1. ABOUT THE DISCIPLINE 'DYNAMIC METEOROLOGY' The name 'dynamic meteorology' is traditional for designating a university course as well as the scientific branch of meteorology as a whole. While there is no need to abandon this name, it needs contemporary treatment and specifications in its definition. A synonym for it could be 'dynamics (more precisely, hydrodynamics or fluid dynamics) of the atmosphere'. It suggests the relationship of this discipline to general hydrodynamics and applied mathematics and its pronounced theoretical nature. Besides the atmosphere, however, our planet has another (liquid) envelope - the hydrosphere (world's ocean), which also concerns ocean dynamics and, therefore, it is necessary to define, from a unified standpoint, the subject and aims of the disciplines dealing with the dynamics of the processes which take place in both fluid spheres. Such a unified standpoint offers the so-called geophysical fluid dynamics. During the past few years this description is encountered quite often in scientific literature concerning the Earth as a planet. Obviously, a scientific branch or a science is created whose subject is our planet and the investigation methods are borrowed from classical fluid dynamics and applied mathematics, including the most recent numerical methods. As can be seen from its very suitable name, it is the dynamics of quite definite geophysical fluids (atmosphere, ocean and even the liquid inside of the Earth) and not of some abstract (often perfect) flUids, as in classical hydrodynamics.

Inhalt

1. Introduction to Dynamic Meteorology (Kinematics of the Atmospheric Motions).- 1. Methods for the Description of Continuous Media.- 2. Kinematic Characteristics of the Pressure Field.- 3. Geometrical Characteristics of the Wind Field.- 4. Differential and Integral Characteristics of the Wind Field.- 5. A Linear Wind Field Around an Arbitrary Point.- 6. The Continuity Equation.- 7. Barotropy and Baroclinicity of the Atmosphere.- 8. On the Use of Scalar, Vector, and Tensor Notations.- Problems.- I: The Dynamics of An Ideal (Without Friction) Atmosphere.- 2. Equations of Thermo-Hydrodynamics of the Atmosphere (Weather Equations).- 3. Simplification of Weather Equations.- 4. Energetics of the Atmosphere.- 5. Waves and Instabilities in the Atmosphere.- 6. The Mutual Adjustment of Meteorological Elements.- 7. The Theoretical Basis of Meteorological Forecasts.- II: The Dynamics of A Real (With Friction) Atmosphere.- 8. The General Theory of Atmospheric Turbulence.- 9. The Dynamics of the Atmospheric Surface Layer.- 10. The Dynamics of the Atmospheric Planetary Boundary Layer.- 11. The General Circulation of the Atmosphere.- References.- Appendix: Retrospective View of Dynamic Meteorology: Perspectives.- Biographical Data.