AOSC 432: Dynamics of Atmosphere and Ocean
2020 Spring
Course Description:
Fundamental characteristics and governing processes of atmosphere, ocean, and coupled-system, based on the physical principles: equations of motion and their approximation, scale analysis, balanced and unbalanced components, conservation properties, horizontal and vertical structures, interaction among prominent elements leading to nonlinear weather and oceanic dynamics.
Instructor:
Kayo Ide ide (at) umd.edu
Grader:
Emily Blumenauer emblum5 (at) gmail.com
Textbooks: (No mandatory textbooks)
Suggested
Atmosphere, Ocean and Climate Dynamics: An Introductory Text by John Marshall and R. Alan Plumb
Mid-Latitude Atmospheric Dynamics. A First Course by Jonathan E. Martin.
Additional Resources
[AOSC431 Textbook] Atmospheric Science, Second Edition: An Introductory Survey (International Geophysics) by John M. Wallace and Peter V. Hobbs.
Descriptive Physical Oceanography: An Introduction (6th Edition) [pdf] by Lynne Talley.
[Advanced] Atmospheric and Oceanic Fluid Dynamics : Fundamentals and Large-Scale Circulation by Geoffrey K. Vallis.
Prerequisite/Corequisite and Credits:
Prerequisite: AOSC431. Corequisite: MATH246.
3 semester hours. Credit will be granted for only one of the following: AOSC432, METO432, or AOSC632.
Course Syllabus:
1. Introduction
2. Background: Earth System
3. Review: Mathematical Concepts and Techniques
4. System of Fluid Motion
5. System of Geophysical Fluid Motion
6. Balance Relation I. Diagnostics in the Geometrical Coordinate
7. Balance Relation II. Diagnostics in the Isobaric Coordinate
8. Vorticity and Circulation of Geophysical Fluids
9. Large-Scale Circulation of the Atmosphere
10. Large-Scale Circulation of the Ocean
Activities:
Weekly Meetings
9:30am-10:45am TuTh [ATL 2416] Class
11:00am-12:00pm Tu [ATL 3403] Office hour
Students are also encouraged to participate in AOSC tutoring session (time & location: TBA)
Weekly Quizzes
9:30am-9:35pm Th [ATL 3403] A written quizzes will take place weekly at the beginning of Thursday class unless announced otherwise. The topics will be announced during Tuesday class of the same week.
Elevator-Pitch Presentation
Once during the semester, the students are invited to give an in-class elevator-pitch presentation.
The students will have a few weeks from the start of the semester to decide whether to accept the invitation or not.
To earn the full (5) points, the student must present orally and then submit the written version on the day of the pitch.
The topic and the date will be randomly assigned.
Homework
Total five sets (date TBA)
Midterm Exams (Tentative)
12(or 24) March 2020 Th(or Tu) [ATL 2416] In class (closed book, closed notes)
14(or 16) April 2020 Tu(or Th) [ATL 2416] In class (closed book, closed notes)
Final Exam
15 May 2020 F [ATL 2416] 8:00-10:00am: according to the UMD final exam schedule
Grading & Policies :
Grade are not given but earned. Your grade is determined by your performance on the learning assessments and is assigned individually and fairly.
Grading
Based on: Weekly Quizzes 25% + Elevator-pitch 5% (0% if opt out) + Homework 20%+ Mid-term 30% (=15%x2) + Final Exam 20%
Know your rights!
Please visit www.ugst.umd.edu/courserelatedpolicies.html for the Office of Undergraduate Studies’ full list of campus-wide policies, including: Academic integrity; Attendance and excused absences; Student and instructor conduct; Grades and appeals; Accessibility and accommodations; Copyright and intellectual Property.
If you wish to request special accommodations, please contact the instructor within the first two weeks of the semester.
Get some help!
Taking personal responsibility for you own learning means acknowledging when your performance does not match your goals and doing something about it. You are encouraged to visit tutoring.umd.edu to learn more about the wide range of campus resources available to you.
Everyone can use some help sharpen their communication skills (and improving their grade) by visiting ter.ps/writing and schedule an appointment with the campus Writing Center.
If you just need someone to talk to, visit counseling.umd.edu. Everything noted here is free, and everyone needs help… all you have to do is ask for it.
Homework
No late homework will be accepted without prior arrangement. Late homework may be accepted with reduced points up to 2 times at reduced points [Same day by 5pm - 70% ; Next day by 5pm - 30%]
Use of external references should be cited.
Students may study together and discuss problems in a general way to improve understanding, but they are individually responsible for their homework. No copying is allowed.
Students with Disability
Students who require special examination conditions must register with the Office of the Disabled Students Service (DSS).
Documentation must be provided to me and discussed within the first week of classes, and paper forms must be filled and provided before every exam.
Absence and Lateness
From official reasons: The student must provide an official letter/paperwork and get approval by the instructor in one week advance for absence or lateness from official reasons.
Due to illness: First and foremost, please do take care and get well. To make arrangement for the missed activities, the student must obtain a note from a doctor or from the health center documenting your illness with the dates clearly specified. Notes from the parents, student himself/herself, or a friend will not be accepted. The student should also email the instructor as soon as possible.
Download
Syllabus (pdf)
Course notes (Link to ELMS)
Kayo Ide at UMD AOSC 432 2020 Spring