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METR 5113, Advanced Atmospheric Dynamics I

Alan Shapiro, Instructor
Mon, 18 August, 2014 (first day of class)
4 handouts: (i) syllabus (ii) useful references (iii) class exam
time (please fill out and return by next Monday!), and (iv) greek
alphabet.
Class introductions.
The 4 handouts.
Goal of course: develop quantitative skills in dynamics so that
you can read/understand journal articles in dynamics (e.g. J.
Atmos. Sci., Mon. Weather Rev., Quart. J. Roy. Meteorol. Soc.)
as well as perform research. This course is an in-depth study of
basic concepts in dynamics -- it's not a survey course.
Advice:
1. Read the notes carefully. Be sure you understand the
derivations thoroughly and can reproduce them.
2. Form study groups to discuss the material.
3. Keep a running list of questions to ask me/others.
4. Buy or borrow books to help amplify material you find
particularly interesting (or to help shore up material you are
having difficulty with). Don't skimp on books -- they're an
investment in your future.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------Reading: Kundu: Author's notes, Ch1 (skip sfc tension) and Ch2

Vector and Cartesian Tensor Analysis (Ch 2 of Kundu).

Consider a Cartesian coord system w/ unit vectors e 1, e 2, e 3
in the x1, x2 and x3 directions (a right-handed triple).
Equivalent notation:
e 1, e 2, e 3

e2
e1

i, j, k
a 1, a 2, a 3

e3

e1 e1 = e1 e1

0
cos e 1, e 1 = cos0 = 1 ,

e2 e2 = 1 ,
e3 e3 = 1 ,
1

90

e 1 e 2 = e 1 e 2 cos e 1, e 2 = cos90 = 0 ,
e1 e3 = 0 ,
e2 e1 = 0 ,
e 2 e 3 = 0 , etc.

The position vector x of a fluid element can be decomposed into

the e 1, e 2, e 3 directions as,

x = x1 e1 + x2 e2 + x3 e3 = xk ek
k=1

(k not just vertical!)

Note that x e 1 = x 1 e 1 e 1 + x 2 e 2 e 1 + x 3 e 3 e 1 = x 1
1

So

x1 = x e1

Similarly,

x2 = x e2

x3 = x e3

In view of the above, we can rewrite x as:

x = (x e 1) e 1 + (x e 2) e 2 + (x e 3) e 3
3

or: x = (x e k) e k
k=1

or: x = (x e i) e i , etc
i=1

In general, for any vector F (velocity, vorticity, acceleration,

temperature gradient, etc):
F = (F e 1) e 1 + (F e 2) e 2 + (F e 3) e 3
3

or:

F = (F e k) e k

or:

F = (F e i) e i , etc.

k=1

i=1

Can write x as column vector:

x =

x1
x2
x3

Transpose of x is row vector: x T = (x 1, x 2, x 3)

Now introduce a new Cartesian coord system with the same
origin as original, obtained from original by a rotation of axes.
Rotated not rotating. (rotate coord system then leave it alone).
Unit vectors in the new (rotated) system are: e 1, e 2, e 3
Same posn vector x can be rewritten in new coord system as,
3

x = x 1 e 1 + x 2 e 2 + x 3 e 3 = x k e k
k=1

x itself doesn't care about coord system but its components do

care. x 1 x 1 , x 2 x 2 , etc. To see this, consider:

e2
x2

e 2
x

x1

e2

e 2
e 1

e1

e1

x 2

same vector
x
e 1
x 1

Graphically, we see above that x 1 > x 1 while x 2 < x 2

How are components of x in new system related to components
of x in the old system? Look at x 2 component:

x 2 = x e 2 = x k e k e 2
k=1

x k e k e 2 cos e k, e 2

k=1

= x k cos(e k, e 2)
k=1

Define C k2 cos(e k, e 2)

1st index of C -- old system

2nd index of C -- new system

So x 2 = C k2 x k
k=1

Get similar result for x 1 and x 3 . In general,

x j =

C kj x k ,

k=1

where C kj cos(e k, e j )

Equivalently, define C kj e k e j . C is direction-cosine matrix.

1st index of C goes with old system, 2nd index goes with new.