This book gives a coherent development of the current understanding of the fluid dynamics of the middle latitude atmosphere. It is primarily aimed at post-graduate and advanced undergraduate level students and does not assume any previous knowledge of fluid mechanics, meteorology or atmospheric science. The book will be an invaluable resource for any quantitative atmospheric scientist who wishes to increase their understanding of the subject. The importance of the rotation of the Earth and the stable stratification of its atmosphere, with their implications for the balance of larger-scale flows, is highlighted throughout.

Clearly structured throughout, the first of three themes deals with the development of the basic equations for an atmosphere on a rotating, spherical planet and discusses scale analyses of these equations. The second theme explores the importance of rotation and introduces vorticity and potential vorticity, as well as turbulence. In the third theme, the concepts developed in the first two themes are used to give an understanding of balanced motion in real atmospheric phenomena. It starts with quasi-geostrophic theory and moves on to linear and nonlinear theories for mid-latitude weather systems and their fronts. The potential vorticity perspective on weather systems is highlighted with a discussion of the Rossby wave propagation and potential vorticity mixing covered in the final chapter.

Series Foreword
Preface
Select bibliography
The authors

1. Observed flow in the Earth's midlatitudes.

Theme 1. Fluid dynamics of the midlatitude atmosphere.
2. Fluid dynamics in an inertial frame of reference.
3. Rotating frames of reference.
4. The spherical Earth.
5. Scale analysis and its applications.
6. Alternative vertical coordinates.
7. Variations of density and the basic equations.

Theme 2. Rotation in the atmosphere.
8. Rotation in the atmosphere.
9. Vorticity and the barotropic vorticity equation.
10. Potential vorticity.
11. Turbulence and atmospheric flow.

Theme 3. Balance in atmospheric flow.
12. Quasi-geostrophic flows.
13. The omega equation.
14. Linear theories of baroclinic instability.
15. Frontogenesis.
16. The nonlinear development of baroclinic waves.
17. The potential vorticity perspective.
18. Rossby wave propagation and potential vorticity mixing.

Appendices
Index

AUTHORS

Brian J. Hoskins
(University of Reading, Imperial College London, UK)

Ian N. James
(Emeritus Professor, University of Reading, UK)

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