The Atmospheric Boundary Layer

Rating:
Summary: For the serious student
Review: Garratt's book is an elegant and concise mathematical introduction to the atmospheric boundary layer. If you are new to the subject this is one of the books you want to start with. The other is Stull's comprehensive "Introduction to Boundary Layer Meteorology". At $40, Garratt's book is by far the better bargain, but if you are serious about learning the subject both books complement each other nicely.

Rating:
Summary: Not impressed
Review: I was forced to buy this book as a text for my boundary layer meteorology course. At first I thought it was great because it was probably one of the only texts on teh market that was less than $100. After reading it through and studying it in considerable depth I can honestly say it was one of the worst texts I have ever seen. Proper derivations were lacking and the explanation of Monin-Obukhov Similarity Theory, a central topic in the study of boundary layer dynamics, was very poor. Granted that the text is aimed at a graduate level course, it is expected to be more complex, but the oversight of not including any well though-out physical descriptions of boundary layer processes makes this book a near failure.

As a text, it is no good. There are no problems to do and again, if you're searching for good explanations don't look here. I suppose the use I could see for this text is as a reference for those who have a strong background in the field and don't require proper derivations or any description. For me, the floor in my office is uneven and this book has served marvelously in propping up my desk's leg. In consulting with others about this text, many have shared my opinion! You make your own choice, but I suggest you take the book out of the library first and see what it has to offer you.

One point I should mention. I would not feel right ending my comments without having said at least one good thing. So the best i can do is this: the section on modelling PBL growth is OK.