Trade Wind Inversion Variability, Dynamics and Future.

The trade wind, as the name implied, powered the trade of ancient mariners. It also supplies the energy for the circulation of the tropical and subtropical atmosphere, known as the Hadley circulation. The trade wind inversion (TWI), an air layer that is several hundred meters thick at an altitude of a few hundreds to a few thousands meters, is the prevailing feature of the trade winds, guaranteeing the energy source for the Hadley circulation. Within the TWI, the air temperature increases, in contrast to the general trend of decreasing temperatures with increased altitude in the troposphere. The TWI creates a division, with relatively dry air above and moist air below. Therefore the TWI is particularly important for the vertical vegetation distribution of tropical mountain ecosystem. This book explores how the TWI may change in a future climate based on the data from the Hawaiian region. It will be of interest for those concerned with the environmental impact of climate change in the tropics and subtropics.

He received PhD in Geography at the University of Hawaii. He is interested in the research issues of climate change, GIS, ecosystem function, and numerical modeling. Currently he lives in Vancouver, Canada.