Fluid mechanics has profound importance in Earth and planetary sciences because various phenomena on the Earth and planets are related to the dynamic motion of the fluids. This course is designed as an introductory course for fluid mechanics for Earth and planetary sciences: it begins with fundamental aspects of fluid mechanics and will deal with typical fluid motions in the field of Earth and planetary sciences.
By completing this course, students will able to
(1) Understand the basic terms and equations of the fluid mechanics,
(2) Understand the basic aspects of the flow of inviscid, incompressible fluid,
(3) Understand the basic aspects of the flow of viscous fluid,
(4) Understand the basic aspects of the fluid mechanical stability.
inviscid and incompressible fluids, viscous fluids, geophysical fluid dynamics
✔ Specialist skills | Intercultural skills | Communication skills | ✔ Critical thinking skills | ✔ Practical and/or problem-solving skills |
This course mainly consists of lectures. Discussions will be held about exercises.
Course schedule | Required learning | |
---|---|---|
Class 1 | Basics for fluids. | Understand the concept of the fluid as a continuum. |
Class 2 | Ideal fluids (1): motion of fluids | Understand how to describe the motion of the fluids. |
Class 3 | Ideal fluids (2): the equation of continuity and the Euler equation | Understand the equation of continuity and the Euler equation. |
Class 4 | Ideal fluids (3): the Bernoulli's theorem | Understand the Bernoulli's theorem. |
Class 5 | Ideal fluids (4): the Kelvin's circulation theorem | Understand the Kelvin's circulation theorem. |
Class 6 | Ideal fluids (5): incompressible, irrotational flow | Understand the potential description of incompressible irrotational flow. |
Class 7 | Ideal fluids (6): two-dimensional incompressible irrotational flow | Understand the potential description of incompressible irrotational flow in two dimensions. |
Class 8 | Ideal fluids (7): the Blasius theorem and the Kutta-Zhukovsky theorem | Understand the Blasius theorem and the Kutta-Zhukovsky theorem. |
Class 9 | Ideal fluids (8): gravity waves | Understand the gravity waves which are the wave motions with the restoring force due to the gravity. |
Class 10 | Viscous fluids (1): the stress tensor | Understand the stress tensor in the viscous flow. |
Class 11 | Viscous fluids (2): representation of the stress tensor | Understand the stress tensor and constitutive relations. |
Class 12 | Viscous fluids (3): the Navier-Stokes equation | Understand the Navier-Stokes equation |
Class 13 | Viscous fluids (4): typical visous flows, the similarities in viscous flows, the Raynolds number | Understand some typical visous flows, the similarities in viscous flows, and the Raynolds number. |
Class 14 | Viscous fluids (5): Vicous flows at small Raynolds number | Understand vicous flows at small Raynolds number |
Class 15 | Viscous fluids (6): the concept of stability and its application to thermal convection | Understand how to describe the concept of stability mathematically and its application to thermal convection |
None
Fluid Mechanics, Landau & Lifshitz, Butterworth-Heinemann
Student's knowledge and understanding of fluid mechanics are assessed by contents of reports and exams.
It is recommended to complete the courses of Mechanics (EPS course), Electromagnetism (EPS course), Mathematics for Physics A (EPS course), Mathematics for Physics B (EPS course) and Thermodynamics (EPS course) before taking this course.