Geoffrey K. Vallis is a professor of applied mathematics at the University of Exeter. Prior to taking up his position there, he taught for many years at Princeton University, New Jersey. He has carried out research in the atmospheric sciences, oceanography and the planetary sciences, and has published over one hundred peer-reviewed journal articles. He is the recipient of various prizes and awards, including the Adrian Gill Prize from the Royal Meteorological Society in 2014 and the Stanislaw M. Ulam Distinguished Scholar award from the Los Alamos National Laboratory in 2013.

• Preface; Part I. Fundamentals of Geophysical Fluid Dynamics: 1. Equations of motion; 2. Effects of rotation and stratification; 3. Shallow water systems; 4. Vorticity and potential vorticity; 5. Geostrophic theory; Part II. Waves, Instabilities and Turbulence: 6. Wave fundamentals; 7. Gravity waves; 8. Linear dynamics at low latitudes; 9. Barotropic and baroclinic instability; 10. Waves, mean-flows and their interaction; 11. Basics of incompressible turbulence; 12. Geostrophic turbulence and baroclinic eddies; 13. Turbulent diffusion and eddy transport; Part III. Large-Scale Atmospheric Circulation: 14. The overturning circulation: Hadley and Ferrel cells; 15. Zonally averaged mid-latitude atmospheric circulation; 16. Planetary waves and zonal asymmetries; 17. The stratosphere; 18. Water vapour and the tropical atmosphere; Part IV. Large-Scale Oceanic Circulation: 19. Wind-driven gyres; 20. Structure of the upper ocean; 21. The meridional overturning circulation and the ACC; 22. Equatorial circulation and El Niño; References; Index.

'The maturity of a scientific discipline can be measured by the degree of intellectual rigor and pedagogy contained in its textbooks. In 2006, Vallis' first edition of AOFD offered the atmospheric and oceanic sciences community a truly great book, marking a milestone in our discipline. Well, Vallis has done it again! This second edition of AOFD represents the pinnacle of a maturing discipline. It is The Great Book of the field, and it will remain so for a generation or longer. … This book will be well used by fluid dynamicists, oceanographers, atmospheric scientists, applied mathematicians, and physicists for decades to come. Each sentence, paragraph, section, chapter, and figure, are thoughtful and erudite, providing the reader with insights and rigor needed to truly capture the physical and mathematical essence of each topic.' Stephen M. Griffies, Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory and Princeton University, New Jersey