Snow and climate: physical processes, surface energy exchange and modeling

The extent and variability of seasonal snow cover are important parameters inthe climate system, due to their effects on energy and moisture budgets, and because surface temperature is highly dependent on snow cover. In turn, snow cover trends serve as key indicators of climate change. Many distinct techniques have become available to study snow-climate relationships. Satellites provided the first capability for monitoring snow cover extent at continental and hemispheric scales, and there have been rapid advances in snow modeling physics to represent snow cover and snow processes in Global Climate Models (GCMs). These advances have changed the way we look at snow cover. The main goal of thisbook is to provide a synthesis of the prevailing state of snow-climate science that reflects this distinct perspective. This volume provides an excellent synthesis for researchers and advanced students. INDICE: Preface; Acknowledgements; 1. Introduction Richard L. Armstrong and Ross Brown; 2. Physical processes within the snow cover and their parameterization Rachel E. Jordan, Mary Remley, Albert and Eric Brun; 3. Snow-atmosphereenergy and mass balance John C. King, John W. Pomeroy, Donald M. Gray, Charles Fierz, Richard J. Harding, Rachel E. Jordan, Christian Plüss, Paul M. B. Föhn and Eric Martin; 4. Snow cover parameterizations and modeling Eric Brun, Zong-Liang Yang, Richard Essery and Judah Cohen; 5. Snow cover data: Sources and products Ross Brown and Richard L. Armstrong; Index.

• ISBN: 978-0-521-13065-3
• Editorial: Cambridge University Press
• Encuadernacion: Rústica
• Páginas: 256
• Fecha Publicación: 11/03/2010
• Nº Volúmenes: 1
• Idioma: Inglés