricanes since 2000......Page 398 The components and causes of a hurricane......Page 402 Is global warming producing more hurricanes?......Page 403 Weather report: Comparing hurricanes and extratropical storms......Page 406 Interesting facts: ‘‘Hurricane Huron’’......Page 407 Hurricane Linda sets a record......Page 409 Extreme weather: Sea Islands storm......Page 412 Tracking Katrina......Page 416 The effects of hurricanes......Page 418 The human factor......Page 424 The U.S. government’s failed Katrina response......Page 425 Hurricane Andrew: The costliest natural disaster of the twentieth century......Page 428 Watch this: WhentheLevees Broke:ARequieminFourActs......Page 432 For More Information......Page 434 Landslide......Page 435 The Frank slide......Page 437 Recent devastating landslides......Page 441 Mudflows strike southern Italy......Page 442 Experiment: What triggers a landslide?......Page 443 Garbage landslide in the Philippines......Page 447 Sinkholes......Page 450 Consequences of landslides......Page 452 The human factor......Page 453 The Yosemite rockfall......Page 454 Landslides in Southern California......Page 455 World’s deadliest landslide: Gansu, China......Page 456 Housing development collapses in the Philippines......Page 458 For More Information......Page 459 La Niña......Page 461 A cooling of the waters......Page 463 La Niña, El Niño, or normal?......Page 464 La Niña and the jet stream......Page 465 Effects of La Niña......Page 466 The 1998–2000 La Niña......Page 467 A key reference to: The water cycle......Page 468 For More Information......Page 472 Sea and land breezes......Page 475 Mountain and valley breezes......Page 477 Katabatic winds......Page 478 Experiment: How canyons affect wind speed......Page 480 Weather report: Chinooks to remember......Page 482 Weather report: The losing battle against Mother Nature......Page 484 On the shelves: Leaningonthe Wind:UndertheSpellofthe GreatChinook......Page 485 Weather report: Daunting dust devils......Page 490 Weather extremes: The Great Blue Norther of 11/11/11......Page 491 Weather extremes: Ravaging nor’easters......Page 492 Weather extremes: Destructive derechos......Page 493 Weather report: Hot winds and human health......Page 495 Weather extremes: The windiest places in the world......Page 497 Did you know? Snow fences......Page 501 For More Information......Page 502 Bangladesh’s monsoon floods of 1998......Page 503 Experiencing the monsoon: An eyewitness account......Page 510 Dangerous science: Monsoon......Page 512 Experiment: Convection currents in the atmosphere......Page 514 Consequences of monsoons......Page 515 The Arizona monsoon......Page 516 The collapse of the Manchu River Dam......Page 518 Edmund Halley studies monsoons......Page 519 oonIndia’s monsoons......Page 520 For More Information......Page 521 The color of light......Page 523 The scattering of light......Page 525 The refraction of light......Page 528 Experiment: The refraction of light by water......Page 529 Experiment: Create your own green flash......Page 530 Did you know? The origin of Fata Morgana......Page 534 The diffraction of light......Page 539 Experiment: Make your own rainbow......Page 540 The Brocken Spectre......Page 542 For More Information......Page 543 Thunderstorm......Page 545 Evolution of thunderstorms......Page 546 Experiment: Lightning in your mouth......Page 549 Weather report: Where thunderstorms occur......Page 551 Types of thunderstorms......Page 553 Thunderstorm-associated phenomena......Page 560 Weather report: Lightning safety......Page 561 Who’s who: Benjamin Franklin......Page 562 Weather report: The color of lightning......Page 567 How close is a thunderstorm?......Page 569 Weather report: Lightning rods......Page 571 Red sprites, blue jets, and elves......Page 572 Who’s who: Tetsuya Theodore Fujita......Page 574 For More Information......Page 576 Tornado......Page 577 Tri-state tornado delivers death and destruction......Page 578 Eyewitness account of destruction in Murphysboro......Page 582 TheOklahomaCitytwisterof1999......Page 584 Dangerous science: How tornadoes form......Page 586 The Fujita scale of tornado intensity......Page 588 Life cycles of tornadoes......Page 591 An eyewitness account of a tornado......Page 593 Who’s who: Howard Bluestein and the Storm Chasers......Page 594 Waterspouts......Page 596 The human factor......Page 597 Weather report: Exploding chicken feathers......Page 598 Tornado destroys Jarrell, Texas......Page 599 Lax mobile home regulations in Florida......Page 600 Experiment: Tornado in a bottle......Page 601 Killer tornadoes in Bangladesh......Page 602 NOAA Weather Radio......Page 604 A matter of survival......Page 605 How to tell when a tornado is coming......Page 606 For More Information......Page 607 Tsunami......Page 609 Tsunami devastates Papua New Guinea......Page 610 The Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004......Page 615 Dangerous science: How tsunamis happen......Page 616 Tsunami in Hilo, Hawaii......Page 618 Consequences of tsunamis......Page 621 Sanriku, Japan, socked by tsunamis......Page 622 The technology connection......Page 623 Japanese tale recounts Shimoda tsunami......Page 626 Amatterofsurvival......Page 627 Notable tsunamis in history......Page 628 For More Information......Page 629 Volcano......Page 631 The eruption of Mount St. Helens......Page 632 Famous volcano eruptions......Page 635 Mount Vesuvius: Destruction preserved......Page 638 The legend of Atlantis......Page 640 On the shelves: FireintheSea......Page 641 Volcanoes in the United States......Page 648 Consequences of volcanic eruptions......Page 649 Technology connection......Page 654 Amatterofsurvival......Page 657 Bizarre lava formations......Page 658 For More Information......Page 659 Wildfire......Page 661 Notes of a Montana resident during fire season......Page 664 The Peshtigo fire......Page 674 Dangerous science: How wildfires happen......Page 675 Consequences of wildfires......Page 683 A possible connection between wildfires and global warming......Page 685 The Yellowstone fires......Page 686 Fighting fires: The technology connection......Page 688 Fire-fighting planes......Page 691 Shelters save firefighters’ lives......Page 694 Smokey Bear......Page 695 For More Information......Page 696 What is a forecast?......Page 699 Who’s Who: Hurd Willett......Page 704 Chaos theory and butterfly effect......Page 707 What can be forecast and when?......Page 708 A key reference to: Fahrenheit and Celsius scales......Page 712 Experiment: Make your own paper hygrometer......Page 720 Air pressure can be described in units of length or pressure......Page 722 Akeyreferenceto:TheBeaufort scale......Page 730 State-of-the-art forecasting equipment......Page 733 Who’s who: Tom Kudloo, aerologist......Page 735 Who’s who: Lewis Fry Richardson, forecaster by the numbers......Page 747 Akeyreferenceto:Thehumiture index......Page 751 Forecasting in the media......Page 757 Weather report: Wooly Lamb— the first weather reporter......Page 759 A key reference to: The marvelous chroma key......Page 760 Using forecasts......Page 763 The future of forecasting......Page 765 Weather report: Marine forecast......Page 766 For More Information......Page 768 Elements of Climate......Page 771 History of Climate Change......Page 774 Comets......Page 775 Reasons for Climate Change......Page 780 Ways to Measure Climate Change......Page 790 Global warming......Page 794 Watch this: AnInconvenient Truth......Page 795 Why melting icebergs don’t contribute to rising sea levels......Page 802 Antarctic penguin species declining......Page 807 Global warming and the United States......Page 809 The future of global warming......Page 811 For More Information......Page 812 Air pollution......Page 815 What level is healthy?......Page 827 Even natural areas suffer from smog......Page 829 Ways You Can Reduce Smog......Page 830 What do lawn mowers and airplanes have in common?......Page 831 Acid rain......Page 832 Clean Air Act takes aim at acid rain......Page 835 Trout streams suffering in Virginia......Page 836 How acidic is acid rain?......Page 837 Experiment: Testing for Acid Rain......Page 838 The global warming/ozone thinning connection......Page 842 Environmentally friendly sources of power......Page 843 Environmental concerns about electric and hybrid cars......Page 846 Biodiesel......Page 847 Jump on the solar power bandwagon!......Page 851 Saving the planet......Page 855 A matter of survival......Page 856 Books......Page 857 Periodicals......Page 861 Web Sites......Page 866 A......Page 870 B......Page 873 C......Page 875 D......Page 879 E......Page 881 F......Page 884 G......Page 886 H......Page 888 I......Page 890 K......Page 891 L......Page 892 M......Page 894 N......Page 896 P......Page 898 R......Page 901 S......Page 903 T......Page 907 U......Page 910 W......Page 911 Y,Z......Page 914 5 vols. Contents: Vol. 1 Understanding weather and climate. Vol. 2 Avalanche to El Nio. Vol. 3 Flood to monsoon. Vol. 4 Optical effects to wildfire. Vol. 5 Humans, weather, and natural disasters. Introduces students to the topic of weather and natural disasters while delving into the scientific aspects of various types of disasters including: blizzards, earthquakes, flooding, tornadoes, volcanoes, and wildfires. Attention is given to recent natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina, the Indian Ocean tsunami, and the Philippine mud slide. The set is made up of five volumes. The first volume consists of a weather overview, covering such topics as weather basics, weather phenomena, forecasting, and climate. The second, third, and fourth volumes encompass weather and natural disasters from A to Z with fascinating glimpses into the science behind each type of disaster, interesting facts and figures, and first-hand accounts of destruction, rescue and reconstruction. Volume 5 covers accounts of the effect of human activities on the weather and advances in new technology. Features include approximately 300 full-color photos, illustrations, and maps; timeline; "Words to Know"; chronology; and a cumulative index.