ATMO 170: Introduction to Weather & Climate
Fall 2016 - OnlineSection 005
Course Description
An introduction to the science of weather and climate. Topics are selected from atmospheric composition, energy balance, wind systems, genesis of fronts and cyclones, precipitation processes, clouds, severe weather, weather and climate forecasting, climate and optical phenomena. Emphasis is placed on the illustrating the fundamental importance of physics, chemistry, mathematics and biological processes to the atmospheric sciences. The first part of the course concentrates on fundamental concepts (e.g. energy conservation, heat transfer, phase change, force and momentum) that are needed to understand the structure and behavior of the atmosphere. The second half deals with specific meteorological phenomena. Emphasis is given to phenomena that have strong impacts on human welfare and economic livelihood such as winter storms, heat waves, drought, floods, severe thunderstorms, hurricanes, air-sea interactions (El Nino/La Nina events), climate change (natural and anthropogenic), ozone depletion and regional air pollution.Learning Goals and Student Outcomes
By the end of this course, you should:1) Understand how the warming of the earth by the sun and energy transfer through the atmosphere drive weather and climate change.
2) Appreciate the impact that weather and climate have on life, and that life has on the atmosphere.
3) Be in a position to evaluate the validity of ''science'' that appears in the mainstream media and to make informed decisions on what to do about projected, anthropogenic changes in extreme weather events and climate.
Instructor:
Professor Steven Mullen
Email (use only for
personal issues and to schedule appointments)
PAS
Bldg Rm 552
Office Hours: MF 1:30-2:30 pm MST; 10:00-11:00 am MST (Mountain Standard Time
is GMT-7) or by appointment
(Office Hours subject to change with advance notice)
Teaching Assistants:
Ms. Erika CroppPAS Bldg Rm 526
Office Hours: T 3:20 pm - 5:00 pm; R 12:30 pm - 1:50 pm
Mr. Christoforus Bayu Risanto
PAS Bldg Rm 526
Office Hours: T 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm; R 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
Textbooks:
Required Textbook
C. Donald Ahrens (author)
Essentials of Meteorology: An Invitation to the Atmosphere, 7th Ed.
ISBN-13: 978-1305429918. (Available in Bookstore. May cost less online.)
Cheaper eBook and rental options are available through the publisher at http://www.cengagebrain.com/shop/isbn/9781285462363.
Although I do not recommend using an earlier edition of the textbook, I will report that some students in prior sections used cheaper copies of the 6th edition and successfully passed the course. If you do decide to use an earlier edition of the textbook, you are 100% responsible for aligning similar subject matter in your older edition that matches the material in the reading assignments that are posted below.
Note that there will be other mandatory readings throughout the term.
Optional Study Guide
C. Donald Ahrens (author)
Study Guide for Ahrens Essentials of Meteorology: An Invitation to the Atmosphere, 7th Ed.
ISBN-13: 978-1285834979. (Not available in bookstore.)
You must order through publisher or an online vendor. Cost is about $50.
I do not know if rentals are available through the publisher or if online vendors have used copies. Older editions (6th, 5th) would work fine.
Other Course Materials:
Syllabus (mandatory reading), email
policy, auxiliary readings, homework assignments, term
project, dropboxes, digital exams can only be accessed on
D2L.
Class List Serve:
Use list serve for issues and questions of general interest to the entire class.
Key Dates
Textbook and auxiliary readings with suggested pacing.
This is an evolving document. Due dates of assignments will be updated and are subject to change with reasonable advanced notice. Additional assignments will be added in due course.
*An asterisk denotes chapters with fundamental concepts that the student must master in order to understand material that follows.
Module 1: Energy
Week 1
Aug 22 - Aug 28 or shorter
Chapter 01 - Ahrens (focus on topics below); Appendix A and Appendix C
Reading: pp. 2-27; 483-485; 489.
Topics - Atmospheric Composition; Vertical Structure; Weather-Climate Connection; Reading Surface Weather Maps
Study ''Questions for Review'' at end of the Chapter 01: 3, 4, 10, 14, 18, 19, 22, 23
Homework - Memorable Weather Event (Upload to Dropbox)
Due: Wednesday, Aug 31 by 5:00 pm
Week 2
Aug 29 - Sept 4 or longer
Chapter 02* - Ahrens
Reading: pp. 28-57
Topics - Temperature; Latent Heat*; Heat Transfer*; Laws of Radiation*; ''Greenhouse'' Effect*; Energy Balance*; Seasons*
Study ''Questions for Review'' at end of the Chapter 02: 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 21
Extra Credit Homework Opportunity - Syllabus Knowledge (D2L Quizzes Section)
Due: Friday, Sept 2 by 5:00 pm
Week 3
Sept 5 - Sept 12 or shorter
Chapter 03 - Ahrens (last subsection on thermometers measuring temperature will not be covered on the quizzes)
Reading: pp. 58-76 + 81 Chapter Summary
Topics - Temperature Variations; Regional Temperature Controls; Temperature and Human Comfort
Study ''Questions for Review'' at the end of Chapter 03: 1, 2, 5, 6, 14, 17,18
Quiz 1
Sept 13 Tuesday
8:00 am - 8:00 pm
Module 2: Atmospheric Motions, Wind Systems and Air-Sea Interactions,
Week 4
Sept 14 - Sept 20
Chapter 06* - Ahrens
Reading: pp. 157-178 up to ''Wind Instruments'', + 182 Chapter Summary
Topics - Ideal Gas Law*; Pressure* and Pressure Gradient Force*; Coriolis Effect*; Winds; Surface and Upper-Level Maps
Study ''Questions for Review'' at the end of Chapter 6: 1, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 20, 22, 23, 24
Homework - Reading Surface Weather Maps (D2L Quizzes Section)
Due Date: Friday, Sep 23 by 5:00 pm
Week 5
Sept 21 - Sept 27
Chapter 08 - Ahrens
Reading: pp. 222-254
Topics - Air Masses; Fronts; Mid-Latitude Cyclones
Study ''Questions for Review'' at the end of Chapter 8: 1, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19
Week 5
Auxiliary material on Vorticity, Divergence and Vertical Motion may be assigned. If it is, the material will be posted on D2L and announced in the News.
Homework - Interpreting Upper-Air Maps (D2L Quizzes Section)
Estimated Due Date: Not given this semester.
Week 6
Sept 28 - Oct 4
Chapter 07 - Ahrens
Reading: pp. 184-221
Topics - Thermal Circulations: Diurnal Winds, Monsoons. Local Winds: Katabatic Winds, Chinooks, Santa Ana's. General Circulation: One-Cell and Three-Cell Model; Average Distributions of Surface Winds, SLP and Precipitation; Jet Streams. Air-Sea Interactions: Currents, Upwelling, El Nino.
Study ''Questions for Review'' at the end of Chapter 7: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
Week 6 or somewhat later
Auxiliary Reading Material (to be posted) on How to Analyze Surface Weather Maps
Quiz 2
Oct 4 Tuesday
8:00 am - 8:00 pm
Module 3: Water, Clouds, Precipitation and Optics
Week 7
Oct 5 - Oct 11 or longer
Chapter 04* - Ahrens
Reading: pp. 84-121
Topics - Hydrological Cycle. Evaporation*, Condensation*, Saturation*. Humidity Measures*. Fog and Clouds
Study ''Questions for Review'' at the end of Chapter 4: 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18.
Week 8
Oct 12- Oct 18 or longer
Chapter 05* - Ahrens
Reading: pp. 122-155
Topics - Adiabatic Processes*. Buoyancy* and Vertical Stability*. Precipitation Processes. Precipitation Types. Doppler Radar.
Study ''Questions for Review'' at the end of Chapter 5: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 14, 16, 17
Homework - Analyzing a Surface Weather Map (Dropbox Upload)
Estimated Due Date: Friday, Oct 21 by 5:00 pm
Week 9
Oct 19 - 25 or shorter
Chapter 17 - Aguado & Burt, "Understanding Weather and Climate", 7th ed.
Reading: pp. 518-526. Reading is posted on D2L in the Content section of Supplementals for Module 3. It is a password protected file.
File is copyright material. You are forbidden by law from copying, printing, posting or sharing the material in any form for use by another person.
Topics - Scattering: White Clouds, Blue Skies and Red Sunsets. Refraction: Twilight, Twinkling Stars and Mirages. Dispersion and Reflection: Halos, Sun Dogs and Pillars; Rainbows.
Study "Review Questions" at the end of Chapter 17: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12
Quiz 3
Oct 25 Tuesday
8:00 am - 8:00 pm
Module 4: Severe Weather: Thunderstorms and Hurricanes
Weeks 10 and 11
Oct 26 - Nov 4 or longer
Chapter 10 - Ahrens (Section on ''Observing Tornadoes and Severe Weather'' will not be covered, although research using new observing systems and fine-scale model simulations are bringing remarkable insights into severe thunderstorms.)
Reading: pp. 287-325 + 329 Chapter Summary
Topics - Ordinary and Severe. Hazards: Lightning, Microburst Winds, Haboobs, Hail, Flooding,Tornadoes
Study ''Questions for Review'' at the end of Chapter 10: 1, 7, 14, 19, 23, 24, 29
Term Project - Overview and Diagnosis of October Weather for Minneapolis (KMSP) International Airport.
Estimated Due Date: About Oct 31 for Stage 1: calendar with station plots.
Weeks 11 and 12
Nov 5 - Nov 14
Chapter 11 - Ahrens (Section on ''Some Notable Hurricanes'' will not be tested, but narratives on Katrina and Sandy, both of which caused more than 100 billion U.S.D. of damage and occurred recently, are worth the read.)
Reading: pp. 332-351 + 363 Chapter Summary
Topics - Hurricane Formation and Distribution. Hazards: Winds, Coastal Storm Surges, Inland Fresh Water Flooding
Study ''Questions for Review'' at the end of Chapter 11: 6, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17
Term Project - Overview and Diagnosis of October Weather for Minneapolis (KMSP) International Airport.
Estimated Due Date: Nov 8 for Stage 2: complete project.
Quiz 4
Nov 15 Tuesday
8:00 am - 8:00 pm
Module 5: Anthropogenic Impacts: Climate Change, Air Pollution
Weeks 13 and 14
Nov 16 - Nov 23
Chapter 13 - Ahrens
Reading pp. 396-429
Topics - Past Climates. Recent Warming. Projected Future Climate Changes
Study ''Questions for Review'' at the end of Chapter 13: 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 14, 16, 17, 20, 21
Thanksgiving Break
Nov 24-Nov 27
Weeks 14 and 15
Nov 28 - Dec 05
Chapter 14 - Ahrens
Reading pp. 430-459
Topics - Primary and Secondary Air Pollutants. SMOG. Acid Rain. Stratospheric Ozone Depletion
Study ''Questions for Review'' at the end of Chapter 14: 1, 2, 7, 8, 10, 11, 14, 15, 19, 23, 28
Homework - Cloud Identification (D2L Quizzes Section)
Due: Monday, Dec 5 by 5:00 pm
Quiz 5
Dec 7 Wednesday
8:00 am - 8:00 pm
Final (Quiz 6 - Counts Double)
Dec 15 Thursday
8:30 pm - 10:30 pm
Week 09
Chapter 15** - Atmospheric Optics (Focus on topics below)
Chapter 15 - Ahrens
Reading pp. 461-480
Topics - Scattering: White Clouds, Blue Skies and Red Sunsets. Refraction: Twilight, Twinkling Stars and Mirages. Dispersion and Reflection: Halos, Sun Dogs and Pillars; Rainbows. Diffraction: Coronas and Cloud Iridescence.
Study ''Questions for Review'' at the end of Chapter 15: 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22
Week 13
Nov 17-24
Chapter 09** - Ahrens (First part of chapter: pp 257-272) and/or Auxiliary Material to be Posted Later on D2L
Topics - Overview of Numerical Weather/Climate Models; Weather/Climate Forecasting
Study ''Questions for Review'' at the end of Chapter 9: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12