The Physics of Atmospheres and Oceans
Submitted by egaribay on November 09, 2009.
Catalogued OER
approved
Catalogued OER
This course applies the basic laws of classical mechanics and thermodynamics in order to explore how the properties of fluids on a rotating Earth manifest themselves in, and help shape, the global patterns of atmospheric winds, ocean currents, and the climate of the Earth. It includes a theoretical discussion focusing on the physical processes involved. It also illustrates the underlying mechanisms through laboratory demonstrations by using a rotating table, and through analysis of atmospheric and oceanic data.
Subject: general:
Basic Information
Year created:
2007
Extent:
NA
Genre:
Granularity:
Content language:
Media type:
Subject: specific:
Subject: keywords:
Eddy
ageostrophic motion
thermal wind
fluids
Hadley circulation
moist
atmosphere
greenhouse model
Climate
convection
Call number:
QC981.6
Section listing:
1 Introduction
2 Equilibrium T of Earth
3 Greenhouse effect
4 More complex greenhouse models
5 Vertical structure of atmosphere: Hydrostatic balance
6 Convection in water
7 Dry convection in air: Adiabatic lapse rate
8 Potential temperature
9 Moist convection I
10 Moist convection II
11 Meridional structure of atmosphere
12 Angular Momentum: Hadley circulation
13 Differentiation following the motion
14 Equations of motion applied to a fluid
15 Equations of motion for a rotating fluid
16 Equipotential surfaces
17 Inertial circles
18 Review and recap of frames of reference
19 Putting things on the sphere
20 Balanced flow: Geostrophy
21 Taylor Proudman theorem
22 Thermal wind
23 Ageostrophic motion and Ekman layers
24 The Hadley circulation
25 The general circulation of the atmosphere
26 Atmospheric general circulation: Eddy regime
27 The ocean and its circulation
28 Ocean circulation: Inferences from balanced dynamics
29 Ekman layers in the ocean
30 Taylor-Proudman on the sphere
31 Laboratory model of wind-driven ocean circulation
32 Theory of ocean gyres
33 Thermohaline circulation
34 Theoretical ideas on thermohaline circulation
35 Laboratory model of thermohaline circulation
36 The ocean and its role in climate
37 Source-sink flow and western boundary currents
Authors and allowed uses
Author(s):
Marshall, John
Provider:
CORE China Open Resource for Education
Approval status:
approved Screenshot:
Description of educational resources provided:
Subjects: general:
General
Social Sciences
Resource Sponsor type:
Academy
License type:
- Creative Commons Licences›Attribution - Non-Commercial - Share Alike
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Learning context
Audience education level:
Audience type:
End-user benefits:
The course has many interesting features, and it is amazingly complete. It relates experimental facts with theory in an elegant manner. Besides the readings, assignments and study materials, it also contains laboratory exercises and video demonstrations. It will be useful for students and instructors alike. The course includes an interesting and detailed discussion of the greenhouse effect on our planet.
Teaching recommendations:
The course is missing exams and quizzes. The readings are based on the book by the author of the course.
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