A Set-Theoretic View of the Köppen Dry Climates

Using basic set theory, all climatic classes and sub-classes are seen as sets. Thus the Köppen primary classes A, C, and D are mutually exclusive thermal classes but may intersect the dry B sets. The subsets so formed, such as BSC sa provide a much more meaningful nomenclature than BSh or BSk. The proposed view and resultant terminology 1) leaves the dry climates within the thermal framework already established, 2) simplifies the total system, 3) provides a more refined temperature description of the dry climates, 4) reveals more of climatic controls and location. BSCsa is easily seen as a steppe climate, mesothermal, and on the dry side of a Mediterranean climate. The western half of North Africa is used to illustrate the effectiveness of the scheme

Climatology · Geography · Mediterranean climate · Steppe · Terminology · Forest, Soil, and Plant Ecology in China · Geology · Grey System Theory Applications · Mathematics · Neural Networks and Applications