University of Wisconsin
Course Objectives
1. to understand the principles governing atmospheric
motions and to apply these
principles to a variety of atmospheric phenomena,
2. to understand the implications of hydrostatic and
geostrophic balance on the structures and evolution
of synoptic-scale systems,
3. to understand the role of atmospheric motions in the
global energy and momentum budgets.
Course Outline
I. REVIEW
a. vorticity and circulation
b. first law of thermodynamics
c. hydrodynamical equations
II. ATMOSPHERIC WAVES
a. perturbation technique
b. phase and group velocities
c. sound waves
d. internal gravity waves
e. Rossby waves
III. INSTABILITIES
a. parcel versus wave approach
b. convective instabilities
c. barotropic instability
d. inertial and symmetric instabilty
e. baroclinic instability
IV. SYNOPTIC-SCALE SYSTEMS
a. storm structure
b. quasi-geostrophic theory
c. baroclinic structures
d. omega equation and Q vectors
e. fronts
V. GENERAL CIRCULATION
a. energetics
b. momentum budget
c. zonally-symmetric circulations
d. longitudinally-dependent features
VI. TROPICAL CIRCULATIONS
a. cumulus convection and dynamics
b. convective storms
c. equatorial waves
d. ENSO
TEXT
Holton, J.R.: An Introduction to Dynamic Meteorology, Third Edition. Academic Press
GRADES
Two quizzes and a final will be given. The dates are:
quiz # 1 February 16
quiz # 2 March 30
final May 4 (12:20-2:10 PM)
In the quizzes and final you will be allowed to bring one 8.5x11 sheet upon which you can write anything. The final grade will be assigned according to the following rule:
Quiz # 1 20%,
Quiz # 2 20%,
Final 40%,
Problems 20%.
HOMEWORK PROBLEMS
Set#2
Set#3
Set#4
Set#5
Set#6
Set#7
Set#8
Set#9
Set#10
EXAMINATIONS
Exam#1
