Geophysical Fluid Dynamics

Catalog description

This class will discuss physical principles fundamental to the theoretical,observational, and experimental study of geophysical fluids, the equations of motion for rotating fluids; hydrostatic and Boussinesq approximations; circulation theorem; conservation of potential vorticity; scale analysis, geostrophic wind, quasigeostrophic system; wave theory and applications, flow instabilities, geophysical boundary layers. Depending on student interest, the class will be adapted to include applications from Oceanography, Meteorology, Geophysics or Engineering.