Numerical Models of Oceans and Oceanic Processes (International Geophysics Series Volume 66) (International Geophysics)

Oceans play a pivotal role in our weather and climate. Ocean-borne commerce is vital to our increasingly close-knit global community. Yet we do not fully understand the intricate details of how they function, how they interact with the atmosphere, and what the limits are to their biological productivity and their tolerance to wastes. While satellites are helping us to fill in the gaps, numerical ocean models are playing an important role in increasing our ability to comprehend oceanic processes, monitor the current state of the oceans, and to a limited extent, even predict their future state. Numerical Models of Oceans and Oceanic Processes is a survey of the current state of knowledge in this field. It brings together a discussion of salient oceanic dynamics and processes, numerical solution methods, and ocean models to provide a comprehensive treatment of the topic. Starting with elementary concepts in ocean dynamics, it deals with equatorial, mid-latitude, high latitude, and coastal dynamics from the perspective of a modeler. A comprehensive and up-to-date chapter on tides is also included. This is followed by a discussion of different kinds of numerical ocean models and the pre- and post-processing requirements and techniques. Air-sea and ice-ocean coupled models are described, as well as data assimilation and nowcast/forecasts. Comprehensive appendices on wavelet transforms and empirical orthogonal functions are also included. This comprehensive and up-to-date survey of the field should be of interest to oceanographers, atmospheric scientists, and climatologists. While some prior knowledge of oceans and numerical modeling is helpful, the book includes an overview of enough elementary material so that along with its companion volume, Small Scale Processes in Geophysical Flows, it should be useful to both students new to the field and practicing professionals. * Comprehensive and up-to-date review * Useful for a two-semester (or one-semester on selected topics) graduate level course * Valuable reference on the topic * Essential for a better understanding of weather and climate Oceans play a pivotal role in our weather and climate. Ocean-borne commerce is vital to our increasingly close-knit global community. Yet we do not fully understand the intricate details of how they function, how they interact with the atmosphere, and what the limits are to their biological productivity and their tolerance to wastes. While satellites are helping us to fill in the gaps, numerical ocean models are playing an important role in increasing our ability to comprehend oceanic processes, monitor the current state of the oceans, and to a limited extent, even predict their future state. Numerical Models of Oceans and Oceanic Processes is a survey of the current state of knowledge in this field. It brings together a discussion of salient oceanic dynamics and processes, numerical solution methods, and ocean models to provide a comprehensive treatment of the topic. Starting with elementary concepts in ocean dynamics, it deals with equatorial, mid-latitude, high latitude, and coastal dynamics from the perspective of a modeler. A comprehensive and up-to-date chapter on tides is also included. This is followed by a discussion of different kinds of numerical ocean models and the pre- and post-processing requirements and techniques. Air-sea and ice-ocean coupled models are described, as well as data assimilation and nowcast/forecasts. Comprehensive appendices on wavelet transforms and empirical orthogonal functions are also included.This comprehensive and up-to-date survey of the field should be of interest to oceanographers, atmospheric scientists, and climatologists. While some prior knowledge of oceans and numerical modeling is helpful, the book includes an overview of enough elementary material so that along with its companion volume, Small Scale Processes in Geophysical Flows, it should be useful to both students new to the field and practicing professionals. * Comprehensive and up-to-date review* Useful for a two-semester (or one-semester on selected topics) graduate level course* Valuable reference on the topic* Essential for a better understanding of weather and climate Content: List of acronyms Pages xv-xxi List of symbols Pages xxiii-xxv Foreword Pages xxvii-xxix Kirk Bryan Preface Pages xxx-xxxii LakshmiH. Kantha, CarolAnne Clayson Prologue Pages xxxiii-xxxvi Chapter 1 Introduction to ocean dynamics Pages 1-126,I-IV Chapter 2 Introduction to numerical solutions Pages 127-245 Chapter 3 Equatorial dynamics and reduced gravity models Pages 247-290 Chapter 4 Midlatitude dynamics and quasi-geostrophic models Pages 291-336 Chapter 5 High latitude dynamics and sea-ice models Pages 337-373 Chapter 6 Tides and tidal modeling Pages 375-492 Chapter 7 Coastal dynamics and barotropic models Pages 493-528 Chapter 8 Data and data processing Pages 529-576 Chapter 9 Sigma-coordinate regional and coastal models Pages 577-625 Chapter 10 Multilevel basin scale and global models Pages 627-660 Chapter 11 Layered and isopycnal models Pages 661-673 Chapter 12 Ice-Ocean coupled models Pages 675-697 Chapter 13 Ocean-atmosphere coupled models Pages 699-727 Chapter 14 Data assimilation and nowcasts/forecasts Pages 729-776 Appendix a Equations of state Pages 777-781 Appendix b Wavelet transforms Pages 783-818 Appendix c Empirical orthogonal functions and empirical normal modes Pages 819-850 Appendix d Units and constants Pages 851-864 References Pages 865-909 Biographies Pages 911-913 Index Pages 915-936 International geophysics series Pages 937-940 Numerical Models of Oceans and Oceanic Processes is a survey of the current state of knowledge in this field. It brings together a discussion of salient oceanic dynamics and processes, numerical solution methods, and ocean models to provide a comprehensive treatment of the topic. Starting with elementary concepts in ocean dynamics, it deals with equatorial, mid-latitude, high latitude, and coastal dynamics from the perspective of a modeler. A comprehensive and up-to-date chapter on tides is also included.This is followed by a discussion of different kinds of numerical ocean models and the pre- and post-processing requirements and techniques. Air-sea and ice-ocean coupled models are described as well as data assimilation and nowcasts/forecasts. Comprehensive appendices on wavelet transforms and empirical orthogonal functions are also included. "This book is a survey of the current state of knowledge in this field. It brings together a discussion of salient oceanic dynamics and processes, numerical solution methods, and ocean models to provide a comprehensive treatment of the topic. Starting with elementary concepts in ocean dynamics, it deals with equatorial, mid-latitude, high-latitude, and coastal dynamics from the perspective of a modeler. A comprehensive and up-to-date chapter on tides is also included." @Tease: Foreword by Kirk Bryan, Princeton University