Readings

Teaching this course for several years has led to the development of a text book:

Marshall, John, and R. Alan Plumb. Atmosphere, Ocean, and Climate Dynamics: An Introductory Text. Boston, MA: Elsevier Academic Press, 2007. ISBN: 9780125586917.

Table of Contents (PDF)


SES # TOPICS READINGS
1 Introduction

Introduction

Chapter 1

2 Equilibrium T of Earth Chapter 2
3 Greenhouse effect
4 More complex greenhouse models
5 Vertical structure of atmosphere: Hydrostatic balance Chapter 3
6 Convection in water Chapter 4
7 Dry convection in air: Adiabatic lapse rate
8 Potential temperature
9 Moist convection
10 Moist convection (cont.)
11 Meridional structure of atmosphere Chapter 5
12 Angular Momentum: Hadley circulation
13 Differentiation following the motion Chapter 6
14 Equations of motion applied to a fluid
15 Equations of motion for a rotating fluid
16 Equipotential surfaces
17 Inertial circles
18 Review and recap of frames of reference
19 Putting things on the sphere
20 Balanced flow: Geostrophy Chapter 7
21 Taylor Proudman theorem
22 Thermal wind
23 Ageostrophic motion and Ekman layers
24 The Hadley circulation Chapter 8
25 The general circulation of the atmosphere
26 Atmospheric general circulation: Eddy regime
27 The ocean and its circulation Chapter 9
28 Ocean circulation: Inferences from balanced dynamics
29 Ekman layers in the ocean Chapter 10
30 Taylor-Proudman on the sphere
31 Laboratory model of wind-driven ocean circulation
32 Theory of ocean gyres
33 Thermohaline circulation Chapter 11
34 Theoretical ideas on thermohaline circulation
35 Laboratory model of thermohaline circulation
36 The ocean and its role in climate Chapter 12
37 Source-sink flow and western boundary currents
38 Final exam