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£ GBP
This book describes the behaviour of tropical cyclones in the South Pacific and investigates the broad range of disturbance effects these violent storms have on the physical environments of the islands that lie in their path and the people who live on them. It is the first book to link these two themes - the characteristics of cyclones and their landscape impacts.
Students of physical geography will find this book an authoritative source. It should also appeal to those concerned with climate change, extreme events, natural hazards, tropical islands, tropical geomorphology and hydrology, and to all those who have a general curiosity about the vast Oceania region and its remote, vulnerable islands.
The volume is divided into two complementary parts. The first part explains the nature of tropical cyclones, their genesis, structure, behaviour, and extreme meteorological conditions. Future cyclone activity related to climate change is also considered. Part two deals with geomorphological and hydrological responses to tropical cyclones on South Pacific islands. Attention is focused on the effects of cyclones on coral reefs, coasts, slopes and rivers, which often lead to profound landform changes and have lasting influences on both island evolution and on the lives of the Islanders.
Examples and illustrations are drawn widely from across the South Pacific. Numerous maps, informative drawings, and many spectacular photographs are used with great effect throughout, resulting in a highly readable volume.
Part I: Tropical Cyclones.- Chapter 1: Introduction.- Chapter 2: The South Pacific Region.- Chapter 3: Tropical Cyclogenesis.- Chapter 4: Tropical Cyclone Structure.- Chapter 5: Tropical Cyclone Characteristics and Behavior.- Chapter 6: Associated Meteorological Conditions.- Chapter 7: Climate Change.- Part II: Geomorphic Impacts.- Chapter 8: Island Sensitivity to Tropical Cyclones.- Chapter 9: Coastal Geomorphology.- Chapter 10: Slope Stability.- Chapter 11: River Hydrology and Floods.- Chapter 12: Fluvial Geomorphology.- Chapter 13: Conclusions.- Bibliography.- Appendix.-
James Terry is Head of the Department of Geography at the University of the South Pacific (USP), Fiji Islands. Previous positions include Associate Professor at the Research Centre for the Pacific Islands, Kagoshima University, Japan. In addition to his lecture and research experience, Dr. Terry has served as a geographer consultant for various governmental institutions.
From the reviews: "Tropical Cyclones: Climatology and Impacts in the South Pacific describes the climatology, structure, and behavior of tropical cyclones in the South Pacific and ! impacts of these storms on the physical environment of the islands in their path. ! The text is ! well laid out with black-and-white photographs, tables, and graphs. ! appealing to students and professionals from the region. ! It would be an excellent resource for climatologists and educators ! . Researchers from other disciplines ! will also find this volume valuable." (Mark Sinclair, Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, April, 2009)
