Paleoclimatology (Series on Geology and Geophysics, No. 18) [Paperback]

Thomas J. Crowley (Author), Gerald R. North (Author)

Book Description

Series: Series on Geology and Geophysics, No. 18 | Publication Date: April 4, 1996

Paleoclimatology is a review of the history of the Earth's climate from the time of its formation four-and-a-half billion years ago to the present. The field, according to John Imbrie, a leading paleontologist at Brown University, is "ripe for synthesis," with broad implications in geology, geophysics, geochemistry, oceanography, and the atmospheric sciences. This book addresses several topics rarely discussed in paleoclimate summaries, including the modeling of Paleozoic climates and the environmental consequences of asteroid impacts. In addition, the book identifies areas for future research and offers a frame of reference for interpreting the likely consequences of greenhouse warming. A new chapter has been added updating the information since 1991.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The Oxford volume is a readable and instructive monograph, technically temperate enough for serious readers in the sciences. Its authors, who provide an overview of geologic time, are two productive contributors to climate research."--Scientific American

"Admirably fills a major gap in paleoclimate reference and teaching material....The strong points of the text are a balance between observations and modeling, and a strong emphasis on the important problems being investigated in earth history. Paleoclimatology clearly transmits the importance of the subject area and the tremendous advances in the field. The book is well-written and well-illustrated."--Economic Geology

"An authoritative and lucid review of diverse material...The book is illustrated generously and well, which with the authors' easily flowing writing style makes it rewarding to the browser and keeps it interesting for those searching for a deeper understanding....Complete enough to be both a standard reference for an audience ranging from researchers and students to environmental planners, and an excellent source for science communicators."--Nature

"Well-written!"--Choice

"Contains an exhaustive overview of past earth climates...There is no shortage of potential Ph.D. dissertation topics here; a beginning graduate student could not ask for a better road map. Let a thousand dissertations blossom."--PAGEOPH

"A very complete and up-to-date account of the whole field of paleoclimatology....Altogether a well produced and very scholarly volume highly recommeneded to serious students and researchers in the many disciplines which impinge on the general subject of paleoclimatology." --Weather

"This book fills a very important gap in the literature in providing a comprehensive review of quantitative paleoclimatology. It provides the background knowledge that should be available to all who are involved in teaching historical geology. It belongs on the book shelf of all who are dealing with climates of the earth's past and who are concerned with future climate change."--Journal of Geological Education

"A comprehensive sythesis of results and paleoclimatic interpretations derived from both observational and modeling studies on the subject. Crowley and North combine available data and modeling results to leave the reader with an image of shifting paleocontinents and an understanding of the processes leading to changing oceanic current systems and continental climate patterns over the past billion years. The success of this effort is in part due to the extensive series of citations included with each subject, for further reading. The resulting bibliographic section is in itself an invaluable resource. As a summary of the current status of the field, Paleoclimatology fills a critical gap in the scientific literature. Researchers and educators will find the text is comprehensive and easily read. It should serve as a valuable desk reference and a text suitable for graduate or upper-undergraduate-level courses."--GSA Today (Geological Society of America)

"Crowley and North bring authoritative insight to this volume. The text is usefully complemented by over 200 line drawings and about 1300 references." --Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta

"Very timely...up-to-date, scholarly synthesis of the major aspects of the processes governing the interaction of the atmosphere and the ocean...extensively illustrated and referenced."--American Scientist

About the Author

Thomas J. Crowley is at Texas AandM University. Gerald R. North is at Texas AandM University.

Product Details

• Paperback: 360 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (April 4, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195105338
• ISBN-13: 978-0195105339
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,503,797 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Introduction, February 6, 2007

By 

H. J. Fiander "Toby Fiander" (Sydney, Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Paleoclimatology (Series on Geology and Geophysics, No. 18) (Paperback)

I have practised in hydrology for about 30years. I am now seeking to expand my horizons into paleohydrology and fluvial geomorphology in Australia. I have found Crowley's work erudite yet detailed and a good background for study. I have it on my shelf, and more than once in the recent past I have pulled it down to remind me what it says about the period I am working on. It is also a work I found I could read as a discussion of the subject. I think there are many who will find it useful as I do.