Undergraduate Course: Meteorology: Weather and Climate (METE08002)
Course Outline
| School | School of Geosciences |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 2 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | An introduction to large-scale weather systems and climate processes. Radiation and climate, role of the oceans, greenhouse effect, atmospheric dynamics, global circulation, thunderstorms, hurricanes, mid-latitude weather systems, weather and climate forecasting. |
| Course description |
Example Syllabus
Week 1
Introduction, course content, weather maps;
Satellite; Images Components of the climate system
Week 2
Basics of radiation: solar and terrestrial, properties of a perfect radiator; Equilibrium temperature of Earth; The greenhouse effect
Week 3
Feedbacks in the climate system; The role of the oceans in the climate system; Climate forcings
Week 4
Climate variability and change; General Circulation; Pressure and Forces
Week 5
Coriolis forces; Geostrophic balance; Inertial oscillations and Cyclostrophic motion
Week 6
Gradient wind, boundary layer friction; The Thermal wind; Feedback Session on Radiation Ocean Lab
Week 7
Convergence and divergence; Vorticity; Tropical cyclones, loca-tions, structure
Week 8
Tropical cyclones: formation, and growth mechanisms; Mid-latitude cyclones: Warm, Cold and occluded fronts; Mid-latitude cyclones: Life cycle
Week 9
Mid-latitude cyclones: Upper level flow; Other types of low pressure systems; Anticyclones and Weather Forecasting 1
Week 10
Weather Forecasting 2; Weather and climate prediction; Feedback Session on Balloon experiment
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | SCE H-grade Physics and Mathematics or equivalent
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Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2017/18, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 31,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 8,
Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 5,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 2,
Summative Assessment Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
148 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
70 %,
Coursework
30 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Coursework 30%
Degree exam 70%
The course work assignment will consist of two written lab reports. The labs run from weeks 3-10. Students will be asked to provide a write-up of two of the labs and guidance on report writing will be given in class as well as in the course handbook. For this reason lab attendance is compulsory. |
| Feedback |
Not entered |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours & Minutes |
|
| Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May) | | 2:00 | | | Resit Exam Diet (August) | | 2:00 | |
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course the student will:
- Have a broad knowledge of the main areas of large-scale Meteorology
- Be able to describe:
- The components of the climate system and understand how these interact with each other
- The global radiation balance and the physics underlying the greenhouse effect
- Display a basic understanding of the dynamics of the atmosphere and its interaction with the underlying ocean and land
- Be able to apply knowledge of the forces acting on the atmosphere to quantitatively interpret the atmospheric circulation
- The atmospheric structure of tropical cyclones
- The structure and air motions in mid-latitude cyclones, anticyclones and other types of low pressure systems
- Be able to explain modern approaches to weather and climate forecasting
- Be aware of a range of standard applications used in meteorology to process and obtain data
- Be able to demonstrate their understanding through degree exam and course work.
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Reading List
| The basic text for the course is 'Meteorology Today' (10th edition) by C. Donald Ahrens, Brooks/Cole Publishing, however the latest edition has become too expensive to buy. Some copies from members of last year's class may be available for purchase. Earlier editions of this book (especially the 8th and 9th editions) are quite satisfactory. For the less mathematical parts of the course: Introducing Meteorology: A Guide to Weather (Jon Shonk) £8.99 is a good read. 'Atmospheric Science' (2nd edition) by Wallace and Hobbs £47 (from Blackwells) is also useful and is more mathematical than Ahrens. |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Ruth Doherty
Tel: (0131 6)50 6759
Email: Joshua.Stapp@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mr Matthew Hathaway
Tel: (0131 6)51 7274
Email: |
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