An Introduction to Clouds

Clouds, in their various forms, are a vital part of our lives. The second edition of this comprehensive textbook includes new tables, color figures, and updates taking into account recent research. It discusses cloud types and their effects on climate, including the Earth's energy budget and the hydrological cycle. These depend on processes on the cloud microphysical scale, encompassing the formation of cloud droplets, ice crystals and precipitation, as well as on the stability and dynamics of the large-scale environment and availability of aerosol particles. Chapters cover fundamentals of atmospheric thermodynamics, radiation, midlatitude and tropical storms, and climate intervention. Supplementary problem sets and multiple-choice questions for each chapter are available online. Combining mathematical formulations with qualitative explanations of the underlying concepts, this book requires relatively little previous knowledge, making it ideal for advanced undergraduate and graduate students in atmospheric science and related disciplines. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.