This book provides an updated overview of the processes determining the influence of solar forcing on climate. It discusses in particular the most recent developments regarding the role of aerosols in the climate system and the new insights that could be gained from the investigation of terrestrial climate analogues. The book’s structure mirrors that of the ISSI workshop held in Bern in June 2005.

The circumstances that will shape the long-term future of our planet will be constrained by what is physically possible and what is not. This full color book provides a quantitative view of our civilization over the next 100,000 years, in comparison to the 40-60,000 years it took for modern humans to emerge from Africa, on the basis of contemporary scientific and technological knowledge. The evolution of the Earth’s atmosphere and the origin of water are highlighted as the most important factors for the emergence and the development of life. The authors consider both cosmic and natural hazards, pointing out that scientific information provided by satellites and communication systems on the ground could prevent many unnecessary casualties by forward planning and the installation of elementary precautions. The Earth’s evolving climate is considered, showing how greenhouse gases have played an important role in the past climate, whereas human industrial and agricultural emissions will greatly impact our future.

An accessible and engaging account of the history of climate science and exploration on Earth and other planetary bodies.

On September 8-9, 2011, experts in solar physics, climate models, paleoclimatology, and atmospheric science assembled at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado for a workshop to consider the Sun's variability over time and potential Sun-climate connections. While it does not provide findings, recommendations, or consensus on the current state of the science, The Effects of Solar Variability on Earth's Climate: A Workshop Report briefly introduces the primary topics discussed by presenters at the event. As context for these topics, the summary includes background information on the potential Sun-climate connection, the measurement record from space, and potential perturbations of climate due to long-term solar variability. This workshop report also summarizes some of the science questions explored by the participants as potential future research endeavors.

Climate change is the most important scientific issue of our time, catalyzing a profound societal shift based on our perceived understanding of it. While many books explain what we already know about climate change, this book explores what we admit we do not understand about it. In doing so, it reveals a previously overlooked mechanism of climate change, one that operates in the background and eludes the scrutiny of prevailing climate theories and models. Astonishingly, this phenomenon is clearly evident in numerous climate studies, casting a new light on climate change that warrants a critical reevaluation of many of the conclusions presented in the IPCC Assessment Reports. Regardless of your position on climate change or your familiarity with the underlying science, this book offers a wealth of knowledge and a profound shift in your understanding of the dynamics that govern climate variability. With 134 illustrations (black and white in the paperback edition), this book aims to make climate science accessible to a broad audience, and only you, the reader, can ultimately determine the extent to which it succeeds in this goal.

The authors have put forth great efforts in gathering present day knowledge about different objects within our solar system and universe. This book features the most current information on the subject with information acquired from noted scientists in this area. The main objective is to convey the importance of the subject and provide detailed information on the physical makeup of our planetary system and technologies used for research. Information on educational projects has also been included in the Radio Astronomy chapters.This information is a real plus for students and educators considering a career in Planetary Science or for increasing their knowledge about our planetary system.

The Hidden Link Between Earth's Magnetic Field and Climate offers a new framework of understanding and interpretation for both well-known and less known relations between different geophysical and meteorological variables which can improve the quality of climate modeling. The book reviews the most current research on both current and paleo data to introduce a causal chain of interactions between the geomagnetic field, energetic particles which bombard the Earth's atmosphere, ozone and humidity near the tropopause, and surface temperature. The impacts of these complicated interactions is not uniformly distributed over the globe, thus contributing to our understanding of regional differences in climatic changes and the asymmetrical ozone distribution over the globe. - Covers the newly discovered autocatalytic cycle for ozone production in the lower stratosphere, providing a better understanding of the heterogeneous distribution of ozone globally - Outlines a mechanism for the lower stratospheric ozone influence on the temperature and humidity of the upper troposphere - Provides a single resource on research in energetic particles' modulation by heterogeneous geomagnetic fields, mechanisms of the influence of particles on the atmospheric ozone, and the influence of ozone on climate

This volume provides an up to date overview of climate variability during the 20th century in the context of natural and anthropogenic variability. It compiles a number of contributions to a workshop held in Gwatt, Switzerland, in July 2006 dealing with different aspects of climate change, variability, and extremes during the past 100 years. The individual contributions cover a broad range of topics. The volume fills a gap in this exciting field of research.

Anthropogenic changes in the environment, caused by 250 years of economic growth and utilization of fuel and mineral resources, have considerably impacted the natural environment. The resulting physical and chemical alterations to the Earth's sphere and our adaptive responses in the biosphere are detailed in this reference book. Readers will learn about concepts relevant to Earth’s history, the evolution of life, economy, ecology, environmental history, biology, and medicine and how these concepts can be linked to environmental change. The scope of this interdisciplinary work entails to convey the true degree of responsibility for the universal consequences of ecosystem degradation resulting from industrial processing, human consumption and the transformation of natural sites due to industrialization and urbanization. Topics covered in the book include: -ecosystem transformations by natural and anthropogenic forces -the Anthropocene epoch -a short history of industrialization -environmental sites and the impact of socio-economic influences -the current environmental crisis, This textbook is intended for graduate students in economics, civil engineering, architecture, agronomics, forestry, technical and mining sciences, political sciences, business studies and humanities. General readers who wish to understand the basic philosophy behind environmental studies and their relation to human activity can also benefit from this book.

Thought provoking treatise that aims to answer questions about Earth’s environment based on research done through remote sensing techniques In Extraterrestrial Remote Sensing and Climate Change, the author addresses longstanding questions about a possible correlation between fluctuations in solar activity and changes in the Earth’s atmosphere and geosphere that have been observed during periods of extraterrestrial changes such as solar eclipses or solar storms. The author goes on to suggest possible mechanisms for anomalies seen in climate change and other environmental effects through a deep examination of interdisciplinary research. Core topics covered in the work include: Data from ground- based detectors and from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) satellite, which monitor solar activity Key variables associated with sunspot eruption, such as Electron flux, Proton flux, X-ray flux, and Planetary indices Observable changes in other planets and their moons, as well as in cosmic radiation from beyond the sun Extraterrestrial effects on the Earth’s magnetic field and on seismic activity With its fresh and multidisciplinary approach, Extraterrestrial Remote Sensing and Climate Change is a thought-provoking treatise for students, researchers, and professionals in the fields of environmental science and climate science.