Princeton Primers in Climate8

Princeton Primers in Climate is a series of short, authoritative books that explain the state of the art in climate-science research. Written specifically for students, researchers, and scientifically minded general readers looking for succinct and readable books on this frequently misunderstood subject, these primers reveal the physical workings of the global climate system with unmatched accessibility and detail.

  • The Sun's Influence on Climate The Sun's Influence on Climate Joanna D. Haigh and Peter Cargill

    The Earth's climate system depends entirely on the Sun for its energy. Solar radiation warms the atmosphere and is fundamental to atmospheric composition, while the distribution of solar heating across the planet produces global wind...
  • Paleoclimate Paleoclimate Michael L. Bender

    Earth's climate has undergone dramatic changes over the geologic timescale. At one extreme, Earth has been glaciated from the poles to the equator for periods that may have lasted millions of years. At another, temperatures were once so...
  • Planetary Climates Planetary Climates Andrew Ingersoll

    This concise, sophisticated introduction to planetary climates explains the global physical and chemical processes that determine climate on any planet or major planetary satellite--from Mercury to Neptune and even large moons such as...
  • Climate and Ecosystems Climate and Ecosystems David Schimel

    How does life on our planet respond to--and shape--climate? This question has never been more urgent than it is today, when humans are faced with the daunting task of guiding adaptation to an inexorably changing climate. This concise...
  • Atmosphere, Clouds, and Climate Atmosphere, Clouds, and Climate David Randall

    An essential primer on atmospheric processes and their important role in the climate system
  • Climate and the Oceans Climate and the Oceans Geoffrey K. Vallis

    The oceans exert a vital moderating influence on the Earth's climate system. They provide inertia to the global climate, essentially acting as the pacemaker of climate variability and change, and they provide heat to high latitudes...
  • The Cryosphere The Cryosphere Shawn J. Marshall

    The cryosphere encompasses the Earth's snow and ice masses. It is a critical part of our planet's climate system, one that is especially at risk from climate change and global warming. The Cryosphere provides an essential introduction...
  • The Global Carbon Cycle The Global Carbon Cycle David Archer

    A must-have introduction to this fundamental driver of the climate system