78 REVIEWS

Principles and upplicutions of random noise theory. By Julius S. Bendat. New York (John Wiley and Sons), 1958. Pp. xxi, 431; 107 Figs.; 15 Tables. 88s.

The author deals with his subject very thoroughly and systematically. The* are summaries and biblio- graphies for each of the 10 chapters, and a comprehensive bibliography comprising 141 items. The subjects treated include power spectra and relationships, optimum linear prediction and filtering, statistical errors in autocorrelation measurements, and optimum time-variable filters. In the whole book the only meteorological reference is a short one, to atmospheric turbulence, but the topics discussed are relevant and important, not only in micrometeorology and instrumental meteorology, but also in climatology and long-range forecasting. Meteorologists who are prepared to master the largely unfamiliar terminology will find this a valuable reference work, summarizing many fundamental researches of which the original accounts are not readily available in this country.

J.M.C.

Introduction to meteorology. By Sverre Petterssen, New York (McGraw-Hill), 1958. Pp. ix, 327, 213 Figs.; 14 Tables; 52s. 6d.

This second edition of Introduction to Meteorology typifies Professor Petterssen's lucid style of writing a well illustrated textbook which achieves its stated purpose -that of acquainting readers new to meteorology with the facts, features and economic significance of weather and climate.

Several sections of the book, including chapters on the composition of the atmosphere, instruments and observations, cloud types, heat and temperature changes and the equations of motion differ from their counter- parts in other textbooks only in detail and in style, but under such headings as convection and precipitation, radiation and exchange of heat, showers, thunderstorms, hail and tornadoes and tropical disturbances, dis- cussion is enhanced by the findings of recent research and by the inclusion of particularly instructive obser- vations. Chapters on climatology are impressive for their clarity and illustrations, two of which are in colour.

Unfortunately the presentation of fronts and air masses is outdated. Although the upper structure of elementary frontal models are shown, the treatment of frontogenesis and cyclogenesis is basically two-dirnen- sional. Furthermore, the two processes are described almost as though they are linked by fortuitous co- incidence. Here the lucid style may well instil into the newcomer to meteorology an immature and inflexible idea of fronts and air masses. Of course, justice can seldom be done to a complex process in an elementary textbook, but it is disappointing to find such an able tutor attempting little more than the teaching of twenty years ago.

A chapter on local winds is rather superficial in that it describes local winds such as sea breezes, mountain and valley winds and drainage winds with only a cursory mention of their causes and effects; little is done to arouse the interest of those students who may so easily be tempted to enliven their meteorology by local studies.

Of course, these criticisms are personal opinions. Decisions on what to include and what to leave out of a textbook are best made by the author who writes for a specific class of reader. Professor Petterssen's achieved aim in this book appears to be that of introducing copious items of information (including some weather lore and the derivation of technical terms) from which the critical or tutored student can choose a selection for further study.

C.E.W.

Meteorologische Abhandlungen, der Inst. f. Met. u. Ceoph. Bd. IV, Heft 1, 2 and 3. Berlin (Dietrich Reimer), 1958. Heft 1 and 2. (By I. Jacobs) 5-bzw. 40 jahrige Monatsmittel der absoluten Topographien der 1,000-mb, 850-mb- und 300-mb-Flachen sowie der relativen Topographien 500/1,000 mb und 300/500 mb uber der Nordhemisphare und ihre monatlichen hderungen. Heft 1 ; Pp. 325 ; 103 Figs. ; 18 DM. Heft 2; Pp. 168; 98 Charts; Tables; 13 DM. Heft 3. (By H. Hennig) 40 jahrige Monatsmittel der absoluten Topographien der 850 mb-. 700 mb- und 300 mb-Flachen uber der Nordhemisphiire fur den Zeitraum 1900-1939. Pp. 55; 39 Figs.; 6 DM.

This volume, product of the School of Meteorology in Berlin under Professor Scherhag, makes an impor- tant contribution to the climatology of the upper air. Part 1 presents mean charts of the topography of the pressure levels 1,000, 850, 700, 500 and 300 mb, for a large part of the Northern Hemisphere and also the relative topographies of the layers 1,000-500 mb and 500-300 mb. The period for which these means were constructed was the five years 1919-53 and charts are given for each month and for the whole year. Monthly and annual charts of the mean temperature at 500 and 300 mb are also given. Monthly and annual means of heights of the above pressure surfaces and thicknesses of the two layers are tabulated for a large number of stations and also for the points of a grid for every 10" of longitude and 5" of latitude. The area covered by the charts is similar to that of the charts in Die Grosswetterlagen Mitteleuropas, that is from the pole to about 20" North over the Atlantic but extending only to about 60" North over the Pacific sector. Station tabulations are not restricted to these limits and include values for all available stations in the Northern