Mesoscale weather systems are responsible for numerous natural disasters, such as damaging winds, blizzards and flash flooding. A fundamental understanding of the underlying dynamics involved in these weather systems is essential in forecasting their occurrence. This book provides a systematic approach to this subject, and covers a more complete spectrum of mesoscale dynamics than other texts. The opening chapters introduce the basic equations governing mesoscale weather systems and their approximations. The subsequent chapters cover four major areas of mesoscale dynamics: wave dynamics, moist convection, front dynamics, and mesoscale modelling. This is an ideal book on the subject for researchers in meteorology and atmospheric science. With over 100 problems, and password protected solutions available to instructors at www.cambridge.org/9780521808750, this book could also serve as a textbook for graduate students. Modelling projects, providing hands-on practice for building simple models of stratified fluid flow from a one-dimensional advection equation, are also described.
• A wide range of weather phenomena is described making this a great all-in-one guide to mesoscale dynamics • Modelling projects are included to allow reader to get hands on experience in developing simple models • Each chapter ends with review questions; featured problems with solutions allow for the book to be used on select courses for graduates
Contents
Preface; 1. Overview; 2. Governing equations for mesoscale motions; 3. Basic wave dynamics; 4. Wave generation and maintenance; 5. Orographically forced flows; 6. Thermally forced flows; 7. Mesoscale instabilities; 8. Isolated convective storms; 9. Mesoscale convective systems; 10. Dynamics of fronts and jet streaks; 11. Dynamics of orographic precipitation; 12. Basic numerical methods; 13. Numerical modeling of geophysical fluid systems; 14. Parameterization of physical processes; Appendices; Index.
Reviews
'… a readable, beautifully presented and well-balanced text that should find a place on the bookshelves of many university libraries.' Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society
'…a good addition to the libraries of graduate students interested in the mesoscale.' EOS
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