Chapters 5-9: Basics

Physics concepts

  1. Free body diagrams!
    1. vertical: to understand hydrostatic balance
    2. horizontal: to understand geostrophic balance
  2. conservation laws:
    1. conservation (and types) of energy
    2. conservation of momentum
    3. conservation of angular momentum
  3. first law of thermodynamis
  4. adiabatic processes

Weather and Climate concepts

  1. forcing and response
  2. feedbacks
    1. what are positive & negative feedbacks?
    2. ice-albedo feedback
    3. water vapor feedback
    4. multiple feedbacks (know how to interpret equation 5.5)
    5. How can clouds be both a positive and negative feedback?
  3. Chapter 6:
    1. Walker circulation (Hadley-Walker circulation)
    2. Understand figure 6.5
    3. What happens to Hadley circulation in warmer world? What are some consequences?
  4. Chapter 7: Weather & climate models
    1. grid, resolution, parameterizations
    2. what are some difficulties in modeling weather? climate?
  5. El Nino
  6. MJO

Reading Guide, and useful links