Equations of mass, momentum, and energy in Eulerian form in rotating frame of reference. Vorticity and divergence. Scaling and geostrophic approximation. Illustrates general methods that apply to either fluid and the contrasts between them. Basic ideas of geophysical wave motion in rotating, stratified, and rotating-stratified fluids.
Subject begins with general wave concepts of phase and group velocity.
The dynamics and kinematics of gravity waves with a focus on dispersion, energy flux, initial value problems, etc. Subject foundation used to study internal and inertial waves, Kelvin, Poincare, and Rossby waves in homogeneous and stratified fluids. Laplace tidal equations are applied to equatorial waves. Basic concepts include mass and momentum conservation, beta-plane, hydrostatic and geostrophic balance, and pressure and other vertical coordinates. Analysis of observations of oceanic and atmospheric quasi-balanced flows, computational models, and rotating tank experiments.