This is an archived course. A more recent version may be available at ocw.mit.edu.

 

Tropical Meteorology

Image of clouds.

Moist convection. (Image by Prof. Kerry Emanuel.)

Instructor(s)

MIT Course Number

12.811

As Taught In

Spring 2005

Level

Graduate

Course Features

Course Description

This course describes the behavior and dynamics of the tropical troposphere, from the large-scale energy balance down to cumulus convection and tropical cyclones. Topics include: Radiative-convective equilibrium; the Hadley and walker circulation; monsoons; tropical boundary layers; theory of the response of the tropical atmosphere to localized sea-surface temperature anomalies; intraseasonal oscillations; equatorial waves; El Niño/Southern Oscillation; easterly waves; and tropical cyclones.