Topics in Geophysical Fluid Dynamics: Atmospheric Dynamics, Dynamo Theory, and Climate Dynamics

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xv

   PDF

2. Fundamentals

   1. Effects of Rotation

      • M. Ghil, S. Childress

      Pages 1-16

   2. Effects of Shallowness

      • M. Ghil, S. Childress

      Pages 17-32

   3. The Quasi-Geostrophic Approximation

      • M. Ghil, S. Childress

      Pages 33-43

3. Large-Scale Atmospheric Dynamics

   1. Effects of Stratification: Baroclinic Instability

      • M. Ghil, S. Childress

      Pages 44-72

   2. Changing Flow Patterns and Successive Bifurcations

      • M. Ghil, S. Childress

      Pages 73-124

   3. Persistent Anomalies, Blocking and Predictability

      • M. Ghil, S. Childress

      Pages 125-201

4. Dynamo Theory

   1. Models of Geomagnetism: A Survey

      • M. Ghil, S. Childress

      Pages 202-224

   2. Kinematic Dynamo Theory

      • M. Ghil, S. Childress

      Pages 225-265

   3. The Hydrodynamic Basis for Geomagnetism

      • M. Ghil, S. Childress

      Pages 266-293

5. Theoretical Climate Dynamics

   1. Radiation Balance and Equilibrium Models

      • M. Ghil, S. Childress

      Pages 294-352

   2. Glaciation Cycles: Phenomenology and Slow Processes

      • M. Ghil, S. Childress

      Pages 353-390

   3. Climatic Oscillators

      • M. Ghil, S. Childress

      Pages 391-452

6. Back Matter

   Pages 453-485

   PDF

The vigorous stirring of a cup of tea gives rise, as we all know, to interesting fluid dynamical phenomena, some of which are very hard to explain. In this book our "cup of tea" contains the currents of the Earth's atmosphere, oceans, mantle, and fluid core. Our goal is to under­ stand the basic physical processes which are most important in describing what we observe, directly or indirectly, in these complex systems. While in many respects our understanding is measured by the ability to predict, the focus here will be on relatively simple models which can aid our physical intuition by suggesting useful mathematical methods of investiga­ tion. These elementary models can be viewed as part of a hierarchy of models of increasing complexity, moving toward those which might be use­ fully predictive. The discussion in this book will deal primarily with the Earth. Interplanetary probes of Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn have revealed many exciting phenomena which bear on geophysical fluid dynamics. They have also enabled us to see the effect of changing the values of certain parameters, such as gravity and rotation rate, on geophysical flows. On the other hand, satellite observations of our own planet on a daily and hourly basis have turned it into a unique laboratory for the study of fluid motions on a scale never dreamt of before: the motion of cyclones can be observed via satellite just as wing tip vortices are studied in a wind tunnel.

• Derivation
• Orbit
• Potential
• Scale
• calculus
• cyclone
• equation
• satellite
• theorem
• wind

• Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, New York University, New York, USA

  M. Ghil, S. Childress

• Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA

  M. Ghil

Policies and ethics