12.003 | Fall 2008 | Undergraduate

Atmosphere, Ocean and Climate Dynamics

Study Materials

I. Atmospheric Climatology

ATMOSPHERIC OBSERVATIONS DATA LINKS
Zonal winds in m/s

Annual-mean zonal wind U
DJF zonal wind U
JJA zonal wind U

Meridional overturning circulation

Annual overturning streamfunction in 1e9 kg/sec 

Zonal-mean temperature (C)

Annual-mean zonal-mean temperature, T (C)
DJF zonal-mean temperature, T (C)
JJA zonal-mean temperature, T (C)

Zonal-mean potential temperature (K)

Annual zonal-mean potential temperature (K) 
DJF zonal-mean potential temperature (K) 
JJA zonal-mean potential temperature (K) 
Annual-mean, zonal-average Moist potential temperature
Temperature profiles averaged over in the tropical belt - 30N to 30S
Dry potential temperature
Moist potential temperature

Zonal-mean geopotential anomaly (m)

Zonal-mean geopotential anomaly (m)
DJF zonal-mean geopotential anomaly (m)
JJA zonal-mean geopotential anomaly (m)

Zonal-mean specific humidity (g/kg)

Annual-mean zonal-mean specific humidity (g/kg) 
Saturated specific humidity for annual-mean conditions: q* (g/kg)
DJF zonal-mean specific humidity (g/kg) 
JJA zonal-mean specific humidity (g/kg)  

Zonal-mean relative humidity (%)

Annual-mean zonal-mean relative humidity (%) 
DJF zonal-mean relative humidity (%) 
JJA zonal-mean relative humidity (%) 

Surface air temperature January surface air temperature
July surface air temperature
January - July surface air temperature
Maps of Outgoing longwave radiation (in W/m**2) Annual-mean OLR (in W/m**2)
Annual-mean, zonal average OLW
DJF OLR (in W/m**2)
JJA OLR (in W/m**2)
Global average atmospheric quantities Temperature and potential temperature
Temperature
Potential temperature
Specific humidity
Wind
Cloud pictures Cumulus clouds
Cumulonimbus cloud
Supercell
Surface pressure  Annual-mean Surface Pressure
Zonal average surface pressure
Zonal average zonal surface wind
Zonal average meridional surface wind
Albedo Albedo of the Earth’s surface

II. Ocean Climatology

OCEANIC OBSERVATIONS DATA LINKS
Bathymetry Bathymetry
Annual mean Sea Surface Temperature (SST)

Annual-mean SST
DJF SST
JJA SST
SST evolving over the year
Instantaneous map of SST as observed by satellite

Annual mean Sea Surface Salinity (SSS) Annual mean surface salinity distribution (in psu)
Sea Surface topography Ten-year mean height of the sea surface relative to the geoid (in cms)
Annual average zonal-mean potential temperature Cross-section of zonal-average temperature over top km
Cross-section of zonal-average temperature over whole water column
Zonal average Temperature across Atlantic (0 to 60W)
Annual average zonal-mean Salinity Cross-section of zonal-average salinity over top km (in psu)
Cross-section of zonal-average salinity over whole water column
Zonal average Salinity across Atlantic (0 to 60W)
Annual average zonal-mean potential density (referenced to the surface) Cross-section of zonal-average potential density over top km
Zonal-average potential density over whole water column
Depth of the sigma = 26.5 surface (annual mean)
Annual-mean Potential density at 100m depth
Mean ocean stratification N/f_ref at a depth of 200m
f x N**2 (normalized) on 26.5 surface in the Pacific
f x N**2 (normalized) on 27.5 surface in the Pacific
f x N**2 (normalized) on 26.5 surface in the Atlantic
f x N**2 (normalized) on 27.4 surface in the Atlantic
Air-sea heat flux Solar + longwave (positive is out of the ocean, negative in to the ocean)
Latent heat flux
Sensible heat flux
Net air-sea heat flux
Solar
Longwave
Annual Mean Precipitation, Evaporation Rate (m/yr) Evaporation 
Annual Mean Precipitation Rate
Wind Stress, curl and Ekman pumping Annual mean surface stress (0.1 N/m2)
Annual mean Ekman pumping (in meters/year)
Sverdrup transport Sverdrup transport in the Pacific
Hydrography Gulf Stream
30S: Atlantic
30W: Atlantic
Mixed layer depth Mixed layer depth in JFM (m)
Mixed layer depth in JJA (m)
Oxygen distribution in ml/l

Zonal average across the Atlantic
Zonal average across the Pacific

Course Info

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