Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- 1 Barotropic geophysical flows and two-dimensional fluid flows: elementary introduction
- 2 The response to large-scale forcing
- 3 The selective decay principle for basic geophysical flows
- 4 Non-linear stability of steady geophysical flows
- 5 Topographic mean flow interaction, non-linear instability, and chaotic dynamics
- 6 Introduction to information theory and empirical statistical theory
- 7 Equilibrium statistical mechanics for systems of ordinary differential equations
- 8 Statistical mechanics for the truncated quasi-geostrophic equations
- 9 Empirical statistical theories for most probable states
- 10 Assessing the potential applicability of equilibrium statistical theories for geophysical flows: an overview
- 11 Predictions and comparison of equilibrium statistical theories
- 12 Equilibrium statistical theories and dynamical modeling of flows with forcing and dissipation
- 13 Predicting the jets and spots on Jupiter by equilibrium statistical mechanics
- 14 The statistical relevance of additional conserved quantities for truncated geophysical flows
- 15 A mathematical framework for quantifying predictability utilizing relative entropy
- 16 Barotropic quasi-geostrophic equations on the sphere
- Index
Preface
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 30 November 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- 1 Barotropic geophysical flows and two-dimensional fluid flows: elementary introduction
- 2 The response to large-scale forcing
- 3 The selective decay principle for basic geophysical flows
- 4 Non-linear stability of steady geophysical flows
- 5 Topographic mean flow interaction, non-linear instability, and chaotic dynamics
- 6 Introduction to information theory and empirical statistical theory
- 7 Equilibrium statistical mechanics for systems of ordinary differential equations
- 8 Statistical mechanics for the truncated quasi-geostrophic equations
- 9 Empirical statistical theories for most probable states
- 10 Assessing the potential applicability of equilibrium statistical theories for geophysical flows: an overview
- 11 Predictions and comparison of equilibrium statistical theories
- 12 Equilibrium statistical theories and dynamical modeling of flows with forcing and dissipation
- 13 Predicting the jets and spots on Jupiter by equilibrium statistical mechanics
- 14 The statistical relevance of additional conserved quantities for truncated geophysical flows
- 15 A mathematical framework for quantifying predictability utilizing relative entropy
- 16 Barotropic quasi-geostrophic equations on the sphere
- Index
Summary
This book is an introduction to the fascinating and important interplay between non-linear dynamics and statistical theories for geophysical flows. The book is designed for a multi-disciplinary audience ranging from beginning graduate students to senior researchers in applied mathematics as well as theoretically inclined graduate students and researchers in atmosphere/ocean science. The approach in this book emphasizes the serendipity between physical phenomena and modern applied mathematics, including rigorous mathematical analysis, qualitative models, and numerical simulations. The book includes more conventional topics for non-linear dynamics applied to geophysical flows, such as long time selective decay, the effect of large-scale forcing, non-linear stability and fluid flow on the sphere, as well as emerging contemporary research topics involving applications of chaotic dynamics, equilibrium statistical mechanics, and information theory. The various competing approaches for equilibrium statistical theories for geophysical flows are compared and contrasted systematically from the viewpoint of modern applied mathematics, including an application for predicting the Great Red Spot of Jupiter in a fashion consistent with the observational record. Novel applications of information theory are utilized to simplify, unify, and compare the equilibrium statistical theories and also to quantify aspects of predictability in non-linear dynamical systems with many degrees of freedom. No previous background in geophysical flows, probability theory, information theory, or equilibrium statistical mechanics is needed to read the text. These topics and related background concepts are all introduced and developed through elementary examples and discussion throughout the text as they arise.
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- Information
- Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2006