The numerical analysis of thermal convection in porous media, heated from below, and assuming Darcy flow conditions, involves the solving of a set of non-linear equations for the temperature and flow fields. The condition of criticality determining the onset of convection is obtained by linearization and the solving of an eigenvalue problem of the fourth order. The smallest eigenvalue represents the critical Rayleigh number. The shape of the critical temperature and flow fields is then obtained from the linear set. In most practical cases, the problem setting is such that closed analytical solutions cannot be derived. The difficulties of solving the convection equations can be overcome by using the Galerkin finite-element method. The method allows the solution of both the linear set and also the more complete non-linear set of equations at various boundary conditions and taking variations in the material parameters into account. In this thesis, the Galerkin method is used to solve the convection equations for infinitely long porous vertical or semi-vertical slabs with prescribed temperatures at the top and bottom surfaces. The first set of models investigated involve boundary walls that are impermeable to the fluid but perfectly conducting to heat. The critical Rayleigh numbers and critical temperature and flow fields are obtained for such slabs with various aspect ratios. The results show that the critical number is raised by 200 to 400% as compared with published data for similar slabs with thermally non-conducting walls. The results are generalized by investigating cases of slabs with (1) three types of vertically varying permeability, (2) by taking the temperature dependence of the fluid properties into account, (3) by including non-linear terms, and finally, (4) a few cases of slabs with boundary walls of finite thermal conductivity are investigated. The results are applicable to a number of situations in geothermal areas. A brief discussion of two such cases is given, that is, (1) the estimating of the critical permeability profile for the East geothermal field in the Imperial Valley and (2) the computation of a temperature cross section in the Cumali geothermal field in Turkey. / Graduation date: 1979

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1981. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 72-75).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1982. / Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 68-69).

Thesis--Wisconsin. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 125-129).

No description available.

Numerical simulation of the January and July global climate with the OSU two-level atmospheric general circulation model has generated time series of the global distribution of selected climatic variables. Analyses of these data for the kinetic energy and available potential energy based on 31-day time mean statistics have been made in the form of the zonal mean and the transient and stationary eddies. The generation and dissipation rates of the various forms of energy in this model are also computed, and the energy cycle for January and July is presented in comparison with the corresponding results from observation and from other models. / Graduation date: 1980

Thesis (M.S.)--Florida State University, 2003. / Advisor: Dr. Henry E. Fuelberg, Florida State University, College of Arts and Sciences, Dept. of Meteorology. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed Mar. 1, 2004). Includes bibliographical references.

The effects of cumulus cloud ensembles on the dynamics of mid-latitude explosive cyclones are studied both from a diagnostic and from a theoretical point of view. / A diagnostic study of an explosive winter storm shows that significant residuals attributable to cumulus convection are present in the horizontal momentum, thermodynamic and vorticity budgets, but not in the divergence budget, and that the finite-amplitude wave is well described by linear dynamics. / A scale analysis appropriate for mid-latitude synoptic-scale waves with intense convection indicates the importance of three mechanisms by which cumulus clouds can influence these storms. These mechanisms are the thermodynamic and dynamical effects of clouds, and certain cloud-induced non-geostrophic effects. / A series of experiments with linear models of moist baroclinic instability using an idealized basic state shows the significant role of the ageostrophic terms and the important damping due to the dynamical effects of clouds. With a realistic wintertime basic state, we conclude that the different cloud forcings are necessary to account for the observed features of explosive storms.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1992. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [179]-184).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1984. / Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 199-204).