Global Climate and Weather (U02578)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 9 ? Acronym : GEO-3-GCW

An introduction to large-scale weather systems and climate processes. Radiation and climate, greenhouse effect, stratospheric ozone, ozone hole, atmospheric dynamics, global circulation, thunderstorms, hurricanes, mid-latitude weather systems, weather and climate forecasting, role of the oceans.

Entry Requirements

? Pre-requisites : Physics 2A: Forces, Fields and Potentials

? Prohibited combinations : Meteorology: Weather and Climate

Subject Areas

Home subject area

Meteorology, (School of GeoSciences, Schedule N)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : 3rd year

? Delivery Period : Semester 2 (Blocks 3-4)

? Contact Teaching Time : 5 hour(s) per week for 11 weeks

All of the following classes

Type	Day	Start	End	Area
Lecture	Monday	10:00	10:50	KB
Lecture	Wednesday	10:00	10:50	KB
Lecture	Friday	10:00	10:50	KB

? Additional Class Information : 1.5 hour laboratory class each week (choice of times) plus 5 additional tutorials at times to be arranged

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course the student will be able to:

describe the global radiation balance, the physics underlying the greenhouse effect and ozone depletion and show a quantitative understanding of simple models of radiative transfer in the atmosphere

describe the atmospheric structure leading to severe thunderstorms and tropical cyclones and the structure of air motions within them

estimate updraught speeds in severe thunderstorms from radiosonde data

describe the properties of air masses and fronts affecting the British Isles

describe the structure and air motions in mid-latitude depressions and secondary depressionsand show an inderstanding of their energetics

display a basic understanding of the dynamics of the atmosphere and its interaction with the underlying ocean and land

calculate gradient and thermal winds

explain modern approaches to weather and climate forecasting and to show an appreciation of the limitations of forecasting methods