Undergraduate - UnitATM3050 - Dynamical meteorology

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2013 only. For students planning to study the unit, please refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course or area of study.

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6 points, SCA Band 2, 0.125 EFTSL

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Level	Undergraduate
Faculty	Faculty of Science
Organisational Unit	School of Mathematical Sciences
Offered	Clayton Second semester 2013 (Day)
Coordinator(s)	Professor Michael Reeder

Synopsis

The motion of a density-stratified fluid in a rotating frame of reference; important parameters and their magnitudes; 'homogeneous flows' in the atmosphere and ocean; shallow-water and Rossby-wave motion; western boundary currents; gradient-wind balance and vortex motion; dynamics of stratified fluids, including stability, blocking, internal gravity waves and thermal-wind balance.

Outcomes

On completion of this unit students will be able to:

Understand the physical theory of the motion of the atmosphere and how it can be constructed from basic principles using mathematical analysis;

Demonstrate skills in using mathematical techniques to understand the dynamics of the atmosphere;

Demonstrate high-level knowledge of the important techniques and terminology in dynamical meteorology;

Apply knowledge to analyse and solve problems in dynamical meteorology.

Assessment

Final examination (3 hours): 70%
Assignments: 20%
In-semester tests and support-class activities: 10%

Chief examiner(s)

Professor Michael Reeder

Contact hours

Three 1-hour lectures per week, one 2-hour laboratory/support class per week, plus private study/research time

Prerequisites

MTH2010 or MTH2015. Recommended: ATM2020 and ATM2030.

Co-requisites

MTH2032 (or equivalent)