IJRECE VOL.

6 ISSUE 4 ( OCTOBER- DECEMBER 2018) VERSION 4 ISSN: 2393-9028 (PRINT) | ISSN: 2348-2281 (ONLINE)

Climatology-Definition, Nature and Scope: A Review

Ankit Mital
Assistant professor, Department of Geography, R.K.S.D ( P.G) College Kaithal

Abstract - Climatology, branch of the atmospheric sciences Nature of Climatology

concerned with both the description of climate and the 1. Descriptive
analysis of the causes of climatic differences and changes 2. Dynamic
and their practical consequences. Climatology treats the 3. Scientific
same atmospheric processes as meteorology, but it seeks as 4. Interdisciplinary
well to identify the slower-acting influences and longer-term 5. Applied
changes of import, including the circulation of the oceans 6. Complex
and the small yet measurable variations in the intensity of
solar radiation. From its origins in 6th-century-BC Greek Descriptive Nature:
science, climatology has developed along two main lines:
regional climatology and physical climatology. The first is 1. In ancient period, Greeks geographers study and
the study of discrete and characteristic weather phenomena describe nature of atmosphere and its influence on
of a particular continental or sub continental region. The human health and culture.
second involves a statistical analysis of the various weather 2. Hippocrates (BC400), in his written document
elements, principally temperature, moisture, atmospheric “Air, Water and Place” where he described the
pressure, and wind speed, and a detailed examination of the influence of climate on health.
basic relationships between such elements. 3. Theophrastus described different aspects of wind
4. Ancient Greek described three temperature zone
Keywords: Greek Science, Climatology, Influences, based on latitude
Climatic, Temperature etc. i) tropical zone, ii) temperate zone, iii) frigid zone
5. The knowledge of weather and climate up to 16th
I. INTRODUCTION century was descriptive.
6. Because qualitatively observed data and
Climatology is the scientific study of climate. Climate is description by non-professional individual.
defined as weather patterns that have been averaged over a
given period of time to obtain a consistent pattern of the Scientific Nature: (Period Scientific Analysis)
expected atmospheric conditions. Weather is the
atmospheric condition of a particular place over a short  Climatology as science blossomed in 17th century
period of time, normally a day. Weather averaging for a when few instrument invented to measure climatic
long and indefinite period of time makes it possible to variable.
predict the climatic pattern of an area. Climatology is  Measurement and recording of temperature started
regarded as a subdivision of physical geography, with invention of thermometer Measurement of
atmospheric sciences, and earth sciences in general. Aspects Pressure started with invention of barometer by
of oceanography and biogeography have also been Torricelli in 1643.
considered as part of climatology. Climatology focuses on  Availability of data on temperature and pressure
aspects such as atmospheric boundary layer, circulation leads to formulation of few laws about atmospheric
patterns, heat transfer in the globe, ocean interaction with condition.
the atmosphere and land surface, land use and topography.  Francis Bacon’s treatise on wind in 1662, Boyle’
law about the air pressure and atmospheric gases.
II. DEFINITIONS OF CLIMATOLOGY  Hadley’s cell model on tropical circulation in 1735
know as Hadley Cell
Climatology is the science of climate which study the
Physical and spatial state of the atmospheric conditions Age of Discovery and Exploration: (15th to 16th)
Dynamic:
According to Critic field: - Climatology is the science that
seeks to describe and explain the nature of climate, how it Discovery and exploration of new areas and there features
differs from place to place and how it is related to man’s of weather and climate.
activities.
Study of weather and climate outside the Europe.
According to Austin Miller: - ‘Climatology is that branch
of science which discusses the average conditions of
weather.’

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Interdisciplinary- Applied and Complex: Dynamic climatology:-

Modern nature: Period of Modern Climatology (20th  is global in scope

century):  it studies the thermodynamic processes in the
atmosphere and the resultant atmospheric motions
Climatology reached to study upper circulation and weather  it investigate the impact of changes in various
phenomena, information obtained through advanced physical parameters on climate
techniques. Period was marked by
This branch of climatology includes:-
1. Advancement in techniques to obtained detailed
regular climatic data. i. The effect of the increase of greenhouse gases in
2. Concentration on classification of world climate. global temperature
3. Concerned about the climatic changes. ii. The role of mountains in determining the
4. Weather forecasting. dynamics of the atmosphere An investigation into
5. International cooperation’s to tackle the future sea-surface temperature
problems of climatic changes at local, regional and
global levels caused mainly by anthropogenic Synoptic climatology
factors.
 deals with local or hemispheric climate from the
Scope of Climatology: view point of atmospheric circulation
 different circulation patterns lead to differences in
Content or Scope of any discipline largely depend on its climates
aims and objectives.  it studies the relationship between circulation
features and severe weather conditions-E.g.- the
The scope covering all the contents of climatology may be
effect of El Nino and La Nina in creating severe
described through its major
weather conditions
Branches:
Regional climatology:-
 Physical and Dynamic climatology
 This branch of climatology seeks to determine and
 Regional Climatology
describe the various types of world climates
 Applied Climatology
 it is also known as descriptive climatology because
it is concerned with the identification of important
Physical & Dynamic climatology:-
climatic characteristics and the interaction of
Physical climatology weather and climatic elements upon the life, health
and economic conditions of the people and areas.
Deals largely with energy exchanges and physical processes.
Dynamic climatology is more concerned with atmospheric Applied climatology:-
motion and exchanges lead to and result from that motion
 This branch of climatology is concerned with the
 seeks to explain the factors responsible for bringing application of the climatologically knowledge to
out the temporal and spatial variations in heat practical problems
exchange, moisture exchange and air movement --  It analyses the relationship of climatology to other
Physical climatology is closely related to sciences
meteorology  The main purpose is to find out the ways and
 Physical climatology is a main aspect meteorology means to make use of our knowledge of climatic
from which most of its basic principles are drawn elements for the betterment of human life on the
the focus is on:- Earth
i. The study of solar energy- its
transformation at a location and its III. CONCLUSION
transfer through the atmosphere
ii. The complicated patterns and exchange of Climatology has evolved rapidly as a credible and extremely
energy from one phase to another- from important area of scientific activity. Its position today is the
solid state to liquid state and from liquid result of changing scientific, technological, social,
state to vapor and vice versa economic, and political circumstances. These have created
the opportunity for climatologists to not only conceptualise,
observe and measure the nature of the climate system in
different ways but also demonstrate that understanding the

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nature and causes of climate can produce significant benefits
for coping with and managing climate as a determinant,
hazard and resource. Consequently, an expansion of the
scope of climatology beyond its traditional base of synoptic,
dynamic, physical and statistical climatology, explicitly
embracing areas such as climate and human affairs, is to be
encouraged.

IV. REFERENCES
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