ATMO 170A1: Introduction to Weather & Climate

Fall 2019 - Online - Section 103

Course Description

An introduction to the science of weather and climate. Topics are selected from atmospheric composition, energy balance, wind systems, genesis of cyclones and fronts, clouds, precipitation processes, severe weather, weather forecasting and climate change. Emphasis is placed on the importance of physics, chemistry, mathematics and biological processes to understanding weather and climate change. Fundamental conservation principles of physics (e.g. energy, mass, momentum) are used to explain the specific weather phenomena that can have strong impacts on human welfare and economic livelihood. Examples of such phenomena are winter storms, heat waves, drought, floods, thunderstorms, tropical cyclones, air-sea interactions (El Nino/La Nina events), regional air pollution, ozone depletion, and extreme weather events associated with a changing climate.

Learning Goals and Student Outcomes

By the end of this course, you should able be to:
1)    Explain how the warming of the earth by the sun and energy transfer through the atmosphere drive weather and climate change.
2)    Interpret surface weather maps and upper-air maps, and understand the connection between surface weather and conditions aloft.
3)    Describe common large-scale atmospheric phenomena, including extratropcial cyclones, jet streams, trade winds and the Hadley circulation.
4)    Describe some high-impact, mesoscale weather phenomena, including severe thunderstorms and hurricanes, together with the larger-scale weather conditions in which they form.
5)    Identify the primary cloud types and types of precipitation, and describe their underlying formation mechanisms.
6)    Appreciate the impact that weather and climate have on life, and that life has on the atmosphere.
7)    Evaluate the soundness of “weather and climate science” that appears in the mainstream media and make informed decisions on what to do about projected changes in extreme weather and climate.

Instructor:

Professor Steven Mullen
Email (use only for personal issues or to schedule appointments)
Harshbarger Bldg Rm 234C (2nd floor, north side of building)
Office Hours: Tu Th 12:00-1:30 pm MST (Mountain Standard Time is GMT-7) or by appointment
(Office Hours subject to change with advance notice.)

Teaching Assistant(s):

Jordann Brendecke.
Email (use only to schedule appointments)
Harshbarger Bldg 203 (2nd floor, east side of building, near elevator door)
Office Hours: M W 10:00-11:30 am MST (Mountain Standard Time is GMT-7) or by appointment
(Office Hours subject to change with advance notice.)

The TA's request that you email them before coming to office hours so an exact time can be scheduled to avoid simultaneous arrival of multiple students

Textbook:

Required Textbook
Gregory Hakim and Jerome Patoux (H&P for short.)
Weather: A Concise Introduction. First Edition.

Course materials are being delivered digitally via D2L through the Inclusive Access program. Please access the material through D2L immediately to make sure there are no issues in the delivery, and if you are having a problem or question, it can be addressed quickly.

You automatically have access to the course materials FREE through the first 14 calendar days of the semester. If you do not wish to participate in Inclusive Access, you have until the add/drop day to opt-out of the program online (the opt-out procedure will be outlined in your emailed information). If you opt-out by the deadline given, access to the online content will be turned off and you will not be billed. You must take action (even if you haven’t accessed the materials) to opt-out if you do not wish to pay for the materials, and choose to source the content independently. The deadline to opt-out for 15-week courses that begin Monday, 26 August 2019 is before 9:00 pm Sunday, 8 September 2019.

You have access to the course materials FREE through the first 14 days of the semester. The cost includes access to the eBook though the entire semester. You will be charged $42.35 for the book by the Bursar's Office unless you cancel the subscription before 9:00 pm Sunday, 8 September 2019. The Inclusive Access Program with D2L access is one of the cheapest available eBook options, but it might not be the cheapest eBook version. In fact, after testing the D2L interface to the Inclusive Access version of the textbook (which I find clunky), I recommend considering another eBook version. Kindle versions of the book are available at Amazon for $46.00. (Price current as of 8 May 2019, excluding taxes.) An Adobe eBook version (ISBN 978-1-108-27127-1) is also available through the Publisher Cambridge University Press for $58.00. (Price current as of 8 May 2019 and exclude any applicable taxes.) An advantage of Kindle and Adobe eBook versions is that you have (to my knowledge) no time limit on how long you can access the book. If you purchase a digital version of the book from a third party, be certain to cancel the Inclusive Access Program within the first two weeks of the semester to avoid being billed by the Bursar’s Office (before 9:00 pm Sunday, 8 September 2019).

For additional information on the Inclusive Access, please see FAQs at http://shop.arizona.edu/textbooks/Inclusive.asp.

If you would rather have a bound copy of the textbook instead of a digital version, the ISBN is 978-1-108-40465-5 for paperback and 978-1-108-41716-7 for the hardback. Hard copies are available special order from the ASUA Bookstore, from the publisher (www.cambridge.org; search "Hakim and Patoux") and from several online vendors. Amazon lists the cost of a new soft cover at $59.89 and a new hardcover at $98.22. (Prices are current as of 8 May 2019, excluding taxes.) Used copies may be available online for less since the first printing of the book was January 2018. Again, if you purchase a physical copy of the book, be certain to cancel the Inclusive Access Program within the first two weeks of the semester to avoid being billed.

I reserved the right to assign readings from sources other than the textbook. If assigned, the readings would be announced and posted on D2L. Note that I have three such readings scheduled already.

Other Course Materials:

Syllabus and Email Policy (both are mandatory readings), ancillary readings, homework assignments and term project, and online exams are only accessible on D2L.

Class List Serve:

Use the class list serve for issues and questions of general interest to the entire class.

Key Dates

Textbook and required readings with suggested pacing.

Dates of quizzes are firm and are not subject to change.

This is an evolving document. Assignments and due dates, except for the quizzes and the final exam, are subject to change with reasonable advanced notice. Additional assignments will be added in due course.

*An asterisk denotes chapters and topics with fundamental concepts that the student needs to master in order to understand the material that follows.

Module 1: Weather Data, Atmospheric Composition and Energy Transfer (81 Pages Including Ancillary Reading)

Weeks 1-2
Aug 26 - Sept 01
Chapter 01* - Weather Variables
H&P Reading: Preface and Introduction (pp. ix-xii); pp. 1-16 (20 pages)
Topics - Temperature* (Scales - Kelvin, Celsius, Fahrenheit). Pressure* (Units - Pascals, millibars, psi). Winds*: Sustained Wind, Wind Gusts and Peak Wind. Precipitation. Weather Stations and Automated Surface Observations.

Weeks 1-2:
Sept 02 - Sept 10
Chapter 02* - Spatial Representations of Weather Data
H&P Reading: pp. 17-41 (25 pages)
Topics - Surface Station Model.* Surface Maps*. Upper-Level Maps*. Radar. Satellite Imagery.

Week 2
Ancillary material on Time Zones and Latitude-Longitude (Read with H&P Chapter 02)
Sept 02 - Sept 07
Chapter 01- Grenci and Nese (2010), "World of Weather: Fundamentals of Meteorology", 5th ed. ISBN: 978-0-7575-9426-7.
Reading: pp. 3-10 (8 pages)
Topics - Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). Conversion of UTC to Local Time and vice versa. Geographic Coordinate System: Latitude-Longitude.
Posted on D2L under Content > Table of Contents > Textbook Access > Module 1: Weather Data, Atmospheric Composition and Energy.
The pdf has a password that is available in the D2L Announcements. 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 outside of this course.

Holiday: Labor Day
Monday, Sept 2

Extra Credit Homework Opportunity - Syllabus Knowledge (D2L Quizzes Section)
Due Date: Friday, Sept 6 by 11:59 pm

Weeks 3-4
Assign Term Project, Phase I.

Week 3
Sept 06 - Sept 10
Chapter 03 - Our Atmosphere: Origin, Composition and Structure
H&P Reading: pp. 42-50 (9 pages)
Topics - Composition (Past, Present & Future). Vertical Structure.

Weeks 3-4
Sept 07 - Sept 17
Chapter 04* - Heat and Energy Transfer
H&P Reading: pp. 54-72 (19 pages)
Topics - Heat Transfer*: Conduction*; Convection*; Radiation*. Greenhouse Effect. Feedback Loops. Heat Imbalances*: Seasonal and Diurnal Variations. Impact of Clouds and Land-Ocean Contrasts.

Written Homework - Module 1
Due Date: Monday, Sept 16 by 11:59 pm MST

Self-Assessments - Module 1
Due Date: Tuesday, Sept 17 by 11:59 pm MST

Quiz 1 - Available for 72 Hours
Opens: Wednesday, Sept 18, 12:00 am MST
Closes: Friday, Sept 20, 11:59 pm am MST
Examity: You must schedule a time interval to take the quiz with Examity

Module 2: Winds (66 Pages Including Ancillary Reading)

Weeks 5 - 6:
Sept 21 - Sept 28
Chapter 08* - Wind
H&P Reading: pp. 126-144 (19 pages)
Topics - Force and Acceleration*. Pressure Gradient Force* (PGF). Thermal Circulations-Land/Sea Breeze. Coriolis Force*. Geostrophic Wind*. Gradient Wind* (Curvature Effects). Surface Winds* (Friction Effects). Other Circulations: Topographic Flows.

Week 6:
Sept 29 - Oct 05
Chapter 09* - Global Wind Systems
H&P Reading: pp. 145-166 (22 pages)
Topics - The Average Atmosphere. Seasonal Averages & Differences. Single-Cell vs. Three-Cell Model*. Monsoons. El Nino/La Nina & Teleconnections.

Weeks 7-8:
Oct 05 - Oct 14
Chapter 10* - Air Masses, Front and Midlatitude Cyclones
H&P Reading: pp. 167-185 (19 pages)
Topics - Air Masses*. Fronts*. Midlatitude Cyclones*.

Weeks 7-8
Ancillary material on Vorticity, Divergence and Vertical Motion (Read with H&P Chapter 10)
Sept 05 - Oct 14
Chapter 12 - Ahrens and Hanson, "Meteorology Today", 11th ed. ISBN: 978-1-305-11358-9.
Reading: pp. 337-342 (6 pages)
Topics - Rotation Rate and Vorticity. Conservation of Angular Momentum. Vorticity Change, Divergence and Vertical Velocity. Vorticity Advection and Cyclone Development.
Posted on D2L under Content > Table of Contents > Textbook Access > Module 2: Air Motions.
The pdf has a password that is available in the D2L Announcements.
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 outside of this course.

Weeks 7-8
Supplementary PowerPoint Presentation (to be posted) on How to Analyze Surface Weather Maps

Written Homework - Module 2
Due Date: Sunday, Oct 13 by 11:59 pm MST

Self-Assessments - Module 2
Due Date: Monday, Oct 14 by 11:59 pm MST

Quiz 2 - Available for 72 Hours
Opens: Tuesday, Oct 15, 12:00 am MST
Closes: Thursday, Oct 17, 11:59 pm MST
Examity: You must schedule a time interval to take the quiz with Examity

Module 3: Moisture and Precipitation (60 Pages Including Ancillary Reading) and Optics

Weeks 9-10
Oct 18 - Oct 25
Chapter 05* - Water
H&P Reading: pp. 75-89 (15 pages)
Topics - Water Cycle. Saturation*. Phase Changes of Water*; Latent Heat.* Measures of Atmospheric Moisture*.

Weeks 10-11
Oct 25 - Nov 01
Chapter 06* - Cloud Formation
H&P Reading: pp. 90-116 (27 pages)
Topics - Adiabatic Processes*. Dry Adiabatic Lapse Rate*. Moisture Adiabatic Lapse Rate*. Vertical Stability* & Convection*. Fog and Clouds.

Weeks 11-12
Nov 01 - Nov 08
Chapter 07* - Precipitation
H&P Reading: pp. 117-125 (9 pages)
Topics - Warm and Cold Clouds. Collision & Coalescence. Ice-Crystal Growth*. Precipitation Types*.
Study ''Questions for Review'' at the end of Chapter 5: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 14, 16, 17

Weeks 11-12
Extra Credit Material on Atmospheric Optics (Read after H&P Chapter 07)
Nov 01 - Nov 08
Chapter 17 - Aguado & Burt (2012), "Understanding Weather and Climate", 6th ed. ISBN: 978-0-321-76963-3.
Reading: pp. 518-526. (9 pages)
Topics - Scattering: White Clouds, Blue Skies & Red Sunsets. Refraction: Twilight, Twinkling Stars & Mirages. Dispersion & Reflection: Halos, Sun Dogs & Pillars; Rainbows.
Posted on D2L under Content > Table of Contents > Textbook Access > Module 3: Moisture.
The pdf has a password that is available in the D2L Announcements.
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 outside of this course.

Written Homework - Module 3
Due Date: Sunday, Nov 10 by 11:59 pm MST

Self-Assessments - Module 3
Due Date: Monday, Nov 11 by 11:59 pm MST

Quiz 3 - Available for 72 Hours
Opens: Tuesday, Nov 12, 12:00 am MST
Closes: Thursday, Nov 14, 11:59 pm MST
Examity: You must schedule interval a time to take the quiz with Examity

Module 4: High-Impact Weather and Climate Change (42 Pages Reading)

Week 13
Nov 15 - Nov 21
Chapter 11 - Thunderstorms and Tornadoes
H&P Reading: pp. 188-200 (13 pages)
Topics - Air Mass Thunderstorms. Severe Thunderstorms. Lightning and Thunder. Supercells and Tornadoes.

Week 13-14
Nov 21 - Nov 27
Chapter 12 - Tropical Cyclones
H&P Reading: pp. 201-212 (12 pages)
Topics - Tropical Cyclone Climatology, Structure and Development.

Weeks 14-15
Dec 02 - Dec 06
Chapter 14 - Air Pollution
H&P Reading: pp. 227-233 (7 pages)
Topics - Atmospheric Pollutants. Winds, Stability and Dispersion. Air Pollution Weather.

Weeks 15-16
Dec 04 - Dec 08
Chapter 15 - Climate Change and Weather
H&P Reading: Pages 234-243. (10 pages)
Review Box...
Box 4.5 - Feedback Loops (Review from Module 1)
Topics - Past and Future Climates. Changing Atmospheric Composition. A Warmer Future, An Altered Water Cycle, Changing Wind Systems and Cyclones. The Forecast.

Written Homework - Module 4
Due Date: Wednesday, Dec 04 by 11:59 pm MST

Self-Assessments - Module 4
Due Date: Sunday, Dec 08 by 11:59 pm MST

Quiz 4 - Available for 72 Hours
Opens: Monday, Dec 09, 12:00 am MST
Closes: Wednesday, Dec 11, 11:59 pm MST
Examity: You must schedule a time interval to take the quiz with Examity

NO FINAL EXAM
The term project serves as the summative assessment for the course.

Week 13
Mar 22 - Apr 3 or longer
Chapter 13 - Weather Forecasting
H&P Reading: pp. 213-226
Topics - Numerical Weather Prediction; Uncertainty, Chaos and Limits of Weather Prediction.

Week 15
Apr 4 - Apr 10
Chapter 15 - Climate Change and Weather
H&P Reading: pp. 234-243
Topics - Past and Future Climate; Changing Composition; Warmer World; Altered Water Cycle; Changing Wind Systems; Cyclones in a Warmer World; Forecast Summary.