Arthur P. Cracknell Knihy

The destruction of the ozone layer and global warming are critical environmental issues today. This book explores the impact of human activities on atmospheric ozone, focusing on the rise of tropospheric ozone, the decline of stratospheric ozone, and the Antarctic ozone hole. It highlights the importance of remote sensing techniques in understanding these effects and raising awareness about the damage caused by man-made chemicals, particularly CFCs. This awareness led to the 1989 Montreal Protocol aimed at controlling or banning harmful chemicals. Since then, remote sensing has been crucial in monitoring atmospheric ozone levels and assessing the Protocol's effectiveness in protecting the ozone layer. The authors discuss advanced instruments launched into space to study ozone and other trace gases that influence its formation and destruction. They also investigate satellite instruments that monitor solar ultraviolet light absorption in relation to ozone dynamics and human health. This scholarly work, authored by leading experts, delves into remote sensing's role in ozone science. While global warming from greenhouse gas emissions poses a significant threat to human sustainability, other serious challenges include atmospheric pollution, ozone depletion, water pollution, land degradation, deforestation, resource depletion, and population growth.

Natural ecosystems play a crucial role in maintaining biospheric equilibrium, yet their decline by 43% over the past century has contributed significantly to the current global crisis. Ignoring the fundamental laws governing all living things could lead humanity toward ecological catastrophe. This work explores the ecological, demographic, economic, and socio-psychological aspects of the global crisis while outlining the immutable laws that dictate life in the biosphere. The authors, highly qualified in their fields, delve into the causes of humanity's conflict with the environment. V. Danilov-Danilian, an Associate of the Russian Academy of Sciences and former Minister of the Environment, specializes in nature management economics, sustainable development theory, and ecology. K. Losev, a professor at Moscow State University, is the chief researcher and head of a division at VINITI. I. Reyf, a journalist focused on ecology and global development, rounds out the team. Collectively, they have published extensive research on topics such as glaciology, hydrology, environmental studies, global change, and sustainable development, providing a comprehensive understanding of the pressing issues facing our planet.

Data captured from remote sensing systems in space yield evidence of global climate changes. In this book international experts consider the potential value of such data. In particular they address the problem of calibration to ensure that detected changes do not arise from drift in the calibration of the instrument. Consideration is given to large international projects on cloud climatology, archived meteorological satellite data, and to vegetation indices derived from the global sets. This book concludes with a discussion on the future role of satellite data.