K. P. Bowman, D. R.
Collins, R. A. Duce, C. C. Epifanio, J. P.McGuirk, J. W. Nielsen-Gammon,
G. R. North*, R. E. Orville (Interim Head), R. L. Panetta,
T. T. Wilheit, P. Yang, F. Zhang, R. Zhang
* Graduate Advisor
Master of Science and Doctor of
Philosophy degrees are offered in atmospheric sciences as well
as the Bachelor of Science degree in meteorology. Students
from disciplines other than meteorology are encouraged to enroll
in graduate programs. Normal prerequisites are 12 hours of
calculus and differential equations and 8 hours of physics.
The department offers a sequence of courses (601, 602, 611,
612) each year that covers key topics of atmospheric relevance
in the areas of fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, cloud physics,
radiation and chemistry. These courses form a base for a large
number of the other graduate courses. By the end of their first
year, students typically have made arrangements to begin a
research project directed by a faculty member: faculty interests
span a wide range extending from field and laboratory work
through data analysis to numerical modeling and theory. Please
see the department's website at www.met.tamu.edu for more information.
The Department of Atmospheric Sciences can also serve as the "home" department
for the Master of Geoscience degree. The MGsc is a non-thesis
degree that provides a multidisciplinary background in the
geosciences, appropriate for science teachers in public schools,
or for individuals interested in environmental issues, for
example.
Persons with a BS in meteorology
and an MS degree in atmospheric sciences typically obtain employment
with government agencies, industrial organizations and consulting
firms, or they may enter the meteorological branch of one of
the military services. The PhD degree is normally required
for a teaching or research career.
The Department
of Atmospheric Sciences occupies upper floors in the 15-story
David G. Eller Building for Oceanography and Meteorology.
The weather radar is a campus landmark, and Doppler capability
has been added to the 10 cm radar. All data can be recorded
on magnetic tape or disk for later display in the classroom
or for research study on workstations. Digital weather
data are acquired through a combination of a UNIDATA system
and
a workstation which is interfaced with the Doppler radar
system. A mesometeorological network is being added for
satellite ground truth and other uses. The department is well-equipped
for data analysis and modeling, with a workstation network,
numerous personal computers, and the laboratory for exploration
of atmospheric processes (LEAP). Additional computing facilities
are available at the university's Supercomputing Facility.
Faculty and students also use off-campus computing resources,
such as those at NCAR. The department maintains an extensive
archive of synoptic information, satellite data and data
tabulations on microfilm, tape, and compact disks. There
is an internal working collection of up-to-date journals,
books, and reports, shared by the Departments of Atmospheric
Sciences and Oceanography.
Faculty, staff and students have
the opportunity to participate in regional, national and international
field programs and remote sensing experiments. They also gain
hands-on experience with state-of-the-art technology.
The Cooperative Institute for Applied
Meteorological Studies (CIAMS) is affiliated with the Fort
Worth-based headquarters office of the Southern Region of the
National Weather Service. The Institute employs research scientists
and graduate students in a broad program of applied research
and service to Texas and surrounding states, in agricultural
meteorology, marine meteorology and air-sea interactions over
the Gulf of Mexico, lightning and severe weather, and Doppler
radar studies from the installments in the Department and at
the Houston Forecast Office.
The Office of the State Climatologist
for Texas (OSC) is a component of the Department, having close
links with the National Climatic Data Center and the Global
Historical Climate Group in Asheville, North Carolina. OSC
retains a large database covering Texas and southern states
and, as well as publishing regular reports and monographs,
undertakes research on climate patterns and applied climatology.
(ATMO)
601. Fundamentals of Atmospheric
Dynamics. (3-0). Credit 3.
Basic concepts of fluid dynamics;
meteorological approximations and coordinate systems; simple
models and wave motion; barotropic models. Prerequisite:
Approval of instructor.
602. Principles of Atmospheric
Physics and Chemistry. (3-0). Credit 3.
Integrated treatment of fundamental
aspects of physical meteorology and atmospheric chemistry;
ultraviolet and infrared absorption and emission; radiative
transfer; photochemistry of ozone and OH; cloud and precipitation
microphysics and thermodynamics. Prerequisite: ATMO 601.
603. Quantitative Methods
for the Atmospheric Sciences. (3-0). Credit 3.
Mathematical and numerical methods
applied to ODE's, PDE's and statistical methods; methods
to analysis and modeling of atmospheric phenomena. Prerequisite:
Concurrent registration in ATMO 601 and CPSC 203 or equivalents.
604. General Circulation
and Climate. (3-0). Credit 3.
Observed large scale circulation
and climate of the earth; physical processes which maintain
relevant budgets; models and theories explaining mean observations.
Prerequisite: ATMO 601.
605. Atmospheric Phenomena.
(3-0). Credit 3.
Observed patterns of circulation
in the atmosphere; physical basis of weather development.
Prerequisites: ATMO 601 and 602.
611. Atmospheric Dynamics
II. (3-0). Credit 3.
Continuation of ATMO 601; flow
in the planetary boundary layer; balanced flows; atmospheric
instabilities; tropical dynamics. Prerequisite: ATMO 601
or approval of instructor.
612. Atmospheric Physics
II. (3-0). Credit 3.
Fundamentals of physical meteorology
to include cloud physics, atmospheric electricity and atmospheric
chemistry. Prerequisite: Graduate classification or approval
of instructor.
621. Atmospheric Science.
(3-0). Credit 3.
An introduction in Atmospheric
Sciences for teachers and military professionals; structure,
behavior and processes of weather with climate systems; access
to atmospheric data. Prerequisite: Undergraduate degree in
related field; graduate classification.
629. Climate Change. (3-0).
Credit 3.
Climate of the geological and
recent past; methods of assessing climate and climatic change;
mechanisms, models, theories, impact and prediction of climatic
change. Prerequisites: ATMO 425 or equivalent; approval of
instructor.
631. Climate Modeling. (3-0).
Credit 3.
A study of mathematical models
used in the simulation of climate. Development and structure
of selected members of the hierarchy of models ranging from
energy balance models to general circulation models. Applications
to paleoclimate and future climate scenarios. Prerequisite:
Approval of instructor.
632. Statistical Methods
in Climate Research. (3-0). Credit 3.
Advanced techniques especially
applicable to climatology; space-time random field analysis
applied to stochastic models, parameter estimation, statistical
forecasting, data interpolation and signal detection; applications
to real data and climate model output. Prerequisites: STAT
601 or equivalent; approval of instructor.
635. Atmospheric Thermodynamics.
(3-0). Credit 3.
Thermodynamic principles applied
to the atmosphere; vertical structure and stability; weather
processes; interpretation of vertical soundings. Prerequisite:
MATH 308, PHYS 218; graduate classification.
636. Dynamic Meteorology.
(3-0). Credit 3.
General circulation; stratospheric
dynamics; tropical systems. Prerequisite: ATMO 611.
638. Dynamics of Convective
Clouds. (3-0). Credit 3.
Parcel, slice and entrainment
concepts; bubble and plume theories; spherical vortex; the
starting plume; one-dimensional models; selected topics of
current interest. Prerequisite: ATMO 611.
645. Cloud and Precipitation
Physics. (3-0). Credit 3.
Physics
of atmospheric condensation nuclei, ice in the atmosphere;
precipitation processes; artificial modification of clouds;
precipitation. Prerequisite: ATMO612 or approval of instructor.
655. Satellite Data in Meteorology.
(3-0). Credit 3.
Meteorological satellite programs
of the United States and other countries; theory of meteorological
measurements from artificial satellites; applications of
satellite data in determinations of atmospheric structure
and in forecasting; recent and current research studies;
future programs. Prerequisite: ATMO 451 or approval of instructor.
656. Tropical Meteorology.
(3-0). Credit 3.
Role of the tropics in global
circulation; structure and dynamics of the tropical zone;
local and diurnal phenomena; synoptic components; tropical
cyclones; role of cumulus-scale convection; current topics.
Prerequisite: ATMO 451 or approval of instructor.
657. Mesometeorology. (3-0).
Credit 3.
Theory and structure of mesoscale
weather systems and their relation to larger and smaller
scale systems. Prerequisite: ATMO 451 or approval of instructor.
658. Synoptic Meteorology.
(3-0). Credit 3.
Mechanism and energetics of
general circulation. Structure of large-scale systems. Persons
desiring practice in analysis techniques should enroll for
1 hour or more of ATMO 685. Prerequisite: ATMO 451 or approval
of instructor.
659. Tropical Cyclones.
(3-0). Credit 3.
Tropical climatology; structure
evolution and motion of tropical cyclones; tropical cyclone
hazards; large scale tropical phenomena. Prerequisite: ATMO
451.
661. Atmospheric Turbulence.
(3-0). Credit 3.
Classical turbulence theories
and statistical approaches; closure models; effects of rotation
and stratification; interpretations of atmospheric observations.
Prerequisite: ATMO 611 or suitable background in fluid dynamics.
666. Agricultural Meteorology.
(3-0). Credit 3.
Application of physical concepts
of meteorology to problems arising in agriculture; meso-
and micro-climates and their modification. Prerequisite:
ATMO 465 or approval of instructor.
681. Seminar. (1-0). Credit
1.
Presented by students and faculty
based upon their research work and upon surveys of the literature.
685. Directed Studies. Credit
1 or more each semester.
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.
689. Special Topics in...
Credit 1 to 4.
Special topics in an identified
area of meteorology. May be repeated for credit.
691. Research. Credit 1
or more each semester.
For thesis or dissertation.
Topic subject to approval of department head.
