A Short Course in Cloud Physics, Third Edition (International Series in Natural Philosophy) [Paperback]

M K Yau (Author), R R Rogers (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0750632151 | ISBN-13: 978-0750632157 | Publication Date: January 15, 1989 | Edition: 3

Covers essential parts of cloud and precipitation physics and has been extensively rewritten with over 60 new illustrations and many new and up to date references. Many current topics are covered such as mesoscale meteorology, radar cloud studies and numerical cloud modelling, and topics from the second edition, such as severe storms, precipitation processes and large scale aspects of cloud physics, have been revised. Problems are included as examples and to supplement the text.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'I strongly endorse its use as a text book for Undergraduate Seniors and beginning Graduate Students'
Dr V K Saxena, Professor of Meteorology
NC State University, USA

From the Publisher

The aim of this extensively revised and updated book is to survey, in a short volume, the essential parts of cloud and precipitation physics. The early chapters review atmospheric thermodynamics, providing a background for understanding the nucleation of water drops and ice crystals, their growth, and the development of precipitation. Topics from the second edition that are central to cloud physics, such as severe storms, have been expanded. The book introduces subjects of current interest, including cloud modeling, radar cloud studies, and mesoscale meteorology, and contains a new chapter on observed prioperties of clouds. Problems are included as examples and to supplement the text, and the book is illustrated fully throughout.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Butterworth-Heinemann; 3 edition (January 15, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0750632151
• ISBN-13: 978-0750632157
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #283,888 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good introductory book on cloud physics, April 22, 2003

By 

"lazure" (Cambridge, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Short Course in Cloud Physics (Monographs in Natural Philosophy) (Hardcover)

There are very few stand-alone cloud physics text books on the market. More often than not only a chapter is devoted to clouds in a general atmospheric sciences text book, which grossly neglects the complexity of the subject. Fortunately this one does provide a terrific introduction for students/researchers in atmospheric sciences/physics/engineering who want to learn more about clouds. Basic concepts are presented in a consice but often mathy way. Sometimes the empirical equations can throw the readers off a bit. Unfortunately these catches are almost inevitable in cloud physics.

A great merit of this book is its size. A well-designed undergraduate course can definitely go through most of the topics. At the same time there is enough detailed information that the interested instructors and students can develop term projects or simple models using the book as a reference. In all I highly recommend this text as an introduction to cloud physics. Advanced researchers in the field, however, will need a more extensive reference, such as Pruppacher and Klett.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Textbook, January 28, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: A Short Course in Cloud Physics, Third Edition (International Series in Natural Philosophy) (Paperback)

This book provides a nice introduction to the physics involved with clouds. It is fairly heavy on the math in some chapters and more descriptive in others. It also provides mathematical and descriptive definitions for many common meteorology terms. The problems at the end of the chapters are challenging. The example problems in the text are too few and too simple to allow the concepts to be easily applied in the problems at the end of the chapters, however, all of the neccesary information is present. Overall the book is very helpful.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best introductory text on cloud physics, March 15, 2003

By 

Walter Reade (Appleton, WI United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Short Course in Cloud Physics, Third Edition (International Series on Nuclear Energy) (Paperback)

As an engineer trying to come up to speed on cloud physics, this book was absolutely essential. It covers essentials such as the thermodynamics of dry air, water vapor and its thermodynamic effects, parcel buoyancy and atmospheric stability, mixing and convection, observed properties of clouds, formation of cloud droplets, droplet growth by condensation, initiation of rain in nonfreezing clouds, formation and growth of ice crystals, rain and snow, weather radar, precipitation processes, severe storms and hail, weather modification, and numerical weather models.

This is the best introductory text one can buy.