Cover image for Atmospheric thermodynamics : elementary physics and chemistry
Title:
Atmospheric thermodynamics : elementary physics and chemistry
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Publication Information:
Cambridge, UK : Camridge Univ Pr., 2009
Physical Description:
xi, 267 p. : ill. ; 26 cm.
ISBN:
9780521899635
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30000010209864 QC880.4.T5 N67 2009 Open Access Book Book
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Summary

Summary

This textbook presents a uniquely integrated approach in linking both physics and chemistry to the study of atmospheric thermodynamics. The book explains the classical laws of thermodynamics, focuses on various fluid systems, and, recognising the increasing importance of chemistry in the meteorological and climate sciences, devotes a chapter to chemical thermodynamics which includes an overview of photochemistry. Although students are expected to have some background knowledge of calculus, general chemistry and classical physics, the book provides set-aside refresher boxes as useful reminders. It contains over 100 diagrams and graphs to supplement the discussions, and a similar number of worked examples and exercises, with solutions included at the end of the book. It is ideal for a single-semester advanced course on atmospheric thermodynamics, and will prepare students for higher-level synoptic and dynamics courses.


Author Notes

Gerald R. North received a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Wisconsin in 1966, and has been a Distinguished Professor of Atmospheric Sciences at Texas AM University for over 20 years. His notable research career includes receiving the Outstanding Publication Award, National Center for Atmospheric Research in 1975, the Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal for NASA in 1983, and the Jule G. Charney Award from the American Meteorological Society in 2008.
Tatiana L. Erukhimova received a Ph.D. in Physics from the Institute of Applied Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, in 1999, and is now a Lecturer in the Department of Physics at Texas AM University. Her areas of research include large-scale and mesoscale atmospheric transport and mixing, atmospheric wave dynamics, atmospheric ozone, and remote sensing.


Table of Contents

Prefacep. xi
1 Introductory conceptsp. 1
1.1 Unitsp. 2
1.2 Earth, weight and massp. 3
1.3 Systems and equilibriump. 7
1.4 Constraintsp. 12
1.5 Intensive and extensive quantitiesp. 13
1.6 System boundariesp. 14
1.7 Thermodynamics and atmospheric sciencep. 16
Notesp. 17
Notation and abbreviationsp. 18
Problemsp. 18
2 Gasesp. 20
2.1 Ideal gas basicsp. 20
2.2 Distribution of velocitiesp. 29
2.3 Flux of molecules striking a wallp. 35
2.4 Moles, etc.p. 36
2.5 Dalton's Lawp. 39
Notesp. 41
Notation and abbreviationsp. 41
Problemsp. 42
3 The First Law of Thermodynamicsp. 44
3.1 Reversible and irreversible workp. 47
3.2 Heating a systemp. 48
3.3 Ideal gas resultsp. 51
3.4 Enthalpyp. 61
3.5 Standard enthalpy of fusion and vaporizationp. 63
Notesp. 65
Notation and abbreviationsp. 65
Problemsp. 66
4 The Second Law of Thermodynamicsp. 69
4.1 Entropyp. 73
4.2 The Second Law of Thermodynamicsp. 76
4.3 Systems and reversibilityp. 77
4.4 Additivity of entropyp. 78
4.5 Extremum principlep. 82
4.6 Entropy summaryp. 87
4.7 Criteria for equilibriump. 88
4.8 Gibbs energyp. 89
4.9 Multiple componentsp. 93
Notesp. 95
Notation and abbreviationsp. 96
Problemsp. 96
5 Air and waterp. 99
5.1 Vapor pressurep. 99
5.2 Saturation vapor pressurep. 102
5.3 Van der Waals equationp. 103
5.4 Multiple phase systemsp. 105
5.5 Phase boundariesp. 107
5.6 Clausius-Clapeyron equationp. 109
5.7 Integration of the Clausius-Clapeyron equationp. 110
5.8 Mixing air and waterp. 112
5.9 Wet-bulb temperature, LCLp. 117
5.10 Equilibrium vapor pressure over a curved surfacep. 121
5.11 Isobaric mixing of air parcelsp. 130
Notesp. 131
Notation and abbreviationsp. 131
Problemsp. 132
6 Profiles of the atmospherep. 134
6.1 Pressure versus heightp. 134
6.2 Slope of the dry adiabatp. 138
6.3 Geopotential height and thicknessp. 141
6.4 Archimedes' Principlep. 143
6.5 Stabilityp. 145
6.6 Vertical oscillationsp. 147
6.7 Where is the LCL?p. 149
6.8 Slope of a moist adiabatp. 152
6.9 Lifting moist airp. 154
6.10 Moist static energyp. 158
6.11 Profiles of well-mixed layersp. 158
Notesp. 161
Notation and abbreviationsp. 161
Problemsp. 162
7 Thermodynamic chartsp. 163
7.1 Areas and energyp. 164
7.2 Skew T diagramp. 166
7.3 Chart exercisesp. 170
7.4 Stability problem: example soundingp. 178
7.5 Convective available potential energy (CAPE)p. 181
Notation and abbreviationsp. 186
Problemsp. 186
8 Thermochemistryp. 191
8.1 Standard enthalpy of formationp. 192
8.2 Photochemistryp. 194
8.3 Gibbs energy for chemical reactionsp. 199
8.4 Elementary kineticsp. 201
8.5 Equilibrium constantp. 206
8.6 Solutionsp. 211
Notesp. 217
Notation and abbreviationsp. 217
Problemsp. 218
9 The Thermodynamic equationp. 220
9.1 Scalar and vector fieldsp. 225
9.2 Pressure gradient forcep. 228
9.3 Surface integrals and fluxp. 230
9.4 Conduction of heatp. 232
9.5 Two-dimensional divergencep. 234
9.6 Three-dimensional divergencep. 237
9.7 Divergence theoremp. 239
9.8 Continuity equationp. 240
9.9 Material derivativep. 242
9.10 Thermodynamic equationp. 243
9.11 Potential temperature formp. 245
9.12 Contributions to DQ$$/Dtp. 245
Notesp. 246
Notation and abbreviationsp. 246
Problemsp. 247
Appendix A Units and numerical values of constantsp. 249
Appendix B Notation and abbreviationsp. 252
Appendix C Answers for selected problemsp. 258
Bibliographyp. 263
Indexp. 265