Climate Dynamics (METEO 470, 3 credits)
Course Syllabus for Spring 2008
Instructor: Michael
E. Mann, Department of Meteorology, 523
Meeting Time/Place: MWF 1:25-2:15P (110 Walker)
Office Hours: You are encouraged to use email for questions when possible. You are
welcome to visit my office for questions during scheduled office hours (Wed,
Motivation:
In order to under and model the climate system, we
need to understand the dynamics of the underlying components, including the
atmosphere and ocean, and the mechanisms by which they are coupled.
In this course, we will model the dynamics and
thermodynamics governing the ocean and atmosphere on spatial and temporal
scales appropriate for climate studies. We will investigate the processes by
which the dynamics of the ocean and atmosphere are coupled on these timescales,
with the goal of understanding the basic mechanisms of climate variability.
Topics discussed will include the thermohaline and wind-driven ocean
circulation, energy balance, the El Nino/Southern Oscillation (
Webpage
We will
regularly draw upon the course homepage as a resource for the course:
http://www.meteo.psu.edu/~mann/Mann/courses/METEO470SPR08/index.html
Aside from
links to the course syllabus, there will be links to the readings, problem
sets, slides from the lectures, and other
course-related materials.
Lectures
Attendance
of all lectures is expected. You are strongly encouraged to ask questions and
participate constructively in class. Copies of slides from the lectures will
usually be made available electronically through the course website (see above)
within 2-3 days following the lecture.
Textbook
The course textbook is:
Peixoto and Oort (1992), Physics of Climate, 2nd Edition, American Institute of Physics Press, 564pp.
Where appropriate, supplementary readings taken from various sources
will be posted on the course website.
Grading
Problem Sets
(40%): There will be several (4)
problem sets assigned that will involve applications of topics covered in
class. You may discuss the problems with
each other, but the problem set you turn in should reflect your own individual
effort.
Mid-Term Exam
(20%): There will be a mid-term
examination roughly mid-way through the semester.
Final Exam
(40%): There will a final
examination for the course at the scheduled time and date.
LECTURE
SCHEDULE (tentative and subject to change)
|
DATE |
LECTURE TOPIC |
|
ASSIGNMENT |
1 |
M Jan 14 |
Introduction |
1; 2 |
|
2 |
W Jan 16 |
Equations of Motion |
3.1-3.2.1 |
|
3 |
F Jan 18 |
Equations of Motion |
3.1-3.2.1 |
|
|
M Jan 21 |
No Class [ |
|
|
4 |
W Jan 23 |
Equations of Motion (cont); Energy Equation |
3.1-3.2.1; 3.4.1 |
PS #1 Assigned |
5 |
F Jan 25 |
Equation of State for Atmosphere |
3.5;3.5.1 |
|
6 |
M Jan 28 |
Filtering of the equations for Atmosphere |
3.2.2 |
|
|
W Jan 30 |
No Class |
|
|
|
F Feb 1 |
No Class |
|
|
7 |
M Feb 4 |
Filtering of the equations for Atmosphere (cont) |
3.2.2 |
|
8 |
W Feb 6 |
Filtering of the equations for Atmosphere (cont) |
” |
|
9 |
F Feb 8 |
Large-scale Atmospheric Circulation |
3.2.2; 7 |
PS #1 Due |
10 |
M Feb 11 |
Large-scale Atmospheric Circulation (cont) |
” |
|
11 |
W Feb 13 |
Large-scale Atmospheric Circulation (cont) |
|
PS #2 Assigned |
12 |
F Feb 15 |
Hydrological cycle; Salinity; Equation of State for Ocean |
3.5.2;12;12.1.1-12.5.2 |
|
13 |
M Feb 18 |
Filtering of the equations for Ocean |
3.2.3 |
|
14 |
W Feb 20 |
Filtering of the equations for Ocean (cont) |
” |
|
15 |
F Feb 22 |
Large-scale Ocean Circulation—Ekman transport |
3.2.3;8 |
|
G1 |
M Feb 25 |
Guest Lecture: Use of Tracers to |
|
|
G2 |
W Feb 27 |
Guest Lecture: Role of Oceans in Paleoclimate |
|
|
16 |
F Feb 29 |
Large-scale Ocean Circulation—Ekman circulation |
3.2.3;8 |
PS #2 Due |
17 |
M Mar 3 |
Large-scale Ocean Circulation—Sverdrup transport |
Supplemental |
|
|
W Mar 5 |
Mid-term |
|
|
|
F Mar 7 |
No Class |
|
|
|
M Mar 10 |
No Class [Spring Break] |
|
|
|
W Mar 12 |
No Class [Spring Break] |
|
|
|
F Mar 14 |
No Class [Spring Break] |
|
|
|
M Mar 17 |
No Class |
|
|
G3 |
W Mar 19 |
Guest Lecture: Glacial Climates |
|
|
G4 |
F Mar 21 |
Guest Lecture: Greenhouse Climates |
|
|
18 |
M Mar 24 |
Large-scale Ocean Circulation—gyre circulation |
Supplemental |
PS #3 Assigned |
19 |
W Mar 26 |
Large-scale Ocean
Circulation—gyre circulation (cont) |
” |
|
20 |
F Mar 28 |
Large-scale Ocean Circulation—thermohaline circulation ( |
” |
|
|
M Mar 31 |
No Class |
|
|
G5 |
W Apr 2 |
Guest Lecture: Early Earth Climates |
|
|
G6 |
F Apr 4 |
Guest Lecture: Recent Research in |
|
|
21 |
M Apr 7 |
Energy and Radiation Balance |
6-6.3; 6.6-6.8; 10-10.7 |
|
22 |
W Apr 9 |
Energy Balance Models (EBMs) |
Supplemental |
|
23 |
F Apr 11 |
Energy Balance Models (EBMs) (cont) |
” |
PS #3 Due |
24 |
M Apr 14 |
Upwelling-Diffusion Models |
|
PS #4 Assigned |
25 |
W Apr 16 |
Tropical Ocean-Atmosphere Dynamics; |
Supplemental |
|
26 |
F Apr 18 |
|
” |
|
27 |
M Apr 21 |
Atmospheric General Circulation Models (GCMs) |
Supplemental |
|
28 |
W Apr 23 |
Atmospheric General Circulation Models (GCMs) |
” |
|
|
F Apr 25 |
No Class |
|
|
29 |
M Apr 28 |
Coupled Atmosphere-Ocean Models (AOGCMs) |
Supplemental |
|
30 |
W Apr 30 |
Coupled Atmosphere-Ocean Models (AOGCMs) |
” |
|
31 |
F May 2 |
Anthropogenic Climate Change |
Supplemental |
PS #4 Due |