Course Descriptions

Department of Atmospheric Sciences

Professors K. P. Bowman, R. A. Duce, J. W. Nielsen-Gammon, G. R. North, R. E. Orville (Head), T. T. Wilheit, R. Zhang; Associate Professors D. R. Collins, A. Dessler, R. L. Panetta, P. Yang; Assistant Professors S. D. Brooks, L. D. Carey, C. Epifanio, G. W. Schade, C. J. Schumacher, F. Zhang; Lecturers M. E. Alcorn

Atmospheric Sciences
(ATMO)

201. Atmospheric Science. (3-0). Credit 3. I, II, S

Structure, energy, and motions of the atmosphere; climate; fronts and cyclones; atmospheric stability; clouds and precipitation; severe storms.

202. Atmospheric Science Laboratory. (0-2). Credit 1. I, II, S

Practical laboratory experiments and exercises, conducted by students in the meteorology and computer laboratories, concerning the fundamental physical processes underlying atmospheric phenomena, and the collection, display and interpretation of meteorological information. For non-majors only. Prerequisite: Concurrent enrollment in ATMO 201.

203. Weather Forecasting Laboratory. (0-2). Credit 1. I, II

Short-range weather forecasting practice; numerical guidance; weather map analysis and discussions. Prerequisite: Concurrent enrollment in ATMO 201.

251. Weather Observation and Analysis. (2-2). Credit 3. I

Standard and experimental weather observing techniques; subjective and objective analysis; application of conceptual models; simple kinematic and dynamic constraints. Prerequisite: ATMO 203 or registration therein.

285. Directed Studies. Credit 1 to 4. I, II, S

Offered to enable majors in meteorology to undertake and complete with credit in their particular fields of specialization limited investigations not covered by any other courses in established curriculum. Prerequisite: Freshman or sophomore classification.

289. Special Topics in… Credit 1 to 4.

Selected topics in an identified area of meteorology. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Approval of instructor.

324. Physical and Regional Climatology. (2-2). Credit 3. I

Climate causes; global and surface energy balance; hydrologic cycle; general circulation; climate change; climate data analysis. Prerequisites: ATMO 201 and 203; MATH 172; course that satisfies departmental computer science requirement.

335. Atmospheric Thermodynamics. (3-0). Credit 3. II

Application of thermodynamics to Earth’s atmosphere; phase changes of water; stability concepts; introduction to physical chemistry. Prerequisites: CHEM 102; MATH 251; PHYS 218.

336. Atmospheric Dynamics. (3-2). Credit 4. I

Kinematic concepts and relationships; equations of motion; geostrophic and accelerated motions; the vorticity equation and Rossby waves. Prerequisites: ATMO 335, MATH 311 or registration therein.

352. Severe Weather and Mesoscale Forecasting. (2-2). Credit 3. II

Parcel theory for dry and moist convection; sounding diagrams and their application to atmospheric convection; organization of midlatitude convection and severe weather; thunderstorm forecasting. Prerequisite: MATH 172.

363. Introduction to Atmospheric Chemistry and Air Pollution. (3-0). Credit 3.

Descriptive introduction of the composition and chemistry of natural and pollutant compounds in the atmosphere; transport, cycling and reactivity of atmospheric material; atmospheric measurements, data processing, air quality and human health issues; air pollution trends and climate change. Prerequisites: CHEM 101 and 102 or approval of instructor.

435. Synoptic-Dynamic Meteorology. (3-0). Credit 3. II

Dynamics and diagnosis of synoptic-scale systems; perturbation theory and baroclinic instability; wave energetics, frontogenises. Prerequisite: ATMO 336 or equivalent.

446. Physical Meteorology. (3-0). Credit 3.

Physics and meteorology of clouds and precipitation; atmospheric electricity; radiative transfer. Prerequisite: ATMO 335.

455. Numerical Weather Prediction. (2-2). Credit 3. I

Basic principles of computer models of the atmosphere; parameterizations; use and critical evaluation of models and model output. Prerequisites: MATH 308; ATMO 336 or registration therein.

459. Tropical Meteorology. (3-0). Credit 3. II

Tropical climatology; structure, evolution, and motion of tropical cyclones; tropical cyclone hazards; large-scale tropical phenomena. Prerequisites: ATMO 336; ATMO 352 or registration therein.

461. Broadcast Meteorology. (0-2). Credit 1. II

Instruction in the practice of broadcast meteorology; practice in and preparation of weather forecast products and demonstration videotapes. Prerequisites: ATMO 455 or approval of instructor; senior classification.

463. Air Pollution Meteorology. (3-0). Credit 3. II

Problems of air pollution in our global atmosphere; environmental cycles; waste products in the biosphere; atmospheric pollution; natural concentrations of atmospheric constituents; pollution sources; atmospheric transport; pollution sinks; effects of pollution; monitoring and surveillance; and management of air quality. Prerequisite: ATMO 335 or approval of instructor.

485. Directed Studies. Credit 1 or more each semester. I, II, S

Offered to enable majors in meteorology to undertake and complete with credit in their particular fields of specialization limited investigations not covered by any other courses in established curriculum. Prerequisite: Junior or senior classification.

489. Special Topics in… Credit 1 to 4.

Selected topics in an identified area of meteorology. May be repeated for credit.