STEC521 is an introductory course in meteorology for adults, offered by the University of New Hampshire's College for Lifelong Learning. Students study current theories describing the origins and behavior of the Earth's atmosphere, and the techniques of practical weather observing, analysis, and forecasting. It is an intellectually challenging course, but not outside the abilities of an average individual.
The small class size allows us to work mostly in a "discussion-group/lab" rather than a "lecture/homework" environment. Graded coursework includes labs (done in small groups) and homework assignments. Students should have a basic understanding of how to use web-browsers such as Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer.
In this course we will use a few equations to describe the atmosphere. In other words, you will be asked to plug numbers into an equation that is provided to you, and get an answer using your calculator. You will not be asked to solve or manipulate an equation.
Required text:
Lutgens, Frederick K., and Edward J. Tarbuck, 2000. The Atmosphere. Prentice Hall: Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. 484 pgs.
Recommended reading -- historical context:
Monmonier, Mark, 1999. Air Apparent: How Meteorologists Learned to Map, Predict, and Dramatize Weather. University of Chicago Press: Chicago, Illinois. 309 pgs.
Recommended reading -- social significance:
Junger, Sabastian, 1997. The Perfect Storm. HarperCollins: New York, New York. 301 pgs.
Other required materials (in addition to a notebook):
1. A handful of no. 2 pencils and a good eraser. (You will be doing a lot of erasing.)
2. Thin, permanent magic markers: Black, blue, red, purple, and green.
3. Colored pencils: Blue, red, and green.
4. An inexpensive hand calculator with square-root, natural log (ln), and exponential (ex) functions.
Sam Miller
Climate Change Research Center
Morse Hall Room 349
Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space
Department of Earth Sciences
University of New Hampshire
Durham, New Hampshire 03824
I am also a part-time weather observer at the Pease International Tradeport weather station.
Office hours (UNH): M - F, 8:00 AM - 3:30 PM.
Office phone: 862-3920 (at UNH) or 430-3434 (at KPSM).
e-mail: stm@cisunix.unh.edu
Homework: 25 %
Labs: 25 %
Final exam: 25 %
Participation: 25 %
There are nine graded labs and five graded homework assignments. The lowest homework and lab grades will be dropped. Extra credit questions are offered on the final. "Participation" includes bringing a positive attitude and a good sense of humor to class meetings.
1. Contact me by phone or e-mail -- I'll get back to you right away if I'm not in.
2. You can drop in at my office at UNH during office hours. I suggest you contact me first to make sure I'm in.
3. I can also offer extra help during my work hours at the Pease weather station, if that is more convenient. My hours at Pease vary from week to week, so please contact me first to find out when we can meet there.
Homework is collected the week after it's assigned. (Collected items are marked by an asterisk.) |
||
| Size, scale, and components (including the Earth) of the Solar System; the solar constant and electromagnetic radiation (the mechanism by which the Sun heats the Earth); the orbital oddities and axial tilt of the Earth (seasonal forcing mechanisms); the rotation of the Earth and the Coriolis acceleration; the "3-cell" theory and associated wind belts; and finally, the Polar Jet. | 1. Read Lutgens and Tarbuck chapters 1 and 2, and chapter 7 (pp. 192 - 205). *2. Graphical interpolation exercise. |
|
| Concepts of atmospheric pressure, temperature, and density; the relationship of water vapor content to air density; virtual temperature; the ideal gas law; and sea-level equivalent pressure. | 1. Read Lutgens and Tarbuck chapter 3 (all), chapter 4 (pp. 86 - 99), and chapter 6 (pp. 156 - 170). 2. Skim Bannon et al., 1997. |
|
| Concept of mathematical "slope" and its algebraic approximation; the cause and manifestations of horizontal temperature and pressure gradients; the geostrophic wind approximation (from coriolis and pressure gradient); cyclonic and anti-cyclonic curvature; cyclostrophic circulation (from centripetal acceleration and pressure gradient); and the influence of friction. | 1. Read Lutgens and Tarbuck chapters 6 (pp. 171 - 183) and 7. *2. Analyze another surface chart for the same parameters as you did in the lab. Download the pre-plotted chart from the SUNY Albany Weather Page. |
|
| Types and characteristics of surface pressure systems and airmasses. | 1. Read Lutgens and Tarbuck chapters 8 and 9. *2. Analyze another surface chart for the same parameters as you did in the lab. Download the pre-plotted chart from the SUNY Albany Weather Page. |
|
| Constant-pressure sections of the upper atmosphere; the equivalence of pressure gradient and contour gradient, vertical profiles of mid-latitude pressure systems; and the types and characteristics of fronts and troughs. | 1. Read Lutgens and Tarbuck chapter 11. *2. Analyze another upper air chart (850, 500, or 300 hPa) -- try one that you did NOT do while in lab. Download the pre-plotted chart from the SUNY Albany Weather Page. |
|
| Potential temperature; adiabatic cooling and warming; inversions; stability; and convective and mechanical lift. | 1. Read Lutgens and Tarbuck chapter 4 (pp. 99 - 117), and review chapter 1 (pp. 16 - 20). 2. Review Skew-T cards on-line. *3. Plot and analyze another Skew-T for the same parameters as you did in lab. You may print out a pre-plotted skew-t from the Plymouth State College Weather Page. |
|
| Cloud and precipitation formation processes, general cloud classification, and synoptic-scale cloud patterns. | 1. Read Lutgens and Tarbuck chapters 5 and 10. 2. Review "27 States of Sky" on-line. 3. Skim Lyons et al,, 2000. 4. Review notes and labs from meetings 1 through 7. |
|
| Elements of a weather forecast, the overall methodology of weather forecasting, and forecasting techniques that do not involve centrally-produced prognostic and forecast products. | 1. Read Lutgens and Tarbuck chapter 12. 2. Read Quayle and Steadman, 1998. 3. Read Ball, 2000, and skim Orlove et al., 2000. 4. Study notes and labs from meetings 1 through 8. |
|
| Use of numerical weather prediction (NWP) products. | 1. Read Lutgens and Tarbuck chapter 14 and skim chapter 15. 2. Read the AGU Position Statement on Climate Change and Greenhouse Gases, and skim Climate Change and Greenhouse Gases (EOS, 1999). 3. Study notes and labs from meetings 1 through 9. |
|
| General classes of air pollution, the regulatory response, and introduction to numerical modeling of the air pollution plumes. We will also discuss the existing records of the Earth's climate over the past 140,000 years, global ocean circulation, the Younger Dryas Event, and recent studies of air-sea interaction in the Gulf of Maine. | 1. Skim Lutgens and Tarbuck chapter 13. 2. Study notes and labs from meetings 1 through 10. 3. Prepare questions for review session next week. |
|
| Review session. | Study for the final exam. | |
| Final exam. |
This page was last updated on 11/10/2000.