Geophysical Fluid Dynamics II

Course Outline:

This course is the second part in a series of courses that introduce the student to the physics of geophysical flow. Atmospheric flow on Earth will be emphasized, although problems related to oceanic and extraplanetary flow will also be included. Students will be introduced to the forces that drive geophysical flow, the leading balances that arise from these forces, a variety of geophysical phenomena and their impacts. The course includes in-class discussions, group exercises and homework problems that help develop the mathematical foundation and physical intuition necessary to understand the fundamental features of GFD.  Discussion of meteorological maps will be included, and students will learn how to use these maps to simplify the equations of motion and develop their physical understanding of the drivers of the phenomena discussed in these maps.

The course is divided into four parts:

1. Review of GFD1: Derivation of the primitive equations: momentum, mass continuity, thermodynamic energy and state. Scale analysis, vorticity and potential vorticity.

2. Linear wave theory:  Shallow water equations, linear perturbation analysis, phase speed and group velocity, surface gravity waves, inertia-gravity waves, Rossby waves

3. Introduction to the large-scale extratropical circulation: The quasi-geostrophic equations of motion, geostrophic and ageostrophic flows, baroclinic instability.

4. Wave-mean flow interactions: Enstrophy, the wave activity equation, the Eliassen-Palm Flux and the transformed Eulerian mean. 

Learning Goals:

At the end of this course, the student will be able to:

1. Use scale analysis to simplify the primitive equations for different types of geophysical flows

2. Linearize and solve the wave equation for a variety of flow regimes

3. Understand the strengths and weaknesses of the quasi-geostrophic equations.

4. Clearly differentiate the governing processes of the midlatitudes vs the tropics

5. Appreciate the importance of eddies in midlatitude weather and climate.

Course Contents

Lecture Slides:

• Lecture 01: Introduction

• Lecture 02: Basic Equations and Scaling

• Lecture 03: Scale Analysis

• Lecture 04: Thermal Wind

• Lecture 05: Vorticity

• Lecture 06: Vorticity Equation

• Lecture 07: Potential Vorticity

• Lecture 08: Introduction to Waves

• Lecture 09: Waves

• Lecture 10: Gravity Waves

• Lecture 11: Weak Temperature Gradients

• Lecture 12: WTG and Geostrophic Adjustments

• Lecture 13: Rossby Waves

• Lecture 14: Review (no slides)

• Lecture 15: Rossby Waves 2

• Lecture 16: Quasi-Geostrophic Theory 1

• Lecture 17: Quasi-Geostrophic Theory 2

• Lecture 18: Quasi-Geostrophic Prediction

• Lecture 19: Quasi-Geostrophic Prediction 2

• Lecture 20: Midlatitude Storm Development

• Lecture 21: Two-layer QG Equations

• Lecture 22: Baroclinic Instability 1

• Lecture 23: Baroclinic Instability 2

• Lecture 24: Baroclinic Instability 3

• Lecture 25: Wave-mean Flow Interactions

• Lecture 26: The Eliassen-Palm Flux

• Lecture 27: Review (no slides)

• Lecture 28: Past and Future of GFD

Lecture Notes:

• Lecture 01

• Lecture 02

• Lecture 03

• Lecture 04

• Lecture 05

• Lecture 06

• Lecture 07

• Lecture 09

• Lecture 10

• Lecture 11

• Lecture 12

• Lecture 13

• Lecture 14

• Lecture 15

• Lecture 16

• Lecture 17

• Lecture 18

• Lecture 19

• Lecture 20

• Lecture 21

• Lecture 22

• Lecture 23

• Lecture 24

• Lecture 25

• Lecture 26

• Lecture 27