CECM Colloquium

November 8, 2000 from 3:30 - 4:30 in K9509, SFU

D. Muraki, SFU

Talks on

"Computational Models for Understanding Weather"



Abstract: The daily weather forcasts are obtained from computational models that are specifically engineered to mimic, as closely as possible, the behaviour of the real atmosphere. The size and sophistication of these forecast models is a true reflection of the complex interplay between the many physical processes which are responsible for weather. In fact, it could be said that the "coming-of-age" of the science of meteorology coincided exactly with the development of computers through advances in numerical weather predictions.

One way that mathematics has had an active participation in atmospheric science research is through contributions towards understanding the mathematical equations that comprise the core of the larger forecast models. A major challenge in this sort of cross-disciplinary work is the communication of the useful scientific context that derives from the more abstract mathematical theory. To this end, computation and visualization are an indispensible constructive technology for making theory become real.

Computational studies will be presented for several basic atmospheric processes; large-scale storm development, organization of upper-level disturbances, and wave generation by mountain flows. Emphasis will be placed on how computations, as numerical experiments, are contributing to our understanding of the physics of the atmosphere.