12.003 | Fall 2008 | Undergraduate

Atmosphere, Ocean and Climate Dynamics

Calendar

SES # TOPICS READINGS LABS KEY DATES
1 Introduction Introduction Lab experiment 0:
Rotation stiffens fluids
 
2 Characteristics of the atmosphere Chapter 1    
3 Equation of state for the dry and moist air Chapter 1    
4 Earth’s radiation budget Chapter 2    
5 Greenhouse effect: I Chapter 2    
6 Greenhouse effect: II Chapter 2   Problem set 1 due
7 Vertical structure of the atmosphere Chapter 3    
8 Convection in water Chapter 4 Lab experiment 2:
Convection
 
9 Convection in water (cont.) Chapter 4   Problem set 2 due
10 Convection in water (cont.) Chapter 4    
11 Dry convection in air Chapter 4    
12 Potential temperature Chapter 4   Problem set 3 due
13 Moist convection in air: I Chapter 4 Lab experiment 1:
Cloud formation on adiabatic expansion
 
14 Moist convection in air: II Chapter 4   Problem set 4 due
15 Meridional structure of the atmosphere Chapter 5    
16 Partial differential equations Chapter 6   Problem set 5 due
17 Radial inflow experiment Chapter 6 Lab experiment 3:
Radial inflow
Midterm due
18 Equations of motion for non-rotating fluids Chapter 6    
19 Equations of motion for rotating fluids Chapter 6 Lab experiment 4:
Parabolic table
 
20 Inertial motions Chapter 6 Lab experiment 5:
Inertial circles
 
21 Equations of motion on a sphere Chapter 6   Presentations
22 Geostrophic balance Chapter 7    
23 Taylor-Proudman theorem Chapter 7 Lab experiment 6:
Perrot’s bathtub experiment
 
24 Thermal wind Chapter 7 Lab experiment 8:
Thermal wind and Hadley circulation
 
25 Ekman layers Chapter 7 Lab experiment 9:
Slope of a frontal surface
Problem set 6 due
26 The general circulation of the atmosphere Chapter 8 Lab experiment 7:
Taylor columns
 
27 Physical characteristics of the ocean Chapter 9    
28 The observed ocean circulation Chapter 9   Problem set 7 due
29 Ekman layers in the ocean Chapter 10    
30 Ekman layers in the laboratory Chapter 10 Lab experiment 10:
Ekman layers
 
31 Taylor-Proudman on the sphere Chapter 10 Lab experiment 11:
Atmospheric general circulation
Problem set 8 due
32 The wind driven ocean circulation Chapter 10    
33 The abyssal ocean circulation Chapter 11 Lab experiment 12:
Ekman pumping and suction
 
34 Turbulent mixing and the abyssal ocean circulation Chapter 12    
35 The atmospheric and oceanic energy budget Chapter 12    
36 The Earth’s heat budget Chapter 12   Problem set 9 due
37 Review      
38 Review (cont.)      

Course Info

As Taught In
Fall 2008
Learning Resource Types
Demonstration Videos
Simulations
Problem Sets
Exams