PHM9010 - ATMOSPHERIC DYNAMICS

Module Identifier	PHM9010
Module Title	ATMOSPHERIC DYNAMICS
Academic Year	2001/2002
Co-ordinator	Professor Geraint Vaughan
Semester	Semester 1
Other staff	Dr Nicholas Mitchell
Pre-Requisite	Successful Completion of Year 3 of the MPhys Scheme
Course delivery	Lecture	22 lectures
Assessment	Exam	3 Hours End of semester examinations	100%

Module description

This course considers motion in the atmosphere from a fluid-mechanical perspective, showing how geostrophic and hydrostatic balance leads to simplification of the nonlinear basic equations. Applications are presented in the context of synoptic weather systems and fronts. Vorticity and potential vorticity are introduced as fundamental dynamical properties of the flow. Wave motion in the atmosphere is introduced within a physical framework, with application to gravity waves, tides and planetary waves.

Learning outcomes

After taking this module students should be able to:

understand geostrophic and hydrostatic balance and solve simple problems using these concepts
derive information from a weather chart
understand the fundamental link between vorticity and vertical motion in the atmosphere
understand the structure of a midlatitude cyclone and the central role played by fronts in such a structure
understand the nature of gravity waves and their role in the atmospheric circulation.
understand the origin and nature of planetary waves and their role in the atmospheric circulation.

Additional learning activities

Computer-aided learning packages for meteorology.
Videos on satellite observations of air motion.

Outline syllabus

The dynamical equations of atmospheric flow: inclusion of Coriolis acceleration.
Scale analysis: horizontal momentum equations, hydrostatic eqn.
Pressure co-ordinates.
Geostrophic and gradient wind.
Thermal Wind.
The chart as a means of displaying information.
Vorticity, the vorticity equation, potential vorticity.
Applications of the conservation of potential vorticity.
Fronts.
General Circulation in the troposphere.
Overview of wave motion in the atmosphere: restoring forces.
Gravity waves: simple theory, asymptotic equation.
Gravity wave saturation and spectra.
Transport of momentum by gravity waves.
Simple theory of atmospheric tides.
Planetary waves: free modes (Rossby waves), forced modes.
Transport by planetary waves.

Reading Lists

Books
** Reference Text
J.R. Holton. (1991) An introduction to dynamical meteorology. Academic Press 012354355X
A. Gordon et al. (1998) Dynamic Meteorology: A Basic Course. Arnold 0340595035