ATMO 170A1: Introduction to Weather & Climate
Fall 2013 Section 001/004
MWF 2:00 pm - 2:50 pm
PAS 201
Course Description
An introduction to the science of weather processes and climate, including the genesis of fronts and cyclones, precipitation processes, wind systems of the world, severe storms, weather forecasting and climate projections. Special emphasis will be given to phenomena that have strong impacts on human activities including snow, thunderstorms, hail tornadoes, hurricanes, El Nino, air pollution, ozone depletion and climate change. Fundamental importance of physics, chemistry and mathematics to atmospheric science will be highlighted.
Class Email: Use List Serve for matters of general interest.
Instructor:
Professor Steven Mullen
Email (use only for personal issues and to schedule appointments)
PAS Bldg Rm 552
Office Hours: MW 3:00 pm- 3:50 pm (subject to change)
F 11:00 am- 11:50 am
MW 10:30 am -12:00 pm by appointment only
Teaching Assistants:
Ms. Gina Medici Email (use only to schedule appointments)
PAS Bldg Rm 588
Office Hours: M 12:30 pm – 1:45 pm
W 9:00 am – 10:30 am
Mr. Ethan Smith Email (use only to schedule appointments)
PAS Bldg Rm 588
Office Hours: T 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
R 9:00 am – 10:30 am
Mr. Reid Strickler Email (use only to schedule appointments)
PAS Bldg Rm 588
Office Hours: T 9:00 am – 10:30 am
R 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Class Materials: Slides, homework, study guides, term project, dropboxes, digitial exams can only be accessed on D2L.
Topics - Reading Assignments - Questions for Review Dates are tentative and subject to change with reasonable notice
Week of | Important Dates | Monday | Wednesday | Friday |
1) Aug 26-Aug 30 |
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FIRST DAY How to E-mail a Professor Mandatory Reading Introduction Why Study the Atmosphere? Assign HW #1 Weather Event |
Atmo.
Composition and Structure 6th: 4-24, A: 455-457, C: 461-462 6th-Pg 24: 1.2, 3, 10, 14, 18, 19, 21 |
Weather and Climate 5' Iron Bar Example 6th: 4-24, A: 455-457, C: 461-462 6th-Pg 24: 1.2, 3, 10, 14, 18, 19, 21 |
2) Sept 2-Sept 6 |
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LABOR DAY No Class |
Temperature
and Heat Inverted Water Glass Demos 6th: 28-33 6th-Pg 54: 2.1, 2, 3, 4 |
Radiation Selective Absorption-Emission 6th: 34-46 6th-Pg 54: 2.7, 9, 10, 12, 13 |
3) Sept 9-Sept 13 | HW #1 Due Monday Sep 9 5:00 pm |
"Greenhouse" Effect Surface Energy Balance Light Bulb Demo 6th: 46-54 6th-Pg. 54: 2.17, 18, 20 HW #1 Due 5:00 pm Weather Event |
Seasons Temperature Variations Flashlight on Globe Demo 6th: 58-79 6th-Pg. 80: 3.1, 2, 5, 6, 14 |
Leftovers Review for Quiz #1 Chapters 1-3 |
4) Sept 16-Sept 20 |
QUIZ #1 In Class Closed Book/Notes Study Guide Available approx 36 hours before exam |
Air
Pressure; Surface Weather Maps 6th: 150-156 6th-Pg 174: 6.1, 8, 9 Assign HW #2 Surface Map Analysis |
Upper-Air
Maps; Newton's Laws Centripital Force Demo 6th: 156-165 6th-Pg 174: 6.10, 11, 13, 14, 18, 20, 23 |
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5) Sept 23-Sept 27 |
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Surface
Winds, Vertical Motion
6th: 165-174 6th-Pg 174: 6.24, 26 |
Air
Masses & Fronts 6th: 214-233 6th-Pg 242: 8.1, 11, 12, 13 |
How to Analyze Surface Weather Map In class discussison |
6) Sept 30-Oct 4 |
|
Extratropical
Cyclones
6th: 233-242 6th-Pg 242: 8.14, 15, 17 Assign HW #2 Surface Analysis |
Leftovers Review for Quiz #2 Chapters 6-8 |
QUIZ #2 In Class Closed Book/Notes |
7) Oct 7-Oct 11 |
Week 1 Data Collection | Atmospheric Moisture Web Bulb Temp Demo 6th: 84-96, B: 458-460, D:463-466 6th-Pg 113: 4.1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 10 |
Condensation:
Dew, Frost, Fog, Clouds Saturation Vapor Pressure Demo 6th: 96-113 6th-Pg 113: 4.13, 14, 15, 16 |
Cloud Types Cloud in a Bottle Demo 6th: 96-113 6th-Pg 113: 4.13, 14, 15, 16 |
8) Oct 14-Oct 18 | Week 2 Data Collection | Vertical
Stability Galileo Thermometer Demo 6th: 118-127 6th-Pg 146: 5.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 |
Vertical
Stability Galileo Thermometer Demo 6th: 118-127 6th-Pg 146: 5.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 |
Precipitation
Processes 6th: 128-143 6th-Pg 146: 5.14, 16, 17 HW #2 Due 5:00 pm Surface Map Analysis |
8) Oct 14-Oct 18 | Week 2 Data Collection |
Vertical
Stability Galileo Thermometer Demo 6th: 118-127 6th-Pg 146: 5.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 |
Precipitation
Processes 6th: 128-143 6th-Pg 146: 5.14, 16, 17 HW #2 Due 5:00 pm Surface Map Analysis |
Leftovers Review for Quiz #3 Chapters 4-5 |
9) Oct 21-Oct 25 | Week 3 Data Collection |
Local Winds; Monsoons 6th: 176-193 6th-Pg 210: 7.3, 4, 5 |
Global-Scale Circulations 6th: 193-202, 344-348 6th-Pg 210: 7.11, 12, 13 HW #3 Due 5:00 pm Cloud Identification | Air-Sea
Interactions: El-Nino
6th: 202-210 6th-Pg 210: 7.18, 19, 20 |
9) Oct 21-Oct 25 | Week 3 Data Collection |
Leftovers Review for Quiz #3 Chapters 4-5 |
QUIZ #3 In Class Closed Book/Notes |
Local Winds; Monsoons; Global Winds 6th: 176-197 6th-Pg 210: 7.3, 4, 5 |
10) Oct 28-Nov 1 |
Week 4 Data Collection Last Week |
Air-Sea
Interactions: El-Nino
6th: 202-210 6th-Pg 210: 7.18, 19, 20 |
Thunderstorms
6th: 274-290 6th-Pg 310: 10.1, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 06, 18 |
Thunderstorm Hazards 6th: 290-295 6th-Pg 310: 10.18, 19, 22, 21, 23 |
11) Nov 4-Nov 8 |
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Thunderstorm Hazards (cont) Tornadoes 6th: 295-309 6th-Pg 310: 10.28, ??, ?? |
Tornadoes Hurricane (start) 6th: 314-340 6th-Pg. 341: 11.6, 10, 11, 14, 15, 17 |
Hurricanes
6th: 314-340 6th-Pg. 341: 11.6, 10, 11, 14, 15, 17 |
12) Nov 11-Nov 15 |
Project Due Monday Nov 11 11:59 pm |
VETERANS DAY No Class Project Due 11:59 pm Note Time |
Leftovers Review for Quiz #4 Relevant Parts of Chapters 7, 10, 11 |
QUIZ #4 In Class Closed Book/Notes |
13) Nov 18-Nov 22 |
|
Weather
Forecasting Overview Chaos Demo 6th: 245-270 6th-Pg 270: 9.3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 14, 17 |
Air
Pollution 6th: 406-412, 415-429 6th-Pg 430: 14.1, 5, 14, 15, 19, 23 6th-Pg. 402: 13.5, 6, 7, 11 |
Ozone Depletion
6th: 412-417 6th-Pg 430: 12.10, 11 |
14) Nov 25-Nov 29 |
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Paleoclimate
6th: 376-401 6th-Pg. 402: 13.5, 6, 7, 10 |
No Class |
THANKSGIVING No Class |
15) Nov 28-Dec 2 |
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Global Warming Part I 6th: 376-401 6th-Pg. 402: 13.13, 17, 20 |
Global Warming Part II
6th: 376-401 6th-Pg. 402: 13.13, 17, 20 |
Leftovers Review for Quiz #5 Relevant Parts of Chapters 9, 11, 13, 14 |
16) Dec 5-Dec 9 |
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Closing Business Take FInal or Not? |
Quiz #5 Online Closed Book/Notes Honor System |
Dead
Day No Classes Thursday Dec 8 |
Dec 12-Dec 16 |
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FINAL EXAM Counts as Two Quizzes Tuesday Dec 17 3:30-5:30 pm |
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