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Coursework in Phys Ocean |
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AOSC610
Dynamics of the atmosphere and oceans (3) Pre- or corequisite: MATH
462. Equations of motion and their approximation, scale analysis for
the atmosphere and the ocean. Conservation properties. Fluid motion in
the atmosphere and oceans. Circulation and vorticity, geostrophic
motion and the gradient wind balance. Turbulence and Ekman Layers.
AOSC611 Dynamics of the
atmosphere and oceans II (3) Corequisite: Math 462. AOSC611 is a
continuation of AOSC610 and is designed to give students the tools
necessary for understanding and manipulating atmosphere/ocean dynamics
and to provide the basic principles which govern those dynamics,
including linear theory of wave propagation and instability in rotating
and stratified fluids. Specific topics include: acoustic waves, gravity
waves, mountain waves, inertial gravity waves, Rossby waves, boundary
and equatorially trapped waves, geostrophic adjustment and model
initialization, parcel instability, shear, Kelvin-Helmholtz, symmetric,
inertial, barotropic and baroclinic instability and their application
to the atmosphere and oceans. Look here for a description of AOSC611.
AOSC 614 Atmospheric Modeling, Data Assimilation and
Predictability (3) Prerequisite: AOSC 611 or equivalent . Solid
foundation for atmospheric and oceanic modeling and numerical weather
prediction: numerical methods for partial differential equations, an
introduction to physical parameterizations, modern data assimilation,
and predictability.
AOSC 615 Advanced data assimilation for the Earth
Sciences (3) Prerequisite: AOSC 614 or approval of instructor .
Overview of the most important methods for data assimilation. Theory,
techniques and strategies of these methods, as well as their possible
drawbacks. Hands-on experimentation with variational and other data
assimilation systems.
AOSC 617 Atmospheric and Oceanic Climate (3)
Prerequisite: AOSC 610 Understanding what determines the Earth's
climate and how it changes. The general circulation of the Atmosphere
and oceans: how weather gives rise to climate, historical perspective,
observations, and conceptual models. General circulation as a heat
engine driven by differential solar heating. Hadley and Walker
circulations. Wind-driven and thermohaline circulation of the oceans.
Intraseasonal variability: midlatitude storm tracks and jet streams,
tropical storms and hurricanes, Madden-Julian oscillation. Seasonal
cycle and monsoon circulations. Interannual to interdecadal climate
variability. The hydrological cycle. The carbon cycle. Climate change.
Look here for a description of AOSC617.
AOSC 630 Statistical Methods in Meteorology and
Oceanography (3) Prerequisite: STAT 400 or equivalent . Parametric and
non-parametric tests; time series analysis and filtering; wavelets.
Multiple regression and screening; neural networks. Empirical
orthogonal functions and teleconnections. Statistical weather and
climate prediction, including MOS, constructed analogs. Ensemble
forecasting and verification.
AOSC670 Physical Oceanography (3) Corequisite: AOSC610
or equivalent. Physical oceanography is the study of the fluid dynamics
and physics of the world ocean. This course presents a broad
introduction to physical oceanography covering the observed ocean and
forces governing the general circulation. Topics include: ocean
observations, water masses, sources of deep water, coastal and
estuarine processes, mass, heat, and salt transport, and geochemical
tracers. The dynamics of western boundary currents, processes
maintaining the main thermocline. Surface waves and tides. Ocean
climate and the ocean's role in the global carbon budget. More
information here. Look here to see photos from the 2000 AOSC670 cruise.
AOSC671 Air/sea interaction (3) Prerequisite: MATH 462
or equivalent. Pre- or corequisite: AOSC 610. Observations and theories
of the seasonal changes in the ocean circulation and temperature, and
interactions with the atmosphere. Equations of motion and theories of
wind-driven circulation. Mixed layer observations and theories.
Midlatitude and equatorial waves. Seasonal budgets of momentum, fresh
water, and heat. El Nino/Southern Oscillation. Interannual variability
and atmosphere-ocean coupling. Tropical meteorology. Grade will be
based on midterm and final examinations. Approximately four problem
sets will be handed out. More information here.
AOSC658h physical-biological modeling (3) Biology and
its interactions with the physics of the oceans is crucial to the
ocean's role in regulating the earth's climate. This is a seminar
course examining the processes involved in this interaction, presented
at an introductory level. The weekly lectures will cover the dominant
processes regulating the growth of biomass, including nutrient cycling,
mixing, O2, CO2, light, as well as other important processes. The
students will be presented with a simplified physical-biological model
allowing them to explore for themselves important feedback processes.
AOSC 684 Climate System Modeling (3) Fundamentals in
building computer models to simulate the components of the climate
system: atmosphere, ocean ice, land-surface, terrestrial and marine
ecosystems, and the biogeochemical cycles embedded in the physical
climate system, in particular, the carbon cycle. Simple to
state-of-the-art research models to tackle problems such as the Daisy
World, El Nino and global warming.
AOSC 685 Global Climate Change: Past and Present (3)
Global climate change, an integral part of the earth history, as
opposed to historical, anthropogenically induced climate change. Record
of climate change in the context of climate forcing, climate response,
and climate feedbacks. Sensitivity of climate to these parameters and
the value (and limitations) of the proxy records. Predictions tested
with the proxy record.
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