| ATS
656 - Tropical Meteorology
& Moist Convective Systems
 This
course draws together concepts in the dynamics and climatology of
the tropical atmosphere, as well as of significant precipitation
systems across the Tropics. Specific topic areas include synoptic
climatology, the dynamics of tropical flows (e.g., Kelvin waves,
near Equatorial flows), convective scale dynamics, island meteorology,
tropical cyclones, and the broad forces driving tropical circulations
(e.g., ENSO, radiative-convective equilibrium, latent heating distributions,
gregarious cloud systems). A review of key low-latitude jets, and
oceanic currents, will be provided.
The goal of the class is to provide students in graduate level atmospheric
science a background into tropical meteorology, emphasizing aspects
of atmospheric convection across the Tropics. Exercises will focus
on scales of weather between 30 N and 30 S, dynamical processes,
building theoretical foundations, and real data analysis. The
course will assume a strong familiarity with atmospheric thermodynamics
(ATS 541) and dynamics (ATS 551) so this course's material
can grow from these basic concepts.
Course
Syllabus:
1. Fundamentals:
a) What makes the "Tropics" the Tropics?
b) Heating distributions
c) The Ocean-Atmosphere connection
d) Climate
versus Weather in the Tropics
2. Tropical Dynamics:
a) Tropical flow characteristics
b) Scale analysis
c) Comparison to Midlatitude systems
d) Equatorial
flows; Kelvin waves, Walker circulations
e) Large scale flows: El
Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO); Monsoons; ITCZ; Subtropical Anticyclones;
f) Ocean dynamics, currents and SSTs in Tropics
3. Synoptic Scale Circulations:
a) Jet streams
b) Westerly
wind events
c) Persistent convergent zones
d) Influences of the land
and sea
4. Mesoscale Features:
a) Easterly waves
b) Island meteorology
c) Convective systems and regimes
5. Dynamics of Moist Convection:
a) Scale analysis
b) Convective
modes
c) Heat, moisture and momentum transports
d) Oceanic influences
e) Convective parameterizations
6. Tropical Cyclones:
a) TC Climatology
b) TC development and
maintenance
c) Effects on tropical environment
7. Large Scale Constraints:
a) Radiative-Convective equilibrium
b) WISHE
c) Ocean currents and mountain ranges
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