Statistical Analysis in Climate Research

Abstract

Climatology is, to a large degree, the study of the statistics of our climate. The powerful tools of mathematical statistics therefore find wide application in climatological research, ranging from simple methods for determining the uncertainty of a climatological mean to sophisticated techniques which reveal the dynamics of the climate system. The purpose of this book is to help the climatologist understand the basic precepts of the statisticians art and to provide some of the background needed to apply statistical methodology correctly and usefully. The book is self contained: introductory material, standard advanced techniques, and the specialized techniques used specifically by climatologists are all contained within this one source. There is a wealth of real- world examples drawn from the climate literature to demonstrate the need, power and pitfalls of statistical analysis in climate research. This book is suitable as a main text for graduate courses on statistics for climatic, atmospheric and oceanic science. It will also be valuable as a reference source for researchers in climatology, meteorology, atmospheric science, and oceanography.