Download Course Title - Arcadia University

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Penelope Serrano Ortiz
[email protected]
Micrometeorology and Climatology/Atmospheric Processes and Climate
Change
GRAN ESMC 360
Environmental Studies
3
☒ Spring
☒ Fall
☐ Summer
Course
Description:
Course
Requirements:
Atmospheric Processes and Climate Change includes sections on: (I) Physical
Meteorology: structure, composition, and physical laws governing radiation,
state, thermodynamics, stability, and condensation; (II) Atmospheric
Dynamics: the equation of fluid motion, applied to synoptic and global
scales; and (III) Climatology: climate dynamics, climate change, and climate
regimes of Earth.
Required Text
Ahrens, C.D., 1994. Meteorology today: an introduction to weather, climate
and the environment. West, Minnesota. ISBN: 0495564931; Cost: To Be
Determined
Wallace, J.M. and Hobbs, P.V., 1977. Atmospheric science. An introductory
survey. Academic Press, San Diego. ISBN: 0127329501; Cost: To Be
Determined
Forster, P. et al., 2007. Changes in Atmospheric Constituents and in Radiative
Forcing. In: S. Solomon et al. (Editors), Climate Change 2007: The Physical
Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment
Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge
University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA. ISBN:
0521705967; Cost: To Be Determined
Le Treut, H. et al., 2007. Historical Overview of Climate Change. In: S.
Solomon et al. (Editors), Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis.
Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY,
USA. ISBN: 0521705967; Cost: To Be Determined
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Assignments
Course Requirements
Percentages
1. problem solving sessions
30 %
2. practical exercises
30 %
3. final exam
40 %
Total
100%
The final exam represents 40% of the final grade. With a goal of evaluating
the students’ progress in relation to objectives A and B, this text will likewise
cover aspects related to skills included in objectives C and D. This exam,
whose contents are adapted to the theoretical classes, will include:
-
Multiple choice questions on theory and concepts (20%)
Short questions requiring explanation of concepts (40%)
One or two questions requiring the student to broadly explain
a particular
thematic issue (20%); and
One or two exercises requiring the student to resolve physics
problems using analysis and mathematics (20%).
A series of three problem solving sessions represents 30% of the final grade.
Learning
Outcomes and/or
Expected Student
Competencies:
The practical exercises represent 30% of the final grade. This aspect of the
exam covers objectives C, D, E, F, and G, with a goal of evaluating skills and
aptitude. The laboratory reports represent 25% of the practical exercises in
terms of the final grade. Oral presentations and/or debate regarding the
radiative energy balance model for climatic change comprise 15% of this
practical grade. Finally, a final exercise (to be completed as part of the final
exam) regarding the remaining practical exercises make up 60% of this
grade.
On completion of the course, students should be able to:
Learning Outcomes
1. Outline and discuss the basic concepts of meteorology and
climatology, in particular those aspects related to physical
meteorology, atmospheric dynamics, climate and climatic
change
2. Explain meteorological and climatological processes in terms of
the principles of Physics
3. Integrate the interpretation of meteorology and climatology
into a program of environmental studies
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4. Apply the study techniques of meteorology and climatology to
the evaluation of real-life situations and problems
5. Locate, develop, and utilize sources of information regarding
meteorology and climatology
6. Summarize and communicate the results of meteorological and
climatological assignments in the form of reports, whether
written or orally
Course Outline:
Session
Session 1
Session 2
Session 3
Topic
Introduction.
Weather and Climate
Meteorology and Climatology
Atmospheric composition and structure. Vertical
temperature gradients
Meteorological Observations
Introduction.
Absorption, emission, and dispersion
Radiative Transport
Solar Radiation
Thermal Radiation
Radiative Balance and the Greenhouse Effect
Dry Air.
- The Equation of State
- Adiabatic expansion of dry air. The dry adiabatic
lapse rate
Moist Air
- Humidity Indices
- The Equation of State
- Adiabatic expansion of moist air
Thermodynamic Diagrams
Saturated Air. Adiabatic expansion of saturated air. The
Wet adiabatic lapse rate
Isobaric Processes
- The Dewpoint Temperature
- The Wet Bulb Temperature. Psychrometers
- The Equivalent Temperature
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Session 4
Session 5
Session 6
Session 7
Static Equilibrium and Hydrostatic Balance
Stability (stratification) and Instability
- Stability Analyses
- Latent Instability. Stability Indices
The Physics and Mechanisms of Condensation
Clouds. Fog
Precipitation Processes. Mechanisms of Precipitation
Types of Precipitation
Anthropogenic Influences on Precipitation
The Equation of Motion
Horizontal Pressure Fields
Horizontal, frictionless flow
- The Geostrophic Wind
- The Gradient Wind
Thermal Wind. Thermal Advection
Local and small-scale winds
Air Masses
- Source regions
- Air mass characteristics
Frontal boundaries. Fronts
- Cold fronts and warm fronts
- Occluded fronts
Mid-latitude depressions
- Cyclogenesis
Convergence, Divergence
- Connection between horizontal and vertical air
movements
- Rossby waves
Other low-pressure systems
- Non-cyclogenic lows. Heat lows and mountain
lows
- Thunderstorms. Tornadoes. Hurracanes
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Session 8
Session 9
Session 10
Session 11
Other Policies:
Characteristics of the General Circulation
- Conservation principles
- The Energy Cycle
- The Angular Momentum Cycle
Cellular models
- The Unicellular model
- The Tricellular model
Observations
Teleconnections
- El Niño. La Niña. The Southern Oscillation
- The North Atlantic Oscillation
Global distribution of precipitation.
The Climate System
- Components of the Climate System
- Coupling Mechanisms
Climate models. The Energy Balance Model
Temporal Climate Variability and the Concept of Climate
Change
Causes of Climate Change
Feedback mechanisms
Climate Model Predictions
Measures and Drivers of Climate
Climate Indices and Classification Schemes
Regional Climates
Local Climates
Expectations
Professional behavior is expected of all students. This includes preparation
for classes, on-time attendance at classes, attendance at all group sessions
and appropriate participation in the form of attentiveness and contributions
to the course. Respect for the academic process is the major guiding
principle for professional behavior and extends to all communications,
including e-mail.
Attendance/Participation
Prompt attendance, full preparation, and active participation in class
discussions are expected from every student in every class session.
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Course Policies
For e-mail communications, students must use their Arcadia University e-mail
account. Students are responsible for any information provided by e-mail or
through Intranet postings.
Plagiarism
Representation of another’s work or ideas as one’s own in academic
submissions is plagiarism, and is cause for disciplinary action. Cheating is actual
or attempted use of resources not authorized by the instructor(s) for academic
submissions. Students caught cheating in this course will receive a failing grade.
Fabrication is the falsification or creation of data, research or resources to
support academic submissions, and cause for disciplinary action.
Late or Missed Assignments
Will not be accepted for grading.
Prerequisites:
Country and
Program
Connection:
Students with Disabilities
Persons with documented disabilities requiring accommodations to meet the
expectations of this course should disclose this information while enrolling
into the program, and before leaving the United States so that appropriate
arrangements can be made.
Basic understanding of physics and calculus.
Understanding of the physical environment in which natural processes take
place is essential for the development of management and adaptation
strategies. Until recently, the study of atmospheric processes took place in
the context of gas-phase physics or even in the field of geography. Beginning
in the 1970’s, realizations regarding the possibilities for global-scale
contamination focused more dedicated study on environmental sciences,
including atmospheric science which further blossomed as a result of
concerns about climate change about a decade later. Since then, the number
of professionals dedicated to the basic research, characterization, and
management has grown continually. The need is clear, then, for members of
the workforce able with a basic understanding of atmospheric phenomena,
introductory course provides the requisite background.
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