Geophysical fluid dynamics.

Abstract

This book is based largely on the core curriculum in geophpysical fluid dynamics taught in the Department of Geophysical Sciences, University of Chicago. The focus is on the application of fluid mechanics to the dynamics of large scale flows in the oceans and the atmosphere. Chapters 1 and 2 discuss certain elementary but fundamental ideas in general terms before the complexities of scaling are required. In Chapter 3 the inviscid dynamics of a homogeneous fluid is discussed in order to expose, in the simplest context, the nature of quaasiogeostrophic motion. Chapter 4 describes some of the simple ideas of the influence of friction on large-scale flows in the context of a homogeneous fluid. Chapter 5 serves to exemplify the use of the homogeneous model in the discussion of a problem of major geophysical interest, ie. the wind-driven ocean circulation. Chapter 6 has two main purposes. First is the systematic development of the quasigeostrophic dynamics of a stratified fluid for flow on a sphere. Careful attention is given to the development of the -plane model on logical and straightforward lines. Chapter 7 is reserved for instability theory. Varolcinic and barotropic instability are both discussed in Chapter 7. The final chapter discussed certain topics, not easily grouped into the broad categories of earlier chapters, and chosen primarily to illustrate the way in which the ideas previously developed can be extended by similar methods.-P.N.Chroston