This class focuses on physical processes affecting the state of the atmosphere, and their mathematical description. These processes include radiation, convection, the hydrologic cycle, atmospheric mixing (both vertical and horizontal), and heat and momentum transport. We will study how these processes determine the mean vertical and meridional structure of the atmosphere, as well as its variablility and ``weather'' (storms, hurricanes, etc.) Along the way, we shall have fun studying physical and mathematical topics sunch as radiation, absortion and scattering, thermodynamics of air and water, and models for fluid mixing. Grading will be based on projects, individual or goupal, done throughout the semester.
J. Houghton, The Physics of Atmospheres , Cambridge University Press, 2002 (required).
D. G. Andrews, An Introduction to Atmospheric Physics , Cambridge University Press, 2000.
C. F. Bohren, Clouds in a Glass of Beer. Simple experiments in atmospheric physics , Wiley Science Editions, 1987.
C. F. Bohren, Atmospheric Thermodynamics , Oxford University Press, 1998.
A. E. Gill, Atmosphere-Ocean Dynamics , Academic Press, 1982.