Introduction to Geophysical Fluid Dynamics

Catalog description

This course presents the field of geophysical fluid dynamics. After an overview of Earth's energy balance, students will spend the first half of the semester learning dynamics and consider how Earth’s rotation alters large-scale flows in the ocean and atmosphere. After a study of the circulation of the ocean and the atmosphere, students will learn how the ocean and atmosphere couple to create the climate system, including the current climate system as well as natural and anthropogenic variations in the climate system. Students will gain experience in creating computational models of the ocean, atmosphere, and climate.