Undergraduate Course: Meteorology: Atmosphere and Environment (METE08001)
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 the physical processes occurring in the Earth's atmosphere. Interpretation of weather maps and satellite images, cloud types and formation, atmospheric structure, thermodynamic processes, rain formation, solar and terrestrial radiation, energy balance at the surface, cumulus and cumulonimbus convection, and air pollution. |
| Course description |
Syllabus
Week 1: Overview, introduction to weather maps and satellite imagery
Weeks 2-3: Atmospheric structure, meteorological observations, interpreting charts
Week 4: Air masses, weather fronts and weather forecasts
Week 5: Clouds and precipitation
Weeks 6-7: Vertical profiles through the atmosphere: physics, stability, thunderstorms
Weeks 8-9: Atmospheric radiation, surface energy balance, rainbows
Week 10: Air pollution, Extreme Events course review
Further course information can be found at the following links:
https://path.is.ed.ac.uk/courses/METE08001_SV1_SEM1
http://www.drps.ed.ac.uk/24-25/dpt/cxmete08001.htm
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | it is recommended that students have some background in maths/physics (e.g., A-level/Scottish Higher)
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Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2025/26, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 80 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 30,
Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 12,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 2,
Summative Assessment Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
150 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
50 %,
Coursework
50 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Assessment Details
Written Exam: 50%, Course Work: 50 %, Practical Exam: 0% (NB there is an Observations Test, which is essentially a practical exam, but this is included as 10% within the Course Work component).
Both coursework and the exam must be passed (i.e. a mark of 40% or above). Students that fail coursework will need to resit it.
COURSEWORK
Coursework is made up of two items, Mid Semester Assessment (30%) that incorporates the observation Test - which typically involves analysis and interpretation of some meteorological data - e.g., calculations, plotting graphs, and writing something; The second item of coursework comprises five bi-weekly quizzes, each worth 4%, and each made up of 10 multiple choice questions drawn from a bank of questions (so each student will get a different set of questions). The quizzes will be released at the ends of Weeks 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10, and will cover material from the previous two weeks. Students will have 1 hour to complete each quiz, once started, and will need to complete it within one week of the release date.
EXAM
The 2-hour exam has one section, with students answering four questions, choosing one question from each of four groups of two questions. The exam format has changed from earlier exams, with no multiple-choice questions (old Section A). The new format is the same as the old Section B, so students can still use past papers as a guide on what to expect.
Further assessment and feedback information can be found at the following links:
Taught Assessment Regulations: https://www.ed.ac.uk/academic-services/policies-regulations/regulations/assessment
All details related to extensions procedures and late penalties can be found in the School of Geosciences Handbook, which can be found on the Learn UG Student Information Hub.
ASSESSMENT DEADLINES
Quiz 1: Complete by 12noon Monday Week 4 (release 12 noon Friday Week 2)
Quiz 2: Complete by 12noon Monday Week 6 (release 12 noon Friday Week 4)
Quiz 3: Complete by 12noon Monday Week 8 (release 12 noon Friday Week 6)
Quiz 4: Complete by 12noon Monday Week 10 (release 12 noon Friday Week 8)
Quiz 5: Complete by 12noon Monday Week 12 (release 12 noon Friday Week 10)
Assignment: Complete by 12noon Monday Week 6 |
| Feedback |
Students receive brief initial feedback on their lab books after three labs, and written feedback on their mid-S1 assignment. Labs are informal and allow students to ask questions of demonstrators and staff about what they are doing. There is the opportunity to ask questions during or after lectures and labs. After the exam (usually early the following semester), students can read marked exam scripts and question the markers on any comments or the marks achieved. |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Minutes |
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| Main Exam Diet S1 (December) | Meteorology: Atmosphere and Environment (METE08001) | 120 | | | Resit Exam Diet (August) | Meteorology: Atmosphere and Environment (METE08001) | 120 | |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Use and evaluate numerical and graphical meteorological data, e.g., interpret weather maps in terms of local weather; plot and interpret vertical temperature and moisture soundings; observe, code and plot weather elements in standard format;
- Describe atmospheric composition and structure, including the layers of the atmosphere from the surface to 100 km, and be able to describe the basic processes occurring in the atmospheric boundary layer and recognise cloud types and describe their formation mechanisms;
- Describe and explain the structure, physics and dynamics of thunderstorms, tornadoes and hail formation;
- Explain the basic physics of atmospheric processes, such as radiation at the surface, water in the atmosphere and its phase changes, and air masses and weather fronts;
- Synthesize and interpret meteorological data, including satellite imagery, and summarise in a professional way within an assignment
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Reading List
Atmospheric Science: An Introductory Survey (2nd Ed), J.M. Wallace and P.V. Hobbs
Weather: A Concise Introduction, G. Hakim and J. Patoux
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Additional Class Delivery Information |
Semester 1
Lectures: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays
Practical classes: choose one of Monday, Tuesday or Thursday |
| Keywords | Met A&E |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Massimo Bollasina
Tel: (0131 6)51 3464
Email: |
Course secretary | Mr Johan De Klerk
Tel: (0131 6)50 7010
Email: |
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