Climatology from satellites

448 Pages·1975·53.165 MB·English

by  Eric Charles Barret

Climatology from Satellites

Digitized polar projections
of global weather after
dark on 24 October
1970, from Itos-1 infra-red
evidence. The block
diagrams in the upper
right-hand corners describe
the relationships, at various
latitudes, of image tones
and surface (or cloud-top)
temperatures in °C.
(See p. 43)
(E.S.S.A. photographs)
Climatology
from Satellites
E. C. BARRETT
METHUEN & CO LTD
11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4
First published in 1974 by
Methuen & Co Ltd,
11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4
© 1974 E. C. Barrett
ISBN 0 416 65940 3
Filmset in Photon Times 11 on 12 pt by
Richard Clay {The Chaucer Press) Ltd, Bungay, Suffolk
Printed in Great Britain by
Fletcher & Son Ltd, Norwich
Distributed in the U.SA. by
HARPER & ROW PUBLISHERS, INC.
BARNES & NOBLE IMPORT DIVISION
Contents
Preface Vll
A ckno wledgments ix
Abbreviations xi
PART I Introduction
1 The nature and scope of climatology from satellites
PART II The satellites
2 American meteorological satellite systems 19
PART III Principles of weather satellite data analyses
3 Patterns of atmospheric energy 61
4 Distributions of atmospheric moisture 75
5 Wind flows and air circulations 120
PART IV Satellite data analyses in global climatology
6 Global patterns of atmospheric energy 147
7 Global patterns of atmospheric moisture 174
8 Global patterns of atmospheric circulation 195
PART V Satellite data analyses in regional climatology
9 Linear disturbances of tropical weather 221
10 Non-linear disturbances of tropical weather 260
11 The south Asian monsoon 292
12 Temperate mid-latitudes 314
13 The polar regions 344
PART VI Satellite data and climatic classification
14 The classification of climates 359
References 374
Indexes 405

Preface
We all know that feeling of despair caused by just missing a bus. One runs
vainly after the desired vehicle, knowing full well that it can only accelerate
away despite one’s efforts to overtake it. Working and writing in any field
involving the scientific exploration of space quickly recalls our experiences as
frustrated would-be passengers. New spacecraft, instruments, analytical tech­
niques and absorbing satellite discoveries come and go with ever-increasing
speed; it is more than usually difficult to ensure that one’s grasp of the
situation is up-to-date.
This daunting scenario has led me many times to question the worth­
whileness of an attempted synthesis of climatology from satellites. But each
time I have been reminded of the increasing need for someone to try to piece
together, within a global framework, the welter of fascinating atmospheric
facts and discoveries that have emerged from more than ten years of satellite
studies. Stock-taking is a useful practice from the research point of view. It is
also of value to potential users of a particular range of products. It is essential
for students trying to identify contemporary scientific bus-stops, the services
and their future destinations.
This book attempts to gather, organize and, where possible, inter-relate
many satellite-based findings pertinent to the study of climatology, and to do
so in such a way that its topics are reasonably rounded and self-complete.
Many of the works to which references are made have not been available
hitherto in readily accessible publications. Clearly, some aspects of the atmo­
sphere are more comprehensively surveyed than others, and some readers
may detect substantial areas of climatology treated scantily or not at all.
Others will dislike the lack of standardization in the units employed by
workers whose results are summarized. I believe, however, that my coverage
reflects reasonably the present state of the game and that any greater effort to
viii Preface
smooth or standardize the contents would misrepresent or otherwise do an
injustice to some work while according more than justice to the rest.
In these days of growing preoccupation with remote sensing generally, the
approaches and findings of satellite climatology - tentative and fragmentary
though they may be - should prove of interest not only to students of the
atmosphere but also to many others who may wish to examine the planet
Earth from space.
My thanks are due to all who have helped me with this project. In
particular, I thank Mr Vincent J. Oliver, Chief, Applications Branch,
National Environmental Satellite Center, Washington, for his most helpful
comments on the draft manuscript. Several members of his staff, especially
Ralph K. Anderson and Frances Parmenter also helped greatly in resolving
points of detail in the text. Dr T. H. Yonder Haar of the Department of
Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University, gave kind assistance in
checking chapters 3 and 6, and Professor S. Gregory, Department of
Geography. University of Sheffield, made helpful suggestions with respect to
chapters 1 and 14. My thanks are also due to Dr M. G. Hamilton, recently
appointed to the staff of the Edgbaston Observatory, Birmingham, for discus­
sions during his period of research at Bristol. Last, but not least, my wife
Gillian has contributed much by her assistance with the Indexes, through her
typing skills, and, most of all, with her unfailing encouragement. Needless to
say, the responsibility for any errors that remain is mine alone.
E. C. Barrett,
Bristol.
May, 1973