Title: Toward the Addition of Clouds to Fundamentals of Geophysical Fluid Dynamics

Abstract: Clouds and rainfall are among the most challenging aspects of predicting weather and climate. In addition to difficulties in observing and simulating clouds, there is a large gap in our theoretical understanding of moist fluid dynamics versus dry fluid dynamics. Here, I will present some recent work toward closing this gap by defining basic principles of geophysical fluid dynamics (GFD) that hold even in the presence of phase changes and clouds. In particular, I will present cloudy versions of the conservation principles of energy and potential vorticity, and the quasi-geostrophic approximation. This work is part of a broader community effort that is helping to lay the theoretical foundations of moist atmospheric dynamics.

About this Series: The Atmospheres, Ocean and Climate Sack Lunch Seminar Series is an informal seminar series within PAOC that focuses on more specialized topics than the PAOC Colloquium. Seminar topics include all research concerning the science of atmospheres, ocean and climate. The seminars usually take place on Wednesdays from 12-1pm. The presentations are either given by an invited speaker or by a member of PAOC and can focus on new research or discussion of a paper of particular interest. Contact: sacklunch-committee@mit.edu for more information and Zoom password