The atmosphere and ocean are two of the most important components of the climate system, and fluid dynamics is central to our understanding of both. This book provides a unified and comprehensive treatment of the field that blends classical results with modern interpretations. It takes the reader seamlessly from the basics to the frontiers of knowledge, from the equations of motion to modern theories of the general circulation of the atmosphere and ocean. These concepts are illustrated throughout the book with observations and numerical examples. As well as updating existing chapters, this full-color second edition includes new chapters on tropical dynamics, El Nino, the stratosphere and gravity waves. Supplementary resources are provided online, including figures from the book and problem sets, making this new edition an ideal resource for students in the atmospheric, oceanic and climate sciences, as well as in applied mathematics and engineering.
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Preface
Part 1. Fundamentals of Geophysical Fluid Dynamics. 1. Equations of motion 2. Effects of rotation and stratification 3. Shallow water systems 4. Vorticity and potential vorticity 5. Geostrophic theory Part 2. Waves, Instabilities and Turbulence. 6. Wave fundamentals 7. Gravity waves 8. Linear dynamics at low latitudes 9. Barotropic and baroclinic instability 10. Waves, mean-flows and their interaction 11. Basics of incompressible turbulence 12. Geostrophic turbulence and baroclinic eddies 13. Turbulent diffusion and eddy transport Part 3. Large-Scale Atmospheric Circulation. 14. The overturning circulation: Hadley and Ferrel cells 15. Zonally averaged mid-latitude atmospheric circulation 16. Planetary waves and zonal asymmetries 17. The stratosphere 18. Water vapour and the tropical atmosphere Part 4. Large-Scale Oceanic Circulation. 19. Wind-driven gyres 20. Structure of the upper ocean 21. The meridional overturning circulation and the ACC 22. Equatorial circulation and El Nino References Index.
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