ATMO 170A1: Introduction to Weather & Climate
Fall 2011
TR 9:30a-10:45 am, Gallaghar Threate Section 03
Announcements
Thursday, December 15
Final Exam
Tuesday, December 6
Topic: Course and Final Review
Thursday, December 1
Midterm 5
Tuesday, November 29
Topic: climate change
Thursday, November 24
Thanksgiving Holiday
Tuesday, November 22
Topic: air pollution
Thursday, November 17
Topic: air-sea interactions; El Nino
Thursday, November 15
Topic: general circulatoin
Thursday, November 10
Topic: diurnal circulations; monsoons
Tuesday, November 8
Midterm 4
Thursday, November 3
Topic: hurricanes
Tuesday, November 1
Topics: thunderstorm hazards-lightning; tornadoes; floods; winds
Thursday, October 27
Topic: thunderstorm basics
Tuesday, October 25
Topic: weather prediction
Thursday, October 20
Midterm 3
Tuesday, October 18
Topics: mid-latitude cyclones
Thursday, October 13
Topics: air masses and fronts
Tuesday, October 11
Topics: surface winds; vertical motions
Thursday, October 6
Topics: upper-air maps; Newton's laws
Tuesday, October 4
Topics: air pressure; surface weather maps
Thursday, September 29
Midterm 2
Tuesday, September 27
Topics: precipitation processes
Thursday, September 22
Topics: clouds, vertical stability
Tuesday, September 20
Topics: condensation, fog and dew formation
Thursday, September 15
Topics: quantification of atmospheric moisture.
Tuesday, September 13
Midterm 1
Thursday, September 08
Topics: diurnal and spatial variations of temperature.
Tuesday, September 06
Topics: radiation-selective absorbers/emitters and the "greenhouse" effect. Reasons for seasons. Annual temperature variations.
Thursday, September 01
Test the Response XR system again.
Topics: radiation. Laws of radiation. Equilibrium. The four fates of radition. Selective absorption and emission.
Tuesday, August 30
The plan is to activate our Response XR clickers, then test the system.
Topics: Surface station plot model, part 2. Weather versus climate. Temperature versus heat. Modes of heat transfer: conduction; convection; latent heating; radiation.
Thursday, August 25
Topics: atmospheric composition; density and pressure; vertical structure; station plot model.
Tuesday, August 23
DrM announced that turningtechnologies.com (link) Response XR or Response NR clickers would be used to tally attendance and to monitor student comprehension. Every student is expected to have a clicker by Tuesday, August 30.
Course Description:
An introduction to the science of weather processes and climate, including the genesis of fronts and cyclones, precipitation processes, major wind systems of the world, severe storms, and weather forecasting and climate projections. Special emphasis will be given to natural phenomena which have strong impacts on human activities including tornadoes, hurricanes, El Nino, climate change, ozone depletion, and air pollution. The fundamental importance of physics, chemistry, and mathematics to atmospheric science will be highlighted.
Instructor:
Professor Steven L. Mullen email
Email Only
Office: Physics and Atmospheric Sciences (PAS) Building, Room PAS 552
Office Hours: TR 11:15 am-12:15 pm; W 3:00-4:00pm (most weeks when schedule allows) or by appointment
Teaching Assistants:
Ms. Anita Annamalai email
Email Only
Office: Physics and Atmospheric Sciences (PAS) Building, Room PAS 588
Office Hours: M 11:15 am-12:15 pm
Aishwarya Raman email
Email Only
Office: Physics and Atmospheric Sciences (PAS) Building, Room PAS 588
Office Hours: W 1:30 pm-3:30 pm