Global Atmospheric Circulations

by Richard Grotjahn

last update: 14 June 2000 /a/ directory

Welcome to the page based upon my book Global Atmospheric Circulations: Observations and Theories , published by Oxford University Press (1993).

  • Overview

    • This page has three main parts.

    1. Access image files of the errata sheets for the book.

    2. Example homework problems image files.

    3. Materials for the course that I teach using this book. Note: various supplements and improvements to the book are presented here.
      The course web pages include study guides, course administration matters, course updates, and other information that improves upon and clarifies subjects in the book. The study guides indicate how I select information from the text when I teach this subject.

    Finally, I occasionally work on a section which contains further notes and information beyond that presented in the book.

    All image files linked here are copyrighted to Richard Grotjahn.

  • Errata Sheets

    • Previously, errata sheets consisting of several sets were included here as crude text and gif image files. The files could not easily show math symbols or Greek letters, nor was the information easily updatable (since I go to another building to do my scanning).
    I used to provide a file using postscript format that is widely printable and viewable.
    I now use pdf format for the errata.
    The pdf file version of the errata is located here. (updated 17 December 2004)
    If you are not already aware of it, you can obtain a pdf viewer for free over the net from Adobe Software, under the name Acrobat Reader.

    If you would like a printed copy from a wordprocessor, please contact me. My email is: grotjahn 'at' ucdavis 'dot' edu

    Alternatively, you could also mail your request to me at:
    Dept. of L.A.W.R.
    One Shields Avenue
    Univ. of California
    Davis CA 95616-8627
    U.S.A.

  • Example Homework Problems

    • In order to reproduce charts and symbols from the actual homework handouts, I have simply scanned in the black and white images of each homework. What follows is a short description of each problem set file, so that the reader may skip those subjects not of interest. For obvious reasons, I have NOT included my solutions to these problems!

    I have not updated these problems for several years. I encourage instructors to contact me if they are looking for more problem set ideas.

    I have a short article in Dynamics of Atmospheres and Oceans vol. 27, (January 1998), pages 5-16. which includes several more homework problems (with solutions). I have reprints of this article for those who may be interested.

  • Problem 1-1 is an exercise to calculate the total amount of data each day from various observing platforms. (20k gif).

  • Problem 1-2 is an exercise to calculate the error in estimating several geostrophic quantities given measurements of geopotential that have specified instrument and "noise" error. (13k gif).

  • Problem 2a is the first part of an exercise to make radiation-related calculations. The second part is here. The second part contains graphs referred to in the first part. Radiation reaching a particular latitude on a particular day is estimated. (There are better ways to do this calculation than the method suggested.) In addition to the usual clear sky result, the amount for observed seasonal cloud cover is also approximated. (30k gif for first part; 29k gif for second).

  • Problem 3 contains exercises related to Chapter 3. The simple radiative budget schematic is extended and used to calculate radiative equilibrium temperatures. Then a mass conservation argument is used to estimate mean meridional flow and vertical motion that is either widely distributed or concentrated in thunderstorms. (26k gif)

  • Problem 4 contains two parts. In the first part the seasonal change in zonal winds is used to estimate the change in the length of the day. A conservation of angular momentum argument (see Chapter 4) is used. The second part shows how eddy momentum fluxes (see Chapter 4) are related to the shape of a wave. (23k gif)

  • Problem 5 contains two parts, both of which relate to the energetics of extratropical cyclones. The efficiency factor (See APE discussion in Chapter 4) is estimated using two different techniques. (30k gif)

  • Problem 6 Uses a "closed system" conceptual model to estimate heating rates and diabatic energy conversion for a developing and a mature frontal cyclone. (30k gif)

  • Problem 7 Has two parts. In the first part, the heat transport in a sector and across a latitude are estimated from data. In the second part, a fictional planet is described and a simple mean meridional general circulation is derived using Fourier Series solutions to a "Kuo-Eliassen" type equation. (30k gif)

  • Problem 8 contains two parts. In the first, another heat transport calculation is made (recall Problem 7) and the baroclinic energy conversion associated with this data is calculated and compared with the diabatic conversion (recall Problem 6) In the second part, some basic features of complex math representation of an upstream tilted pair of highs and lows are revealed. (Basically, this is practice seeing how general properties of the frontal cyclones are indicated in a complex arithmatic formula.) (30k gif)

    To assist instructors, I have provided a text file list of sample homework problems as well. This text file does not have special letters, symbols or graphics either. Thus, the items listed above are to be prefered.

  • Updates and Other Information

    • In this section I shall include information and updates that reflect my thinking beyond what I wrote in the book several years ago.

  • North Atlantic Jet Exit Region

    some thoughts on momentum and kinetic energy balance there.

    One question that may arise is how can this be an area where the time mean jet decreases in strength downwind (the "jet exit") even though this is also the region where the eddy momentum flux convergence is stronger?

    This discussion "under construction".

  • Draft Schematic of Nonzonal Properties

    a work in progress...

    It occurs to me that one might link together a number of items presented in the book by focussing upon the interaction that occurs when a middlatitude trough extends into the tropics. Such is a regular event during winter in the middle Pacific and Atlantic oceans. I have prepared some draft schematic diagrams based upon many figures in the book. I have listed the relevant figures in the upper right corner of each image. My figures show various properties of the transient and stationary flows. I also indicate diabatic effects. Finally, all three figures are overlaid so as to see better the relationships.

    The images consist of rhomboidal polygons that are intended to show approximate meridional cross sections at selected longitudes across the Pacific. The longitudes are marked -- some cross sections do not follow a meridian in order to pick up better interesting atmospheric properties. I realize that these figures are not easy to understand since one must include several processes, each with a different symbol. Nonetheless, here are some symbol definitions:

    draft!

    The symbols used in the figures are as follows. H and L refer to high and low pressure (where a block H or block L are stronger extrema). Precipitating clouds are indicated with a tube shape having scalloped edges. Precip is indicated with vertical lines. Single straight shafted arrows indicate wind flow. Wavy single shafted arrows indicate heat transfer between the atmosphere and the earth's surface. Arrows with double shafts indicate meridional momentum fluxes. Arrows with triple shafts indicate meridional heat fluxes. The longer an arrow, the greater the amplitude of the quantity there. Dotted lines (that extend into the dimension perpendicular to each plane are of geopotential height in the upper troposphere. T refers to trough; while block J refers to the subtropical jet stream. WBC refers to the western boundary current (it has imporant heat transport). LH refers to latent heat release.

    When I have taught my course, I have slowly constructed these figures over the course of many lectures thereby providing a vehicle for review as well as illustrating the connections between properties and concepts.

  • Stereo images of the subtropical jet

    One of my hobbies is stereo imagery. Plate 1 in the book can be viewed in stereo by going to a subdirectory of my stereo files by clicking here. For those who are unfamiliar with relaxed eye techniques, you may want to visit my tutorial located here.

  • Other servers of interest:

  • The CDC updates climate maps of various types at this location. Products include 300 mb Z variance, angular momentum, OLR, and global circulation anomalies.

    Several locations provide user-specified Map drawing on large scales:

  • Monthly temperature anomalies (courtesy of NCDC)
  • NOAA climate data (using NOAA Ferret server)
    You can send e-mail to me at my UCD account using

  • grotjahn 'at' ucdavis 'dot' edu

    Return to my homepage

    Return to UCD Atmospheric Science home page.

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  • Sheet 1: pages ix through 101 is here (26k gif).
  • Sheet 2: pages 108 through 177 is here (29k gif).
  • Sheet 3: pages 193 through 409 is here (31k gif).