Wednesday, November 28, 2007
4-5pm
Stratton Hall 203
Cloud Resolving Modeling of Tropical Convection
Dr. Peter Blossey, Univ. of Washington, Seattle
See Dr. Blossey’s presentation slides (PDF)
Cloud resolving models provide a detailed look at the convective motions that form clouds, and these models incorporate physical processes including fluid dynamics, phase changes, formation of ice and liquid precipitation (called cloud microphysics), sedimentation of precipitation and radiation (both visible and infrared) that are important in the atmosphere. Each of these processes includes a number of approximations, but together they make explicit simulations of deep convective clouds (i.e. thunderstorms) possible. Such models may be used to improve our understanding of convective cloud processes and the interactions of convection with larger-scale atmospheric circulations. In this talk, the construction of such a model will be discussed with attention to the approximations made at each step. Applications of a cloud resolving model to simulations of tropical convection will also be presented.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
4-5pm
Higgins Labs 218
Linear Stability Theory of Sheared Menisci in Thin Channels
Burt S. Tilley, Olin College of Engineering
For more information about Professor Tilley’s research and teaching activities, see his Personal Webpage.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
4-5pm
Higgins Labs 218
Geometry and Mechanics
L. Mahadevan, Harvard University
Professor Mahadevan heads the Applied Math Lab as part of the Harvard University Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences. For more information, visit the website of The Applied Math Lab.