Courses
SIOC 224 Numerical Modeling of the Climate System (Spring 2020,
2022,
2024; previous versions as SIOC 209 courses in Spring 2014 and Fall 2017)
[course website]
Introduction to the methods used in numerical models of the ocean and atmosphere; survey of numerical methods, introduced in the context of a series of example problems: large-amplitude pendulum, dye flowing in a pipe, and diffusive energy balance models of the global atmosphere and climate; overview of the equations represented in general circulation models (GCMs) of the atmosphere and ocean, and additional numerical methods used in these models; adjoint methods for state estimation, analysis of GCM output, and other related topics.
SIOC 212A Geophysical Fluid Dynamics I (Winters
2017, 2019,
2020,
2021,
2022,
2023,
2024)
The equations of motions for rotating stratified flow and their application to the atmospheric and oceanic dynamics; Ekman layer dynamics, potential vorticity dynamics, the quasigeostrophic approximation, theories of the wind-driven oceanic circulation, theories of the atmospheric Hadley circulation, geostrophic adjustment, and baroclinic instability.
SIO 173 Dynamics of the Atmosphere and Climate (Spring 2021)
Introduction to the dynamical principles governing the atmosphere and climate using observations, numerical models, and theory to understand atmospheric circulation, weather systems, severe storms, marine layer, Santa Ana winds, El Niño, climate variability, and other phenomena.
SIOC 217B Atmospheric Dynamics (Winters
2013,
2014,
2015,
2016,
2018)
Fluid dynamics of the atmosphere; derivation of governing equations from the laws of physics, scale analysis, conservation principles, theoretical and observed structure of midlatitude synoptic systems; gradient wind and thermal wind approximations, geostrophic and quasigeostrophic approximations; potential vorticity, Rossby waves, climate and weather phenomena such as jet streams and cyclones.
SIOC 209 MATLAB Bootcamp (Fall 2015)
A hands-on introduction to MATLAB assuming no prior experience. Variables, plotting, loops, m-files, reading and writing data files (including NetCDF), and an introduction to more advanced techniques.
Selected guest lectures:
SIO 115 Ice and the Climate System (Springs 2013, 2014, Winter 2015)
SIO 217C Climate (Spring 2013)
SIOC 212A Geophysical Fluid Dynamics (Winters 2013, 2014)
SIOC 217A Atmospheric Thermodynamics (Fall 2012)
CHEM 173 Atmospheric Chemistry (Spring 2015)