Atmosphere and Climate

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Cursusdoel


After completing this course students are able to:
  • describe the basic physical principles of flows in the atmosphere, as well as the basic workings of the climate system.
  • discuss current issues pertaining to climate change.
  • present recent advances in research in an insightful fashion.

Relationship between tests and course goals
The final course grade is based on four elements: a midterm exam, a final exam and two presentations:
  1. Midterm exam (skill A): this is a written in-class exam (duration 2 hours) in the week before the midterm break that tests your knowledge on the static atmosphere (topics 1-5). It consists of an introductory and advanced problem and multiple-choice questions.
  2. Final exam (skill A): this is a written in-class exam (duration 2 hours) in the final week that tests your knowledge on the static and dynamic atmosphere, with emphasis on the dynamic part (topics 6-10). Like the midterm exam, it consists of an introductory and advanced problem and multiple-choice questions.
  3. Weather presentation (skill B): each Thursday class starts with a student applying newly-learnt theory (specifics provided by the teacher) to today's atmosphere in a 10-minute presentation.
  4. Final presentation (skill C): in this 12-min (single) or 15-min (duo) scientific presentation you will showcase your knowledge to your fellow students and teacher on a self-chosen, recent major advance in climate research. The presentation topic and sources need to be approved beforehand, and is based on a work plan to be handed in several weeks into the course.

Vakinhoudelijk

The climate is a complicated physical system, the properties of which affect our everyday lives and impact virtually all things ecological and economic. The basic principles that govern the interaction between the climate's main constituents, the atmosphere and oceans, can be described by the methods of physics. This course introduces the fundamentals of the physics of the atmosphere and related climate. We start with the Earth's energy balance, atmospheric composition and static stability. Students learn about the vertical distribution of mass (air pressure), temperature and the role of atmospheric moisture. After the midterm brake we turn our attention to the dynamical atmosphere to see how pressure gradients and the Coriolis force affect air motion (wind). We apply our knowledge to simple models of the atmosphere to discuss large scale and small-scale flows. The last two classes are devoted to anthropogenic climate change; recent developments, current affairs and issues pertaining to this contemporary problem will be discussed throughout the course.

Format
The Tuesday class starts with current affairs, in which the teacher applies the theory presented in previous classes to the actual weather situation and forecast. He will also discuss climate in the news, for which students are invited to suggest topics. After that, we continue to treat basic material using PowerPoint presentations. Students participate actively, answering pop-quiz questions during lectures. The Thursday class starts with a student weather presentation, focusing on newly learnt material applied to today's atmosphere. After that, we engage in a more in-depth study of the material. Problem sets are provided with solutions for students to work with outside of class hours. Students are expected to spend approximately fourteen hours per week on the course. At the end of the course, students give an oral presentation on a pre-approved topic covering a recent major advance in climate research. Subject to availability, the course includes an excursion to the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) in De Bilt.

Course goals
We define ten knowledge topics (1-10 below) and three skills (A-C). After completing this course, students are able to solve problems on all knowledge topics in writing (skill A), apply one or more topics to the real-time atmosphere in a weather presentation (skill B), and apply multiple topics in a scientific presentation on a recent major -published- advance in climate research (skill C). The knowledge topics are:
  1. The global energy balance at three levels: the top of the atmosphere, the atmosphere and the surface;
  2. The basic vertical structure of the static atmosphere, notably the vertical distribution of mass and temperature;
  3. The concept of static stability of the atmosphere and potential temperature;
  4. The influence of atmospheric moisture on these aspects;
  5. The sensitivity of Earth's climate to external (solar radiation) and internal (terrestrial radiation) perturbations;
  6. The components of the equations of motion that determine atmospheric motion (wind);
  7. The main force balances in circle-symmetric systems (tornado's, tropical and extratropical cyclones);
  8. The large-scale balance between pressure, temperature and wind (thermal wind balance);
  9. The main differences between the atmospheric boundary layer and the free atmosphere;
  10. The latest insights in anthropogenic climate change (IPCC, global warming, sea level rise).

Werkvormen

UCU course

Toetsing

Midterm exam

Verplicht | Weging 25% | ECTS 1,88

Final exam

Verplicht | Weging 25% | ECTS 1,88

Weather talk

Verplicht | Weging 25% | ECTS 1,88

Science presentation

Verplicht | Weging 25% | ECTS 1,88

*midterm FEEDBACK*

Niet verplicht

Ingangseisen en voorkennis

Ingangseisen

Er moet voldaan zijn aan minimaal één van de cursussen:

Voorkennis

With UCACCMAT01: course admittance through instructor.

Voertalen

  • Engels

Competenties

  • Academisch schrijven
  • Kritisch lezen
  • Presenteren
  • Samenwerken

Cursusmomenten

Gerelateerde studies

Tentamens

Er is geen tentamenrooster beschikbaar voor deze cursus

Verplicht materiaal

Er is geen informatie over de verplichte literatuur bekend


Aanbevolen materiaal

Materiaal Omschrijving
BOEK Atmospheric Science: An Introductory Survey, J. W. Wallace and P. V. Hobbs Academic Press, Elsevier 2006. ISBN-13: 978-0-12-732951-2, ISBN-10: 0-12-732951-X

Opmerkingen

alternates with UCSCIEAR23

Coördinator

prof. dr. M.R. van den Broeke M.R.vandenBroeke@uu.nl

Docenten

prof. dr. M.R. van den Broeke M.R.vandenBroeke@uu.nl

Inschrijving

Let op: deze cursus is niet toegankelijk voor studenten van andere faculteiten, bijvakkers mogen zich dus niet inschrijven.

Naar OSIRIS-inschrijvingen
Permanente link naar de cursuspagina
Laat in de Cursus-Catalogus zien