Boundary Layer Forcing (Chapter 4)
- Parameterization of sub synoptic-scale processes
- molecular or viscous friction
- turbulent friction
- eddy stress
- mixing length concepts
- surface layer and logarithmic wind profile
- surface transport of heat and moisture
- bulk aerodynamic method
- friction layer and Ekman spiral
Excel spreadsheet
- Vorticity equation - an alternative to the equation of motion
- spin-down time
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The General Circulation
- Meridional 3-cell model
- Circulation theorem - barotropic and baroclinic forcing
- Subtropical jet
- conservation of absolute angular momentum
- Surface winds and pressure
- Waves
- important wave properties: wavelength, forcing, speed, growth or decay
- laboratory simulation
- conservation of absolute and potential vorticity
- Ertel's potential vorticity
- Rossby wave speed equation
- wave axis slope and transport of zonal momentum and heat
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- Polar front jet
- hemispheric baroclinic zone
- Mechanical and Total Energy Equations
- available potential energy and energy conversions
- Jet streaks
Basic Equations in Vector Form
- Vector basics - unit vectors, multiplication, del operator, gradient,
divergence, vorticity, advection
- Set of equations governing the atmosphere
- Geostrophic and ageostrophic winds
- Thermal wind
- Geostrophic vorticity
- Vorticity equation
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Baroclinic (Quasi-geostrophic) Waves (Chapter 5)
- Scale analysis
- Predictive equations - derivation and interpretation
- vorticity equation
- thermodynamic energy equation
- geopotential tendency equation
- Diagnostic equations - derivation and interpretation
- omega equation
- Trenberth's formulation
- Q-vector representation
- Model of baroclinic systems
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