Environmental Science

Aimed at a first course in environmental physics, environmentalscience, environmental analysis, or environmental monitoring. Thistext can be used by first year students and above, and takes ascientific approach as opposed to a social or political one.Mathematics is kept to a minimum, although some background (school)knowledge of science is assumed. Courses would be taught inphysics, environmental science and physical sciencedepartments.

Comprehensively covering the field, this book brings together thelatest developments, theories, research and concerns, from both thescientific and social sides. Placing the environment firmly at thecentre of the scientific agenda, it provides all the backgroundneeded by readers to fully understand this important and often'hype-driven' subject. Whilst mathematics is introduced wherenecessary, it is carefully explained and kept simple, withderivations generally being avoided. Wherever possible, topics ofcurrent concern and relevance are included, and many examples,features and appetisers or mini-case studies are included,frequently drawn from publications such as New Scientist, Nature,Science, Physics Today and Scientific American. The book startswith a general overview of the subject, and then moves on to coverclimate, energy, pollutants, noise, measurements and socialaspects.Ein umfassende, ausgesprochen interdisziplinär angelegte Einführung in das Gebiet der Umweltwissenschaften! Sowohl aus natur- als auch aus gesellschaftswissenschaftlicher Sicht und in erfrischend sachlichem Stil werden hier neueste Forschungsergebnisse, Theorien, Arbeitsfelder und offene Probleme diskutiert. Ausgehend von den Grundlagen werden Aspekte des Klimaschutzes, der Energieerzeugung, der Schadstoffbelastung und des Lärmschutzes besprochen. Meßtechnische Details finden sich in einem speziellen Kapitel. Mathematische Formeln werden nur eingeführt, wenn es absolut notwendig ist, gegebenenfalls ausführlich erklärt und so einfach wie möglich gehalten. Auf Herleitungen wird generell verzichtet. Die zahlreichen Beispiele und Fallstudien betreffen hauptsächlich modernste Themen, zum Teil wurden sie renommierten Zeitschriften (New Scientist, Nature, Science, Physics Today und Scientific American) entnommen. Nützlich ist das mitgelieferte Lösungshandbuch. Weiterführende Informationen können auch vom zugehörigen Webserver abgerufen werden. Preface

Acknowledgements

1. Introduction: A Physical Approach to Environmental Problems

What are Environmental Problems -
Pollution

The Economic and Social Context

Sunlight and the Solar Spectrum

The Greenhouse Effect

Transport of Pollutants

The Carbon Cycle

2. Weather and Climate

Energy Transport

The Atmsophere, Vertical Structure and Motion

Horizontal Motion of Air

The Oceans

3. Climate Change

Natural Changes of Climate

Human induced changes

Consequences of Climate Change

Reactions to Climate Change

4. Conventional Energy

Physics of Heat

Heat and Power: Thermodynamics

Converting Heat into Power: Problems and 'Solutions'

5. Carbonfree Energies

Renewable energies

Nuclear Power

6. Making up the Balance

Greenhouse Gases, Pollution and Resources

Defining the task

7. Transport of Pollutants

Basic Concepts

Dispersion in the Air

Dispersion in Surface Waters

Dispersion by Groundwater

8. Noise

Physics of Sound

Human hearing

Reducing Sound Levels

9. Environmental Spectroscopy

Basic Spectrospcopy

The Solar Spectrum at Ground Level

Experimental Techniques in Environmental Spectroscopy

Solar UV, Ozone and Life

10. Geophysical Methods

Radioactive Clocks

Isotope Ratios as Environmental Sensors

Magnetic Surveys

Seismic Probing

11. Science and Society

Finite Resources of Energy

Pollution and Health Effects

Environmental Policy

Thinijhng about the Environment and Human Life

The Responsibility of the Scientist

Appendices

References

Index "...I would regards this as one of the more accessible and usefulintroductory texts in environmental physics..." (Chemistry &Industry, 19 August 2002)

"...This book should be a good choice for environmental scienceteachers..." (Jnl of Environmental Quality (September/October2002)

"...very valuable to all students taking a course inenvironmental sicence..." (The Int Jnl of Environmental Studies,Vol.59, 2002)

"...well adapted to the needs of an environmental sciencecourse..." (Int Jnl of Environement & Pollution, Vol.18, No.1,2002)

"...valuable to all students taking courses on environmentalsciences..." (Int Jnl of Environmental Analytical Chemistry,Vol.82, No.10, 2002)

"...the material is fresh and to the point ...It is a highlyrecommended introductory text..." (Environmental Geology, January2003)

"...an excellent overview...very well written...material isfresh and to the point...highly recommendable..." (EnvironmentalGeology, Vol 43(3), Jan 2003)

Egbert Boekeris a retired Professor from the Free University of Amsterdam with a career in which he taught virtually all of the undergraduate courses in physics.

Rienk van Grondelle is a Professor in the Department of Biophysics and Physics of Complex Systems at the Free University of Amsterdam. He is performing research in biophysics and teaching not only to physics students but also to biology students. He is a member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Sciences. Environmental Science: Physical Principles and Applications examines the fundamental problems that arise from the interaction between humans and their natural environment. Taken from a physicists perspective, this comprehensive introduction considers how the negative impact of our modern existence upon our environment can be avoided, or at the very least reduced.

Providing extensive coverage of the field, this book brings together the latest developments, theories, research and concerns from both a scientific and social perspective. Beginning with an introduction on approaching environmental problems, the text then moves on to look at climatic change, conventional energy, the transport of pollutants, experimental methods and ends with a discussion on science and society.

Mathematics is only introduced where necessary, and is carefully explained with derivations generally avoided. The science is made more accessible through the introduction of many illustrative examples in the theoretical parts of the text combined with the inclusion of numerous mini-case studies.

Environmental Science: Physical Principles and Applications features:

• Extensive coverage of the latest concerns, issues and developments within the field from both a scientific and social perspective.
• Numerous relevant examples and mini-case studies (appetisers) combined with exercises in each chapter and references for further reading.
• A supplementary website where students can access experiments and simple models relevant to the book

This introductory textbook will be invaluable to all students taking a first course in environmental science, environmental physics, environmental analysis or environmental monitoring.