Fundamentals of Numerical Weather Prediction
Numerical models have become essential tools in environmental science, particularly in weather forecasting and climate prediction. This book provides a comprehensive overview of the techniques used in these fields, with emphasis on the design of the most recent numerical models of the atmosphere. It presents a short history of numerical weather prediction and its evolution, before describing the various model equations and how to solve them numerically. It outlines the main elements of a meteorological forecast suite, and the theory is illustrated throughout with practical examples of operational models and parameterizations of physical processes.
This book is founded on the author's many years of experience, as a scientist at Météo-France and teaching university-level courses. It is a practical and accessible textbook for graduate courses and a handy resource for researchers and professionals in atmospheric physics, meteorology and climatology, as well as the related disciplines of fluid dynamics, hydrology and oceanography.
- Provides step-by-step explanations for realistic design of models of the atmosphere, enabling students to quickly gain necessary skills and put them into practice
- Includes an appendix devoted to two different, modern, non-hydrostatic models (AROME and WRF/ARW), providing cutting-edge methods for mesoscale forecasting
- Contains an extensive reading list enabling students to further explore the subjects covered in the book
Reviews & endorsements
"The present book is a good and very useful review of techniques and methods..provides interesting historical information...clearly organized, well written, and beautifully illustrated...There is also much to find, learn, and enjoy in this book for specialists in fluid dynamics, meteorologists, applied mathematicians, and other researchers interested in this area." - Yuri N. Skiba, Mathematical Reviews
"The topic is treated in full mathematical detail on the advanced undergraduate level and above…The text is clearly written and the line of thought is easy to follow…This book deserves a recommendation both for advanced students of meteorology and as a reference for experts in the field." - Manuel Vogel, Contemporary Physics
Product details
March 2012Adobe eBook Reader
9781139180863
0 pages
0kg
75 b/w illus. 3 tables
This ISBN is for an eBook version which is distributed on our behalf by a third party.
Table of Contents
- Foreword to the French edition
- Foreword to the English edition
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- List of symbols
- 1. Half a century of numerical weather prediction
- 2. Weather prediction equations
- 3. Finite differences
- 4. Spectral methods
- 5. The effects of discretization
- 6. Barotropic models
- 7. Baroclinic model equations
- 8. Some baroclinic models
- 9. Physical parameterizations
- 10. Operational forecasting
- Appendix A. Examples of non-hydrostatic models
- Further reading
- References
- Index.