Books and Papers
The Earth System
Dirk Olbers
The solar system was created about 4.6 billion years ago (about 9 billion years after the big bang), supposedly after gravitational waves from a supernova produced density anomalies in an interstellar cloud, which acted as condensation centers for the sun and the planets. In addition to hydrogen and helium generated during the big bang higher elements from the ashes of burnt-out stars were present in the cloud. After the sun had formed, its radiation pressure (solar wind) forced the light gases to the edge of the cloud where the large gas planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune) formed, whereas the earth-type planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars) developed in the vicinity of the sun…download complete paper (14,7 MB)
Ocean Dynamics
Dirk Olbers', Jürgen Willebrand's and Carsten Eden's new title "Ocean Dynamics" is in press.
Abstract/Description
Ocean Dynamics is an introduction to the fundamentals of fluid mechanics, non-equilibrium thermodynamics and the common approximations for geophysical fluid dynamics and presents a comprehensive approach to large-scale ocean circulation theory. The book contains five sections: fundamental laws, common approximations, ocean waves, oceanic turbulence and eddies, and selected aspects of ocean circulation theory. download contents