Brad Marston - Waves of Topological Origin in Earth’s Atmosphere and Beyond

In this Presidential Lecture, Brad Marston discussed a surprising connection recently discovered between the atmosphere and quantum physics. Observations of the stratosphere reveal non-trivial topology, which provided us with a new perspective on the origin of certain waves that travel around the equator and drive oscillations in the climate. The atmospheres of other worlds, he said, may likewise be viewed as topological insulators.