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Environmental Physics Why might global warming cause increased rain and storms? Why is environmental degradation so often irreversible? Why has the problem of nuclear waste disposal still not been resolved? These and other controversial environmental issues revolve around complex scientific arguments, which can be better understood with a grasp of key scientific concepts. Environmental Physics provides an introduction to the physical principles that underlie environmental issues and shows how they contribute to the interdisciplinary field of environmental science. The book explores a broad range of topics, encompassing natural and human environments. These include: - Natural processes—global climate and the greenhouse effect, ozone depletion, Earth’s structure and properties, hydrology, pollutant transport and biophysics. - Environmental technologies—flue-gas clean-up, noise pollution, remote sensing, renewable energy production, radioactive waste management and spectroscopic analysis. - Physical concepts—mechanics, energy, thermodynamics, electromagnetic radiation, atomic spectra, fluid flow, atmospheric processes, sound waves and radioactivity. These fundamental and applied concepts of physics are presented in a clear, easily comprehensible fashion, made relevant by their application to topical environmental issues. Environmental Physics makes the subject accessible to those with little previous knowledge of physics. As a student of environmental science, the reader will find the wide range of topics covered in this single volume invaluable. Environmental Physics is highly illustrated with over 100 figures and plates, and has boxed case studies, end-of-chapter summaries, further reading and a glossary. Clare Smith was formerly a Lecturer at Imperial College London and the University of Sunderland, and is now a freelance Environmental Consultant. Routledge Introductions to Environment Series Published and Forthcoming Titles Titles under Series Editors: Rita Gardner and A.M. Mannion: Environmental Science texts Atmospheric Processes and Systems Natural Environmental Change Biodiversity and Conservation Ecosystems Environmental Biology Using Statistics to Understand the Environment Coastal Systems Forthcoming: Environmental Chemistry (December 2001) Titles under Series Editor: David Pepper Environment and Society texts Environment and Philosophy Environment and Social Theory Energy, Society and Environment Environment and Tourism Gender and Environment Environment and Business Environment and Politics, 2nd edition (July 2001) Routledge Introductions to Environment Environmental Physics Clare Smith London and New York First published 2001 by Routledge 11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Routledge 29 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group Contents Series editors’ preface Environmental Science titles The last few years have witnessed tremendous changes in the syllabi of environmentally-related courses at Advanced Level and in tertiary education. Moreover, there have been major alterations in the way degree and diploma courses are organised in colleges and universities. Syllabus changes reflect the increasing interest in environmental issues, their significance in a political context and their increasing relevance in everyday life. Consequently, the ‘environment’ has become a focus not only in courses traditionally concerned with geography, environmental science and ecology but also in agriculture, economics, politics, law, sociology, chemistry, physics, biology and philosophy. Simultaneously, changes in course organisation have occurred to facilitate both generalisation and specialisation; increasing flexibility within and between institutions is encouraging diversification and especially the facilitation of teaching via modularisation. The latter involves the compartmentalisation of information which is presented in short, concentrated courses that are self-contained but related to prerequisite parallel or advanced modules. These innovations in curricula and their organisation have caused teachers, academics and publishers to reappraise the style and content of published works. Whilst many traditionally-styled texts dealing with a well-defined discipline, e.g., physical geography or ecology, remain apposite there is a mounting demand for short, concise and specifically-focused texts suitable for modular degree diploma courses. In order to accommodate these needs Routledge have devised the Environment Series which comprises Environmental Science and Environmental Studies. The former broadly encompasses subject matter that pertains to the nature and operation of the environment and the latter concerns the human dimension as a dominant force within, and a recipient of, environmental processes and change. Although this distinction is made it is purely arbitrary and is made for practical rather than theoretical purposes; it does not deny the holistic nature of the environment and its all-pervading significance. Indeed, every effort has been made by authors to refer to such interrelationships and to provide information to expedite further study. This series is intended to fire the enthusiasm of students and their teachers lecturers. Each text is well illustrated and numerous case studies are provided to underpin general theory. Further reading is also furnished to assist those who wish to reinforce and extend their studies. The authors, editors and publishers have made every effort to provide a series of exciting and innovative texts that will not only offer invaluable learning resources and supply a teaching manual but also act as a source of inspiration. A.M. Mannion and Rita Gardner 1997 Series International Advisory Board Australasia: Dr P.Curson and Dr P.Mitchell, Macquarie University North America: Professor L.Lewis, Clark University; Professor L.Rubinoff, Trent University Europe: Professor P.Glasbergen, University of Utrecht; Professor von Dam-Mieras, Open University, The Netherlands Note on the text Bold is used in the text to denote words defined in the Glossary. It is also used to denote key terms. Plates 1.1 Landslide on cliff top at Lyme Regis, UK 2.1 Offshore wind farm at Vindeby, Denmark 3.1 Deforestation of the Brazilian rainforest as shown by thermal RS imaging 4.1 Vapour trails from aircraft 4.2 Smoke plume dispersing from an industrial chimney in New Jersey 5.1 North Atlantic depression off northern Britain, 31 August 2000 5.2 Surface temperatures around the English Channel 5.3 Sea surface temperatures for July 2000 7.1 Low-level solid waste store at Drigg in Cumbria 7.2 Vitrified high-level waste store at Sellafield, UK Figures 1.1 Newton’s laws of motion 1.2 Vector addition and resolution 1.3 Newton’s apple 1.4 Forces acting in landslides 1.5 Gravitational anomaly over a mountain range 1.6 Moment of inertia and an ice-skater 1.7 Central forces and rotation 1.8 The Coriolis force 1.9 A cyclone separator 1.10 A vortex in a tornado 1.11 Remote sensing orbits 1.12 Wave characteristics 1.13 Shear waves and compressional waves 1.14 A sine wave 1.15 Transmission, absorption, refraction and reflection of waves 1.16 Wave properties 1.17 Seismological evidence for the Earth’s structure—the shadow zone 1.18 A simple electrical circuit 1.19 Electric fields and forces 1.20 Electrostatic precipitator Ключевые слова: magnetic field, efficiency, physics, process, reaction, spectral band, nucleus, small, youngs modulus, broad range, bulk modulus, noise footprint, passive solar, evaporative loss, equation, nuclear fusion, depends, critical level, point, law, gravity, magnetic, skin drag, seismic wave, nuclear waste, dbc scale, long trip, environment, photosynthetic rate, ice, solar, frequency, cross-sectional area, light, factor, wave, happened, noise, earths climate, brazilian rainforest, water, form, van grondelle, day, effort, constant, energy, movement, london, sound, vostok ice-core, proposed airport, metabolic rate, loss, waste, electric field, radiative forcing, isotope, rate, power, transverse wave, electromagnetic wave, gas, general circulation, nature, efficient, flow, gases, carnot cycle, height, case, fuel, higher, historical record, nuclear station, magnox reactor, material, moisture condenses, speed, nuclear fission, mathematical treatment, davis mcgraw-hill, neutron, southern hemisphere, advanced level, van dop, cent, water-cooled reactor, magnetic reversal, environmental physics, including, air, plant, concentration, northern hemisphere, vice versa, global circulation, station, solids liquids, english channel, idealised airflow, velocity, high, volume, natural, mountainous area, atmospheric processes, metal fatigue, source, large, sulphur dioxide, scientific notation, level, produced, atmosphere, work, produce, electric, increase, irish sea, tidal cycle, magnetic confinement, pressure, array, groundwater, meira filho, pre-industrial level, object, tuning fork, control rod, instance, number, wind, solar input, le, emission, shear modulus, background noise, reactor vessel, long, heat, fermenting liquor, annual output, ocean, ha, science, force, distance, radioactive, remote area, reactor, soft furnishing, drag coefficient, result, electricity, year, body, thermal diffusivity, diagram, trophic level, isostatic compensation, measured, climate, international standard, compressional wave, area, field, density, apartment block, ozone depletion, human speech, earth, time, momentum, edn, cyclone separator, change, ethe constant, planning development, partially molten, remote sensing, environmental, environmental engineering, atmospheric, temperature, nuclear reactor, region, rated capacity, pascal, rock, liquid, current, mass, sea, radiation, range, nuclear, specific area, gas laws, unit, carbon dioxide, plancks constant, surface, wavelength, elastic deformation, building