Sanchez-Lavega An Introduction to Planetary Atmospheres

1. Auflage 2010
ISBN: 978-1-4398-9466-8
Verlag: Taylor & Francis
Format: PDF
Kopierschutz: Adobe DRM (»Systemvoraussetzungen)

E-Book, Englisch, 629 Seiten

Planetary atmospheres is a relatively new, interdisciplinary subject that incorporates various areas of the physical and chemical sciences, including geophysics, geophysical fluid dynamics, atmospheric science, astronomy, and astrophysics. Providing a much-needed resource for this cross-disciplinary field, An Introduction to Planetary Atmospheres presents current knowledge on atmospheres and the fundamental mechanisms operating on them. The author treats the topics in a comparative manner among the different solar system bodies—what is known as comparative planetology.

Based on an established course, this comprehensive text covers a panorama of solar system bodies and their relevant general properties. It explores the origin and evolution of atmospheres, along with their chemical composition and thermal structure. It also describes cloud formation and properties, mechanisms in thin and upper atmospheres, and meteorology and dynamics. Each chapter focuses on these atmospheric topics in the way classically done for the Earth’s atmosphere and summarizes the most important aspects in the field.

The study of planetary atmospheres is fundamental to understanding the origin of the solar system, the formation mechanisms of planets and satellites, and the day-to-day behavior and evolution of Earth’s atmosphere. With many interesting real-world examples, this book offers a unified vision of the chemical and physical processes occurring in planetary atmospheres. Ancillaries are available at www.ajax.ehu.es/planetary_atmospheres/

Autoren/Hrsg.

Sanchez-Lavega, Agustin

Fachgebiete

• Geowissenschaften Geologie Geophysik
• Naturwissenschaften Physik Angewandte Physik Astrophysik
• Geowissenschaften Geologie Geologie

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Introduction to Planets and Planetary Systems
Planetary Systems
Orbital Motion
Gravitational Field and the Shape of Planets and Major Satellites
Primary Energy Sources on Planets
Internal Structure of Planets and Satellites
The Magnetic Field
Planetodiversity

Origin and Evolution of Planetary Atmospheres
Origin of the Solar System
Thermal Evolution of the Planets
Origin of Planetary Atmospheres
Atmospheric Evolution Processes
Variability of the Earth’s Atmosphere
Observed Atmospheric Changes in Other Planets

Spectroscopy and Composition
Atmospheric Composition: Fundamentals
Planetary Spectrum: The Continuum
Atomic Spectrum
Molecular Spectrum
Atmospheric Composition Definitions

Vertical Temperature Structure
Vertical Structure of the Atmospheres
Radiative Transfer
Radiative Equilibrium in Atmospheres
Thermal Tides: Temperature Oscillations
Adiabatic Lapse Rate
Appendix

Clouds in Planets
Chemistry and Surface Processes
Clouds Properties
Microphysics
Radiative Transfer in Clouds
Observed Cloud Properties: Overview

Upper and Tenuous Atmospheres
Upper Atmospheres: Introduction
Photochemistry
Photoionization: Ionospheres
Upper Atmospheres Heating Balance
Diffusion Processes
Airglow and Aurora
Gas Production Mechanisms in Tenuous Atmospheres
Overview of the Tenuous Atmospheres

Global Atmospheric Motions
Equations of Atmospheric Motions
Momentum Equation: Balances
Vorticity
The Planetary Boundary Layer and Turbulent Motions
Observed Large-Scale Motions in the Planets
The General Circulation of Planetary Atmospheres

Atmospheric Dynamics-I: Waves
Wave Characteristics
Acoustic Waves
Gravity Waves
Rossby Waves
Planetary-Scale Equatorial Waves
Thermal Tides: Dynamics
QBO-QQO and SAO Oscillations
Atmospheric Dynamics-II: Instability
Scales of Motion and Dimensionless Numbers
Vertical Instability: Convective Motions
Hydrodynamical Instability: Vortices
Types of Hydrodynamical Instabilities
Vortices in the Giant Planets
Other Dynamical Phenomena
Polar Dynamics
Atmospheric Effects of the Impact of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 with Jupiter
The July 19th 2009 Impact
Appendix: Methods to Study Planetary Atmospheres
Bibliography
References
Index
Problems appear at the end of each chapter.