units

ATM3050

Faculty of Science

18 September 2017 22 November 2024

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This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2016 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.

Monash University

6 points, SCA Band 2, 0.125 EFTSL

Undergraduate - Unit

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.

Faculty

Science

Organisational Unit

School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment

Coordinator(s)

Professor Michael Reeder

Offered

Clayton

  • First semester 2016 (Day)

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:

  1. Understand the physical theory of the motion of the atmosphere and how it can be constructed from basic principles using mathematical analysis;
  2. Demonstrate skills in using mathematical techniques to understand the dynamics of the atmosphere;
  3. Demonstrate high-level knowledge of the important techniques and terminology in dynamical meteorology;
  4. 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%

Workload requirements

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

See also Unit timetable information

Chief examiner(s)

Professor Michael Reeder

This unit applies to the following area(s) of study

Atmospheric science

Prerequisites

MTH2010 or MTH2015. Recommended: ATM2020 and ATM2030.

Co-requisites

MTH2032 (or equivalent)