In this final project, we draw together some of the ideas explored in Projects 1, 2, and 3 and apply them to study, using atmospheric data and a rotating annulus, aspects of the general circulation of the atmosphere.
Project Description (PDF)
Notes on relevant theory:
Lecture Notes from course 12.003 (Physics of Atmospheres and Oceans) - Chapter 5: The Meridional Structure of the Atmosphere — temperature, pressure, moisture and winds (PDF - 4.1 MB)
Lecture Notes from course 12.003 (Physics of Atmospheres and Oceans) - Chapter 8: The General Circulation of the atmosphere — Hadley and middle latitudes circulation-heat and momentum budget (PDF - 1.5 MB)
For an introduction to General Circulation can be found at the Weather in a Tank Web site
Atmospheric Data
Hadley cell
- Climatology from NCEP Reanalysis: Weather in a Tank – Atmosphere Hadley
- Instructions for plotting of NCEP reanalysis zonally averaged fields
Eddy heat transport
- Eddy heat transport from NCEP Reanalyis: Weather in a Tank – Atmosphere Eddies
- Instructions for plotting transient heat fluxes
Other links:
IRI/LDEO Climatology (NCEP Reanalysis)
Climate data (from OORT dataset)
