PHM9010 - ATMOSPHERIC DYNAMICS

Module Identifier

PHM9010

Module Title

ATMOSPHERIC DYNAMICS

Academic Year

2003/2004

Co-ordinator

Professor Geraint Vaughan

Semester

Semester 1

Pre-Requisite

Successful Completion of Year 3 of the MPhys Scheme

Course delivery

Lecture

22 lectures

Assessment

Assessment Type	Assessment Length/Details	Proportion
Semester Exam	3 Hours End of semester examinations	100%

Learning outcomes

After taking this module students should be able to:

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

Brief 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.

Content

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.

Transferable skills

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

Reading Lists

Books
** Reference Text
J.R. Holton (1991) An introduction to dynamical meteorology Academic Press
A. Gordon et al (1998) Dynamical Meteorology, A Basic Course Arnold ISBN 0-340-59503

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 7