Atmospheric Dynamics (U01863)

? Credit Points : 10 ? SCQF Level : 10 ? Acronym : GEO-4-MYAD

Introduces the fundamentals of atmospheric circulation that govern weather and climate in the tropics and mid-latitudes. This includes large-scale flows and eddies, the General Circulation and mid-latitude storm systems. Meteorological data will be used to illustrate air flow patterns, jetstreams, mid-latitudes cyclones and their intensification.

Entry Requirements

? Pre-requisites : At least 40 points at level 9/10 from schedule Q, OR at least 40 points at level 9/10 from schedule N which must include Mathematical Methods for Geophysicists (U01800).

Subject Areas

Home subject area

Meteorology, (School of GeoSciences, Schedule N)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : 4th year

? Delivery Period : Semester 2 (Blocks 3-4)

? Contact Teaching Time : 1 hour(s) per week for 11 weeks

First Class Information

Date	Start	End	Room	Area	Additional Information
12/01/2009	14:00	15:00	Lecture Room 3317, JCMB	KB

All of the following classes

Type	Day	Start	End	Area
Lecture	Monday	14:00	14:50	KB
Lecture	Thursday	14:00	15:50	KB

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course it is intended that the student will be able to:

-discuss the concept of "potential temperature" and its relevance to the vertical stability of the atmosphere

-show how to derive the Navier-Stokes equations expressed in an inertial frame of reference of a compressible fluid starting from Newton's first law of motion and the conservation of mass

-explain how the Navier-Stokes equations are transformed to represent large-scale flow for a rotating Earth

-understand the relative magnitudes of the forces and accelerations present in synoptic-scale mid-latitude weather patterns and hence the geostrophic and thermal wind approximations

-use those approximations to obtain estimates of winds in synoptic-scale systems from pressure and temperature gradients

-discuss the experimental evidence from "rotating dishpan" experiments that degree of departure from zonal symmetry depends on rotation rate and horizontal meridional temperature gradients

-understand the typical configuration of meridional circulations in the tropics and their relation to the atmospheric General Circulation and the strength of the sub-tropical jet

-explain the concept of potential vorticity and its usefulness for understanding airflow over a mountain

-discuss the motivation for and limitations of treatment of atmospheric wave motion as a perturbation from a basic flow (linear theory) in order to explain friction at the Earth's surface and planetary waves

-explain the observed behaviour of mid-latitude planetary-scale waves by use of linear theory

-review the latest IPCC 4th assessment of how climate change may affect the General Circulation and the intensity and locations of mid-latitude storm tracks and systems.