Introduction to air in California

Introduction : the nature of California air -- [1.] The thin blanket : the atmosphere -- Layers of the blanket -- The elegant balance : photosynthesis and respiration -- Why is there air? : evolution of the atmosphere -- What a difference an O makes -- The essence of air -- The nitrogen cycle -- The carbon cycle -- The essential "greenhouse effect" -- A dating game : ions and radiation -- Weighty matters : air pressure -- Highs and lows : California's "Mediterranean climate" -- El Niño -- "It's not the heat, it's the humidity" -- Temperature upside down -- [2.] Air apparent : a field guide to the sky -- Why is the sky blue? -- How to find cloud 9-- Lightning, then thunder -- Clouds on your level -- Contrails -- The Sierra wave -- Air in motion -- Daily and seasonal winds -- Santa Ana and Diablo winds -- Dust devils and the occasional tornado -- Blowing in the wind -- Pollination, planting, and perfumes -- Motion in air : taking flight -- Designing California birds -- California condors -- California gulls -- California quails -- Can bumblebees fly? -- Mammals overhead -- [3.] California air basins -- San Diego County -- South Coast -- South Central Coast -- North Central Coast -- San Francisco Bay -- North Coast -- Lake County -- Sacramento Valley -- San Joaquin Valley -- Mountain counties -- Lake Tahoe -- Northeast Plateau -- Great Basin Valleys -- Mojave Desert -- Salton Sea -- [4.] Footprints in the air -- The breath of life -- What's a ppb to me? -- The pollutants -- Photochemical smog : NOx, VOCs, and ozone -- Ozone health effects -- The mysterious "weekend effect" -- Particulates -- Carbon monoxide -- Sulfur dioxide -- Lead -- Toxics -- The enemy is us : emission sources -- Tailpipes -- Diesel -- Ports of call -- "Air spray" -- Downwind from the farm -- Natural emissions too -- Sharing air with the wildlands -- Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks : a case study -- [5.] Sharing air with the globe -- Adrift from Asia -- Ozone depletion -- The enhanced greenhouse effect and climate change -- Gambling with greenhouse gases -- Slow or sudden? -- Reacting to change -- California and climate change -- Climate stewardship -- [6.] Breathing easy -- Who takes regulatory responsibility? -- Tensions over jurisdiction -- Cleaning the car -- Smog check program -- Getting older cars off the road -- Reporting smoking vehicles -- Weaning ourselves from oil -- Clean diesel -- Hydrogen fuel cells -- Renewable energy : here today, much more tomorrow -- Air power -- Solar -- Cool communities -- Success stories -- What you can do, every day -- Cars -- At home -- What about indoor air? -- Finally, think about numbers -- Glossary.