| SES # | TOPICS | READINGS | LABS | KEY DATES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction | Introduction | Lab experiment 0: Rotation stiffens fluids | |
| 2 | Characteristics of the atmosphere | Chapter 1 | ||
| 3 | Equation of state for the dry and moist air | Chapter 1 | ||
| 4 | Earth's radiation budget | Chapter 2 | ||
| 5 | Greenhouse effect: I | Chapter 2 | ||
| 6 | Greenhouse effect: II | Chapter 2 | Problem set 1 due | |
| 7 | Vertical structure of the atmosphere | Chapter 3 | ||
| 8 | Convection in water | Chapter 4 | Lab experiment 2: Convection | |
| 9 | Convection in water (cont.) | Chapter 4 | Problem set 2 due | |
| 10 | Convection in water (cont.) | Chapter 4 | ||
| 11 | Dry convection in air | Chapter 4 | ||
| 12 | Potential temperature | Chapter 4 | Problem set 3 due | |
| 13 | Moist convection in air: I | Chapter 4 | Lab experiment 1: Cloud formation on adiabatic expansion | |
| 14 | Moist convection in air: II | Chapter 4 | Problem set 4 due | |
| 15 | Meridional structure of the atmosphere | Chapter 5 | ||
| 16 | Partial differential equations | Chapter 6 | Problem set 5 due | |
| 17 | Radial inflow experiment | Chapter 6 | Lab experiment 3: Radial inflow | Midterm due |
| 18 | Equations of motion for non-rotating fluids | Chapter 6 | ||
| 19 | Equations of motion for rotating fluids | Chapter 6 | Lab experiment 4: Parabolic table | |
| 20 | Inertial motions | Chapter 6 | Lab experiment 5: Inertial circles | |
| 21 | Equations of motion on a sphere | Chapter 6 | Presentations | |
| 22 | Geostrophic balance | Chapter 7 | ||
| 23 | Taylor-Proudman theorem | Chapter 7 | Lab experiment 6: Perrot's bathtub experiment | |
| 24 | Thermal wind | Chapter 7 | Lab experiment 8: Thermal wind and Hadley circulation | |
| 25 | Ekman layers | Chapter 7 | Lab experiment 9: Slope of a frontal surface | Problem set 6 due |
| 26 | The general circulation of the atmosphere | Chapter 8 | Lab experiment 7: Taylor columns | |
| 27 | Physical characteristics of the ocean | Chapter 9 | ||
| 28 | The observed ocean circulation | Chapter 9 | Problem set 7 due | |
| 29 | Ekman layers in the ocean | Chapter 10 | ||
| 30 | Ekman layers in the laboratory | Chapter 10 | Lab experiment 10: Ekman layers | |
| 31 | Taylor-Proudman on the sphere | Chapter 10 | Lab experiment 11: Atmospheric general circulation | Problem set 8 due |
| 32 | The wind driven ocean circulation | Chapter 10 | ||
| 33 | The abyssal ocean circulation | Chapter 11 | Lab experiment 12: Ekman pumping and suction | |
| 34 | Turbulent mixing and the abyssal ocean circulation | Chapter 12 | ||
| 35 | The atmospheric and oceanic energy budget | Chapter 12 | ||
| 36 | The Earth's heat budget | Chapter 12 | Problem set 9 due | |
| 37 | Review | |||
| 38 | Review (cont.) |