NUIST 2012 Climate Dynamics Lectures: MJO and ENSO
June 9-13, 2012
Instructors: Bin Wang, Professor, University of Hawaii
Tim Li, Professor, University of Hawaii
I. Course objective:
This course provides an overview of basic theories of tropical wave dynamics,
simple atmospheric and oceanic models, and current understanding of dynamics of MJO
and ENSO. The lectures are designed for university graduate students and young
researchers.
II. Lecture time:
9:00am - 11:50am: lectures
2:00pm - 4:00pm: questions and discussions
III. Course outline:
1. Tropical wave dynamics (Bin Wang) June 9th
a. Vertical modes and shallow water equation
b. Equatorial wave theory
c. Theory for forced steady motion
d. Effect of mean flow on equatorial waves and forced motion
2. Simple dynamic frameworks for tropical atmosphere and ocean (Tim Li) June 10th
a. Cane-Zebiak ocean model
b. A 2.5-layer tropical atmospheric model
c. A 2.5-layer tropical oceanic model
3. Dynamics of Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) (Bin Wang) June 11th
a. Equatorial boundary layer dynamics
b. A theoretical model for essential dynamics of MJO
c. Frictional coupled moist Kelvin-Rossby wave theory of MJO
4. Boreal Summer intraseasonal oscillation (BSISO) (Bin Wang) June 12th
b. A model for BSISO
c. Mechanisms of northward propagation and air-sea interaction
5. Dynamics of El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) (Tim Li) June 13th
a. Observation
b. Bjerknes feedback and oscillation mechanism
c. El Nino and La Nina amplitude asymmetry