Renowned Author
Bill Ruddiman is recognized in the science community as one of a select group of researcher/teachers with the interdisciplinary qualifications to write an authoritative textbook on Earth
Multidisciplinary Presentation
The text synthesizes material from many disciplines—geology, ecology, paleobotany, glaciology, oceanography, meteorology, biogeochemistry, climate modeling, atmospheric chemistry, and hydrology, among others—into a coherent, step-by-step presentation.
Focus on Major Themes
—The causes (forcing) of climate change
—The natural response times of the many components of Earth
—Interactions and feedbacks among these numerous components
—The role of carbon as it moves within the climate system at each time scale
Follows Earth's Timeline
Earth's Climate explores the climatic responses of Earth's major systems (ice, water, air, vegetation, and land) as they developed through Earth's history, moving from the earliest known climate history to historical, modern, and future changes.
Mystery Solving Approach
Chapters revolve around the search for the answers as to why specific climatological phenomena occurred.
Superb Art
The book is designed to showcase the art program, which features over 400 two-color illustrations (developed by the author with a grant from the National Science Foundation) depicting climatological phenomena and processes.
Features Boxes
These features include discussions of climate feedbacks and interactions, tools and techniques used by climate scientists, and ongoing debates about the Earth