How to make a tornado (and other flows in the atmosphere and ocean)

Catalog description

In this seminar students explore the physics of atmospheric and oceanic flows experientially using rotating tanks of water on small turntables provided to students in the class. Different flow phenomena from tornado formation, ocean gyres, to hurricane propagation are introduced each week and experiments are designed to simulate them. The experiments, like the oceanic and atmospheric motions they are simulating, can be visually stunning, like pieces of fluid artwork, and the students will learn various visualization techniques to draw out their beauty. The goal is for students to practice the scientific method while gaining an understanding and appreciation for how the ocean and atmosphere work. The seminar also features a field trip to the Exploratorium where students will examine exhibits demonstrating atmospheric and oceanic dynamics, providing both visual understanding and creative inspiration for developing their own class experiments.