Journal of Atmospheric Chemistry 30: 311–317, 1998.
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Book Review
P. S. Liss and R. A. Duce (eds): The Sea Surface and Global Change, Cambridge University Press, 1997, pp. 520, ISBN 0-521-56273-2 (hardback), US$95.00 The book under review resulted from a GESAMP (Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection) workshop entitled: ‘The seasurface microlayer and its potential role in global change’ held at the University of Rhode Island, in February 1994. Three introductory group reports deal with physical processes (written by P. S. Liss et al.), biological effects (J. T. Hardy et al., and photochemistry (J. M. C. Plane et al.) of the sea-surface microlayer. The group reports, summarising the conclusions of the workshop discussions, provide a good overview of the basic concepts and present knowledge concerning the role of the sea-surface microlayer in global change. They are followed by 13 individually authored chapters dealing with various physical, chemical and biolgoical aspects of the sea-surface microlayer. The chapters are entitled (the authors are given in parenthesis): Transport processes in the sea-surface microlayer (L. Hasse), The role of organic films in air-sea gas exchange (N. M. Frew), Bubbles and their role in gas exchange (D. K. Woolf), The physical chemistry of air-sea gas exchange (L. F. Phillips), The seasurface microlayer and its effect on global air-sea gas transfer (W. Asher), Chemistry of the sea-surface microlayer (K. A. Hunter), Biophysics of the surface film of aquatic ecosystems (M. I. Gladyshev), Biological effects of chemicals in the sea-surface microlayer (J. T. Hardy), Neuston of seas and oceans (Y. Zaitsev), Photochemistry in the sea-surface microlayer (N. V. Blough), Hydrocarbon breakdown in the sea-surface microlayer (M. G. Erhardt), Applications of laser technology and laser spectroscopy in studies of the ocean microlayer (G. M. Korenowski), and Remote sensing of the sea-surface microlayer (I. Robinson). As shown by this list, the book covers virtually all the topics required to give an overall picture of the sea-surface microlayer and its interaction with the atmosphere. Each chapter is an easy-to-read review of experiments and/or basic concepts with a detailed list of references. Therefore, when reading the book carefully, it may give various hints for new ideas for future research activities. This is an excellent and well-written book. The texts are supported by numerous tables and figures with a clear layout. Moreover, the book provides a very detailed subject index which makes it easy to use it as a reference text in daily research.
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BOOK REVIEW
The book provides reference texts for oceanographers, atmospheric scientists, and biogeochemists working in the field of ocean-atmosphere interactions. It will be also valuable reading for any environmental scientist who is interested in a comprehensive overview of this rapidly developing aspect of global change sciences. Mainz, Germany
HERMANN BANGE
Giorgio Fiocco, Daniele Fuà, Guido Visconti (eds): The Mount Pinatubo Eruption, Effects on the Atmosphere and Climates, NATO ASI Series I. Global Environmental Change, Vol. 42, Springer Verlag, Berlin/Heidelberg, New York, 1996, ISBN 3-540-61281-5 This volume covers the results of a NATO Advanced Research Workshop held in Rome, Italy, in 1994. The Mt. Pinatubo eruption in 1991 was a prominent volcanic event during this century, which caused a longer-lasting perturbation of the stratosphere. As noted in the preface, the coincidental launch of the UARS satellite during the same year added a monitoring platform of global coverage to other existing ground-based observation sites. UARS data are sparingly mentioned in the book, however. The book contains 22 articles, written by leading experts, which provide a thorough scientific discussion of observations of the Pinatubo aerosol cloud and their interpretation. The articles are grouped in four chapters entitled (1) The characterisation of volcanic aerosol; (2) The effects on temperature; (3) The effects on ozone; and (4) Climate effects. The book illustrate that the fate of the Mt. Pinatubo injection of volcanic debris and SO2 into the stratosphere is one of the best-documented in the history of volcanic eruptions. Part 1 describes mainly ground-based lidar observations. This technique allows to delineate the altitude distribution of aerosol mass, its temporal development, and with the help of some auxiliary assumptions it also provides information on the size distribution of the particles and the effective volume and surface densities. Some aircraft observations are included, but there appears to have been no direct sampling of particles to determine their chemical composition. The H2 SO4 content is inferred from other data. Most impressive is the capability of current transport models to describe the dispersal and development of the Mt. Pinatubo cloud in agreement with the observations. Micro-physical processes such as nucleation and growth by coagulation of particles are important in the early stages of the development. Subsequently, sedimentation of particles takes over. Temperature change, described in part 2, occur in the stratosphere and in the troposphere. In the first case the injection of a volcanic plume into the stratosphere causes the temperature to rise, primarily in the equatorial belt. This is now well-documented from the eruptions of Agung in 1963, El Chichon in 1982, and Pinatubo in 1991.
