ATMOS 6020
Physical Meteorology
COVID-19 Statement
Based on CDC guidelines, the University requires everyone to wear face coverings in shared public spaces on campus, including our classroom. As a reminder, when I wear a face covering, I am protecting you. When you wear a face covering, you are protecting me and all of your classmates. If you forget your face covering, I will ask you to leave class to retrieve it. If you repeatedly fail to wear a face covering in class, I will refer you to the Department Chair for a possible violation of the Student Code.
The foundations of the earth's atmosphere begin with a few key ingredients: transformations of the solar electromagnetic energy input to heat; transformations of heat to changes in temperature, pressure, and the phase of water; and vertical and horizontal re-distribution of atmospheric constituents. Understanding how each of the components are inter-related is critical to understanding the atmosphere, and why and how climate changes. This course seeks to explain the physics behind these essential elements.
Students who complete this course can expect to have as an outcome a solid theoretical understanding of the underlying physics and mechanics of thermodynamics, cloud physics, and the roles of heat and light in climate.
Problem sets: 50%. Weekly problem sets assigned Wednesday. A short question will be assigned at the beginning of each class based on assigned reading.
Tests: 50%. Two take home exams. A formula sheet will be provided.
The exam may be weighted more or less, if this is to the student's advantage.
The grading scheme will be A: 80+, B: 70+, C: 60+, D: 50+, F: 50-
Questions are most quickly responded to by email, or (more slowly) by prior appointment. Don’t be shy to request appointments.
Course material will be based primarily on class notes, but I also recommend Wallace and Hobbs, Atmospheric Science 2nd Ed. This provides a clearly written straight-forward perspective on many of the core concepts this course will cover.
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