The Dance of Air and Sea: How Oceans, Weather, and Life Link Together

Veteran British oceanographer Taylor tackles the complex interrelationship between oceans and climate, and the potential effects of global warming. Taylor's description of how oceans work, the mechanics embodied in their modulating eddies and major currents, the Gulf Stream, the Kuroshio boundary current, and other phenomena will leave readers with a genuine sense of marvel. And there is no fall off when Taylor moves from the ocean to the air, weather and its interactions with the ocean, or to ecosystems and how they can warn us of the effects of global warming. One of the book's pleasures is his obvious delight in explaining not only how the ecosystem works but the creativity and doggedness that drives the scientists who study it. Aware of the undercurrents that threaten to distort the science of global warming, Taylor never simplifies or overstates. He meticulously provides the scientific background, sometimes in challenging detail, as he explores the planet's possible future. Although unequivocal that "global warming is coming," Taylor is no Cassandra. His counsel is to study, watch, and "attempt to point a positive path into the coming century." 30 line drawings. (Apr.)