Geophysical fluid dynamics

Keywords: Fluides en rotation et stratifiés, océan, atmosphère, équilibres planétaires
Prerequisites: Bases en mécanique des fluides mais non nécessaires

This course introduces the basics of fast rotating and stratified fluid dynamics. It lays down the physical bases for quantitatively apprehending fluid flows such as those of the Earth’s atmosphere or other planets and the ocean, introducing the tracers dynamics involved in the ocean global circulation and the greenhouse effect, the thermodynamics applied to fluids, the effects of stratification by passing through wave phenomena such as external gravity waves, such as surfaces waves and tides. Internal waves will also be introduced as well as their relationship with mountain meteorology and sea breezes. At larger scales, interaction effects between rotation and stratification will be apprehended, resulting in relationships such as Geostrophy and the Thermal Wind which are the fundamental (zero order) equilibria of the ocean and atmosphere dynamics. In this course will also be derived the equations of motion on the sphere, that will introduce the essential concept of angular momentum to explain the large-scale winds structure in the atmosphere.