Meteorology Book

METEOROLOGY by DAVID BRUNT Sc. D., F. R. S., Professor of Meteorology Imperial College of Science and Technology University of London LONDON OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS HUMPHREY MILFORD PREFACE THIS book aims at giving a brief sketch of the physicarprinciples underlying the phenomena which constitute weather, in so far as this is possible without mathematical analysis. The reader will find in it no attempt at laying down rules for forecasting the weather. This omission is intentional. The author is of 3mjiion that the adequate discussion of the principles and methods of forecasting would double the size of the book. Any short treatment of so difficult a question would give a misleading appearance of definiteness to this aspect of meteorology. A brief resume of the historical development of meteorology has been given in Chapter I, largely with a view to showing that the scientific treatment of the subject is of recent growth. Throughout the book an effort has been made to deal with the various problems in as simple a manner as possible, but the author is aware that this cannot always be successful. Meteor ology makes use of most branches of physical science, and certain portions of the subject, involving technical concepts, cannot be discussed in a non-technical manner without intoler able circumlocution. I have to acknowledge my indebtedness to Mr. G. A. Clarke, Aberdeen, for the four cloud photographs reproduced in Figures 8, 9, 15, and 17 to the Royal Meteorological Society for permission to reproduce the lightning photographs in Figures I and 19 to the Controller of H. M. Stationery Office for permission to reproduce the Daily Weather Reports in Figures 12 and 13 and to the Director of the Meteorological Office for permission to reproduce from official records the charts in Figures 2, 3, and 14. I am much indebted to Major A. R. Low, Librarian, Air Ministry, and to my colleagues Captain L. G. Garbett, R. N., and Mr. H. L. B. Tarrant, who have read the book in manu script or proof, and have helped to remove a number of obscurities. ac CO 1 p 4 O 52 O 13 CONTENTS I. Mainly Historical . . . , .5 II. The Atmosphere its Constitution and some of its Physical Properties . . . 1 1 III. The Standard Meteorological Observations and their Use ...... 16 IV. The Idea of a General Circulation of the Atmosphere 25 V. Solar Radiation and its Reception in the Atmosphere 36 VI. The Variation of Temperature in the Atmosphere and some of its Physical Effects . . .45 VII. The Weather Map . . . .63 VIII. Theories . of the Origin of Cyclonic Depressions . 78 IX. Other Travelling Disturbances in the Atmosphere . 85 X. Thunderstorms ..... 92 XT. Some further Notes on the Circulation of the Atmo sphere . . . . . 101 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 1. Lightning flashes ..... Frontispiece 2. Autographic records of Wind Velocity and Wind Direction at Spurn Head 31 March-i April 1925 . . . facing page 16 3. Autographic records of Wind Velocity, Wind Direction, Tempera ture, Rainfall and Pressure at Eskdalemuir 31 March 1925 . facing page 20 4. Isobars of Mean Pressure for January . . p a S e 2 7 5. Isobars of Mean Pressure for July . . . page 29 6. Isotherms of Mean Temperature for January . . page 31 7. Isotherms of Mean Temperature for July . . p a g e 33 8. Cirrus Cloud . . . . . facing page 42 9. Cumulus Clouds . facing page 48 10. Some specimen Lapse-rates, with arrows indicating the directions of Transfer of Heat by Turbulence vide p. 55 page 51 11. Diagram illustrating the formation of land and sea breezes page 61 12. The Depression of I April 1927 . . . p a g e 65 13. The Anticyclone of I May 1927 . . . page 67 14. A depression showing a strongly marked Polar Front, the Rain Area being shown shaded .... P a S e 7 15. Cirro-Cumulus Cloud .... facing page 74 1 6. Stages in the development of a depression at the boundary between warm and cold currents .... page 83 17. Cumulo-Nimbus Cloud, with Nimbus Cloud on lower left-hand side of the photograph ......Read More