Fluid Dynamics of the Atmosphere and Ocean

Readings

The handouts from Jim Price  (Sr. Scientist, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution) used in the lecture notes section of this course are now available as an online publication:  Topics in Fluid Dynamics.

KC04 = Kundu, P. K., and I. M. Cohen. Fluid Mechanics. 3rd ed. New York: Elsevier Academic Press, 2004. ISBN: 9780121782535.  
CR94 = Cushman-Roisin, B. Introduction to Geophysical Fluid Dynamics. New York: Prentice Hall, 1994. ISBN: 9780133533019.

LEC #	TOPICS	READINGS
1	Introduction Class Aims   Class Administration (Problem Sets, Exams, Grades, etc.)   Scheduling Issues   Introduction to Fluid Dynamics
2-5	Kinematics of Fluid Flow Eulerian and Lagrangian Representations of Flow   The Material Derivative   Trajectories, Streaklines, and Streamlines   Cauchy-Stokes Theorem   The Velocity Gradient Tensor	Session 2 KC04: 1.1-1.7, 3.1-3.5, 3.13 (optional Chap 2)   CR94: Chapter 1   KFF I, II, IV Session 3 KC04: 3.6-3.10 Session 4 KC04: 3.6-3.10 Session 5 KFF V   KC04: 4.1-4.4
6-9	Conservation Equations Reynolds Transport Theorem   Momentum Equations (Navier-Stokes, Boussinesq form of Navier-Stokes, Euler)   Total Energy Equation, Mechanical Energy Equation, Heat Equation   2nd Law of Thermodynamics	Session 6 KC04: 4.5-4.11 Session 7 KC04: 4.13 - 4.15 Session 8 KC04: 4.13 - 4.17 Session 9 KC04: 4.16 - 4.18
10-13	Vortex Flows, Circulation, and Vorticity Bernoulli Functions   Solid Body Rotation, Point Vortex, Rankine Vortex   Stokes’ Theorem   Potential Flows: Interacting Point Vortices   Kelvin’s Circulation Theorem   Helmholtz Vortex Theorems   Vorticity Equation	Session 10 KC04: 4.16 - 4.18 Session 11 KC04: 5.1-5.3, 5.8-5.9, 3.11 (review) Session 12 KC04: 5.4-5.5 Session 13 KC04: 5.4-5.5
14-15	Impact of The Earth’s Rotation Momentum Eequations in a Rotating Frame   Centripetal Acceleration, Coriolis Acceleration   Vorticity Equation in a Rotating Frame   Kelvin’s Circulation Theorem in a Rotating Frame	Session 14 KC04: 4.12, CR: 2.1-2.5 Session 15 KC04: 5.7, 14.1-14.4
16-18	GFD Kinematics Simplified Momentum Equations   Inertial Flow, Geostrophy, Gradient Wind, Cyclostrophic Flow, Isallobaric Flow   Impact of Viscosity   Taylor-Proudman Theorem   Thermal Wind	Session 16 KC04: 14.5 Session 17 Holton 92: 3.2, 3.4
19-20	Ekman Layers Brief Bboundary Layer Introduction   Mass Transport in Ekman Layer; Ekman Pumping and Suction   Ekman Spiral   Sverdrup Transport	Session 20 14.6-14.7
21-24	Waves Beta Effect   Wave Kinematics   Barotropic, Fixed Depth Rossby Waves   Shallow Water Equations, Shallow Water Gravity Waves, Inertia-Gravity Waves, Kelvin Waves   Potential Vorticity   Barotropic, Quasi-Geostrophic Rossby Waves   Kelvin-Helmholz Instability	Session 21 KC04: 14.8 Session 22 KC04: 12.9, 14.16 Session 23 KC04: 14.13, 14.15 Session 24 KC04: 14.11-14.12