Climates of the Southern Continents Present, Past and Future

by Hobbs, John (Jack); Lindesay, J. A.; Bridgman, Howard A.

• ISBN13: 9780471949268
• ISBN10: 0471949264
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1999-02-03
• Publisher: WILEY

Summary

This book fills a significant gap in the climatological literature; comprehensive assessment of the climates of the southern hemisphere. It is the first book of its type to provide a consolidated view of the climates of southern Africa, Australia, South America and Antarctica, addressing past and future climates as well as those in the present.

Author Biography

John (Jack) Hobbs is the author of Climates of the Southern Continents: Present, Past and Future, published by Wiley.

J. A. Lindesay is the author of Climates of the Southern Continents: Present, Past and Future, published by Wiley.

Howard A. Bridgman is the author of Climates of the Southern Continents: Present, Past and Future, published by Wiley.

Table of Contents

List of Figures	ix	(7)
List of Tables	xvi	(1)
List of Plates	xvii	(1)
List of Contributors	xviii	(1)
Preface	xix
1 Introduction: a Southern Hemisphere Overview	1	(4)
Jack Hobbs
Janette Lindesay
Howard Bridgman
References	4	(1)
2 Present Climates of Southern Africa	5	(58)
Janette Lindesay
2.1 Introduction	5	(2)
2.2 Physical setting	7	(2)
2.3 The principal components of climate	9	(16)
2.4 Rainfall-producing systems	25	(8)
2.5 Rainfall variability and extremes	33	(17)
2.6 Summary	50	(2)
References	52	(11)
3 Present Climates of Australia and New Zealand	63	(44)
Jack Hobbs
3.1 Introduction	63	(1)
3.2 Climatic patterns	63	(9)
3.3 Atmospheric circulation in the Australian region	72	(9)
3.4 Australian weather systems	81	(15)
3.5 New Zealand	96	(1)
3.6 The role of the oceans	97	(3)
3.7 Summary	100	(1)
References	101	(6)
4 Present Climates of South America	107	(30)
Randy Cerveny
4.1 Introduction	107	(1)
4.2 General characteristics	108	(7)
4.3 Regional climates	115	(8)
4.4 El Nino Southern Oscillation teleconnections	123	(5)
4.5 Regional climate issues	128	(2)
4.6 Summary	130	(2)
References	132	(5)
5 The Climate of the Antarctic Region	137	(24)
Ian Simmonds
5.1 Introduction	137	(2)
5.2 General considerations	139	(3)
5.3 Mean surface and upper level structure	142	(2)
5.4 The semi-annual oscillation	144	(5)
5.5 Cyclonic systems in the Antarctic region	149	(3)
5.6 Sea ice	152	(4)
5.7 Summary	156	(1)
References	156	(5)
6 Past Climates of Southern Africa	161	(46)
Janette Lindesay
6.1 Introduction	161	(1)
6.2 The last 4000 million years: an overview	162	(1)
6.3 The Cretaceous and Tertiary	163	(4)
6.4 Quaternary climates of southern Africa	167	(12)
6.5 Modelling southern African Quaternary climates	179	(7)
6.6 Climates of the last 3000 years	186	(11)
6.7 Summary	197	(1)
References	197	(10)
7 Past Climates of Australasia	207	(42)
Rob Allan
Janette Lindesay
7.1 Introduction	207	(1)
7.2 The early to mid-Quaternary	208	(4)
7.3 The late Quaternary to the Holocene	212	(17)
7.4 The Holocene prior to European settlement in Australia	229	(6)
7.5 The historical period since European settlement in Australia	235	(4)
7.6 Summary	239	(1)
References	240	(9)
8 Past Climates of South America	249	(16)
Vera Markgraf
8.1 Introduction	249	(1)
8.2 The southern westerlies	250	(5)
8.3 The El Nino Southern Oscillation	255	(5)
8.4 The Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone	260	(1)
8.5 Summary	261	(1)
References	262	(3)
9 Future Climate Scenarios for the Southern Continents	265	(28)
Howard Bridgman
9.1 Introduction	265	(1)
9.2 Methods used to establish future climate scenarios	266	(3)
9.3 Future climate scenarios for the mid- to late 21st century	269	(17)
9.4 Climate in AD 4000	286	(3)
9.5 Summary	289	(1)
References	290	(3)
Index	293