1st Edition

Introduction to Environmental Physics Planet Earth, Life and Climate

By Peter Hughes, N.J. Mason Copyright 2001
    384 Pages
    by CRC Press

    The changing climate and its affect on all of us is becoming increasingly apparent - ozone depletion, hurricanes, floods and extreme weather behaviour. Introduction to Environmental Physics challenges the way we think about how and why environmental change occurs.
    This authoritative book aims to cover some of the more common and popular topics addressed in "physics of the earth", "physics of the environment" and "environmental physics" courses. It provides an essentially non- mathematical treatment suitable for a first year undergraduate level course. The principle topics covered are the physics of the built environment, the physics of human survival, energy for living, environmental health, revealing the planet, the sun and the atmosphere, the biosphere, the global climate and climate change.
    With contributions from well-respected experts on the subject, this textbook contains a summary, references and questions at the end of each chapter. This is an ideal textbook for first year undergraduates in a variety of courses, particularly physical geography, physics, environmental and earth science, with worked examples illustrating principles and vignettes from scientists who have made a significant contribution to the field enlightening the student along the way.
    As the authors say in the preface to this book, "At the outset of the 21st century there are many environmental challenges to be wrestled with, and though the environment is changing, the Physics is not!"

    1. Introduction: Environmental Physics - Processes and Issues 2. The Human Environment 3. The Built Environment 4. The Urban Environment 5. Energy for Living 6. Revealing the Planet 7. The Sun and the Atmosphere 8. Observing the Earth's Weather and Cloud Physics 9. Global Weather Patterns and Climate 10. Physics and Soils 11. Vegetation Growth and Carbon Balance 12. Environmental Issues for the 21st Century

    Biography

    N.J. Mason, Peter Hughes

    '...offers a good introduction to the wide range of issues with which environmental physics is concerned' - E.G. Youngs at European Journal of Soil Science