ATM S 545, Autumn Quarter 1997

The General Circulation of the Atmosphere

Course Outline:

Course Outline (by week)

• Week 1: Overview, kinetic energy cycle, space/time averaging formulation
• Week 2: Angular momentum balance, role of eddy fluxes, inference of mean meridional circulation
• 3. Total Energy Balance, role of eddy fluxes, inference of mean meridional circulation
• 4, 5, 6 Dynamics of a zonally averaged vortex: role of mean meridional circulations, potential vorticity flux and transience, application to stratospheric warmings.
• 7. Diagnosis of time-mean flow: climatological-mean planetary waves, monsoons
• 8. Baroclinic waves
• 9. Low frequency atmospheric variability: teleconnections, blocking
• 10. Climate variability: El Niqo-Southern Oscillation, interdecadal variability

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