Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of figures
- List of tables
- Preface to the Third Edition
- Acknowledgments
- 1 Mountains and their climatological study
- 2 Geographical controls of mountain meteorological elements
- 3 Circulation systems related to orography
- 4 Climatic characteristics of mountains
- 5 Regional case studies
- 6 Mountain bioclimatology
- 7 Changes in mountain climates
- Appendix
- Index
- References
5 - Regional case studies
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 20 May 2010
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of figures
- List of tables
- Preface to the Third Edition
- Acknowledgments
- 1 Mountains and their climatological study
- 2 Geographical controls of mountain meteorological elements
- 3 Circulation systems related to orography
- 4 Climatic characteristics of mountains
- 5 Regional case studies
- 6 Mountain bioclimatology
- 7 Changes in mountain climates
- Appendix
- Index
- References
Summary
The generalized view of the major climatic controls and characteristics provided in the preceding chapters obviously neglects many significant details and local anomalies, although the data are in many cases so sparse that the generalizations can only be preliminary and partial. As a counterbalance, therefore, it is worthwhile examining the climates of particular ranges via a series of complementary case studies. These include mountain systems in equatorial, tropical, mid-latitude (continental and maritime), and sub-polar regions, as well as high plateaus and ice sheets, which have been selected to illustrate both latitudinal and regional climatic differences. The selection is determined in part by the availability of data and adequate literature.
EQUATORIAL MOUNTAINS – NEW GUINEA AND EAST AFRICA
New Guinea
The central ranges of New Guinea form a backbone running through the length of the island. Except for the Owen Stanley Range in eastern Papua New Guinea, which is not considered here due to a total absence of information, the central ranges are orientated west-northwest–east-southeast. The mountains and highlands are most extensive between 143 and 145° E. The general summit level is about 3500–4000 m, but in Irian Jaya (Papua, or western New Guinea) peaks rise to over 4600 m with small ice bodies on Mt. Jaya (Mt. Carstenz) (4° S, 137° E), which have been studied by Australian expeditions (Hope et al., 1976; Peterson et al., 2002).
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- Information
- Mountain Weather and Climate , pp. 363 - 443Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2008