文档介绍：Principles of ary Climate
R. T. Pierrehumbert
November 11, 2009
Preface
When es to understanding the why’s and wherefores of climate, there is an infinite amount
one needs to know, but life affords only a finite time in which to learn it; the time available before
one’s fellowship runs out and a PhD thesis must be produced affords still less. Inevitably, the
student who wishes to get launched on significant interdisciplinary problems must begin with a
somewhat hazy sketch of the relevant physics, and fill in the gaps as time goes on. It is a lifelong
process. This book is an attempt to provide the student with a sturdy scaffolding upon which a
deeper understanding may be hung later.
The climate system is made up of building blocks which in themselves are based on el-
ementary physical principles, but which have surprising and profound collective behavior when
allowed to interact on the ary scale. In this sense, the ”climate game” is rather like the game
of Go, where interesting structure emerges from the interaction of simple rules on a big playing
field, rather plexity in the rules themselves. This book is intended to provide a rapid
entr´eeinto this fascinating universe of problems for the student who is already somewhat literate
in physics and mathematics, but who has not had any previous experience with climate problems.
The subject matter of each individual chapter could easily fill a textbook many times over, but
even the abbreviated treatment given here provides enough core material for the student to begin
treating original questions in the physics of climate.
The Earth provides our best-observed example of a ary climate, and so it is inevitable
that any discussion of ary climate will draw heavily on things that can be learned from study
of the Earth’s climate system. heless, the anizing principle is the manner in which
the interplay of the same basic set of physical building-blocks gives rise to the diverse climates of
present, past and