Mesoscale Dynamics

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 2007 book provides a systematic approach to this subject. 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.

Preface; 1. Overview; 2. Governing equations for mesoscale motions; 3. Basic wave dynamics; 4. Mesoscale 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.