Making models out of thin air

Numerical modelling of the atmosphere has become a major growth area. Simple models such as the Gaussian plume and box models have long been used for making predictions in air pollution, but major advances required the advent of powerful computers, and the sophistication of models has increased as computing power has become available to accommodate it. The major uses of such models are in numerical weather prediction, global climate studies and air pollution research and management.

Mark Jacobson''s book deals with the fundamental science and its application in models relating to all of these uses, but particularly for air pollution modelling. It includes the fundamental physical science of the atmosphere, including its dynamics and chemistry, as well as methods by which complex processes can be parameterised for inclusion in models, and the methods by which complex algebra can be solved.

Inevitably, such a book requires the reader to have considerable mathematical ability and there will be many practitioners in the air pollution field who find the level of mathematics in this book highly intimidating. Non-chemists may also find the detail in the chemistry quite challenging, but there is much to be said for a detailed, rigorous and comprehensive book of this kind.

The book is aimed at graduate and upper-level undergraduate students in atmospheric sciences and meteorology, but will also be attractive to people working professionally in these areas who are not specialists in numerical modelling.

It can be thoroughly recommended for those seeking a detailed treatise on the methodology of numerical modelling of atmospheric physical and chemical processes, and for those who are not deterred by the density of material and high level of treatment, there is much of value therein.

Roy Harrison is professor of environmental health, University of Birmingham.