An animated illustration of internal gravity waves. (Image courtesy of Prof. Glenn Flierl.)
Instructor(s)
Prof. Glenn Flierl
MIT Course Number
12.802
As Taught In
Spring 2004
Level
Graduate
Course Description
Course Features
Course Description
This course is an introduction to basic ideas of geophysical wave motion in rotating, stratified, and rotating-stratified fluids. Subject begins with general wave concepts of phase and group velocity. It also covers the dynamics and kinematics of gravity waves with a focus on dispersion, energy flux, initial value problems, etc. Also addressed are subject foundation used to study internal and inertial waves, Kelvin, Poincare, and Rossby waves in homogeneous and stratified fluids. Laplace tidal equations are applied to equatorial waves. Other topics include: resonant interactions, potential vorticity, wave-mean flow interactions, and instability.
Other Versions
Other OCW Versions
OCW has published multiple versions of this subject. 