Introduction to Dynamic Meteorology (Kinematics of the Atmospheric Motions)

Abstract

A system of material points is called a continuous medium if these points entirely fill some volume of space. In this case the substance, as well as the physical characteristics of its state or motion, have a continuous distribution. The Earth’s atmosphere, precisely the lower part, including the troposphere and the stratosphere, represents a continuous medium. Therefore, in the problems of dynamic meteorology we can ignore the discrete molecular structure of the atmosphere and apply the general methods of fluid dynamics for its description.