12.003 introduction to atmosphere, ocean, and climate...

12.003 Introduction to Atmosphere, Ocean, and Climate Dynamics

Instructor Paul O’Gorman, 54-1712

pog@mit.edu

Teaching Assistant Elezhan Zhakiya (e.zhakiya@gmail.com)

Webpagehttp://www.mit.edu/~pog/12.003

Meeting times Monday, Wednesday and Friday 11.00-12.00

Classroom 54-1623

PrerequisitesMultivariate Calculus (18.02)

Physics I: Classical Mechanics (8.01)

12.003 Introduction to Atmosphere, Ocean, and Climate Dynamics

Course description: Introduces students to the dynamical processes that govern the atmosphere, ocean, and climate. Topics include Earth's radiation budget, convection and clouds, the circulation of the atmosphere and ocean, and climate change. Illustrates underlying mechanisms through laboratory demonstrations with a rotating table, and through analysis of atmospheric and oceanic data.

Grading:

1. Homework assignments (45%)

2. Class participation (5%)

3. A mid-term exam (15%)

4. A final, closed book, exam (35%)

12.003 Introduction to Atmosphere, Ocean, and Climate Dynamics

Homework Policy:

1. Collaboration is allowed for problem sets

2. Students must write up the problem sets on their own

12.003 Introduction to Atmosphere, Ocean, and Climate Dynamics

Textbook

Marshall, John, and R. Alan Plumb. Atmosphere, Ocean, and Climate Dynamics: An Introductory Text. Boston, MA: Elsevier Academic Press, 2007.

12.003 Introduction to Atmosphere, Ocean, and Climate Dynamics

Other references

Hartmann. Global Physical Climatology. Academic Press. This book is useful for both atmospheric and oceanic sections of the course, especially chapters 1-7.

Wallace and Hobbs. Atmospheric Science: An Introductory Survey. Academic Press. Good qualitative discussion of many of the topics we will cover in atmospheric science.

Stewart. Introduction to Physical Oceanography. Available online. A not-too-technical introduction to physical oceanography.

Pierrehumbert, Raymond T. Principles of Planetary Climates. Cambridge University Press. Useful for discussion of radiative transfer and a range of planetary atmospheres.

Neelin, David J. Climate Change and Climate Modeling. Cambridge University Press. Includes useful descriptions of the climate system and climate modeling.

Textbook

Marshall, John, and R. Alan Plumb. Atmosphere, Ocean, and Climate Dynamics: An Introductory Text. Boston, MA: Elsevier Academic Press, 2007.

12.003 Introduction to Atmosphere, Ocean, and Climate Dynamics

Course syllabus The global energy balance of the Earth (September) The general circulation of the atmosphere (October) The general circulation of the ocean (November) The Earth’s climate (December)

Laboratory experimentsInfrared radiation ConvectionCondensationRotating flow (several)

12.003 Introduction to Atmosphere, Ocean, and Climate Dynamics

Example experiment: Large-scale eddies in the atmosphere

A brief introduction: Five important aspects of atmospheres, oceans and climate that you will learn

about in this class

1) How does the “greenhouse effect” help to determine the Earth’s equilibrium

temperature?

2) What governs the occurrence of clouds and convection in the atmosphere? (e.g., how to tell whether convection is about to occur)

Deep convection over Africa seen from ISSDeveloping convection

3) What controls the strength of the westerly jet streams aloft, and what

drives the surface winds?

4) Why are ocean currents stronger on the western side of ocean basins?

Northward surface current speed

5) What does the ice albedo feedback imply for climate stability, and how difficult is it for

the Earth to enter or leave a “snowball”?

For each topic: We will learn about the phenomenon and seek to understand it using radiative transfer, thermodynamics and fluid dynamics

Lecture 2 1) Characteristics of the atmosphere

2) Introduction to the effects of fast rotation on fluid flow

Experiment 1: Dye stirring with and without rotation