Course Title:

METEO 527: Atmospheric Wave Motion (3)  

Semester:

Fall 2014

When:

MWF 1:25 PM - 2:15 P

Where:

105 Electrical Eng West

Instructor:

Dr. John Harlim
Office: 214 MacAllister Bldg
Email : jharlim@psu.edu
Office hours: by appointment

From classical and physical hydrodynamics to the numerical prediction of wave motion in a baroclinic atmosphere.

Prerequisite: MATH 411, 412, 436. This course is best taken in parallel to METEO 520 or 521.

Topics: This survey course will cover some serendipities between modern applied mathematics and geophysical flows which blends asymptotic analysis and qualitative modeling. The goal is to provide advanced undergrad and beginning graduate students with mathematically firmed understanding of the basic atmospheric wave motion.

I plan to discuss selective topics from the texts listed above. They include: Linear and nonlinear instability of flows with strong stratication, rotating shallow water waves theory and quasi geostrophic equations, linear and weakly nonlinear theory of dispersive waves with geophysical examples, simplified equations for the dynamics of strongly stratied flow, introduction to averaging over fast waves for geophysical flows, waves and PDE for the equatorial atmosphere, topographic mean flow interaction.

Grades: Grading will be based on a reading assignment of relevant papers with 5-10 pages of report due near the end of the semester and an in-class oral presentation.