Overview

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

An examination of the basic principles and processes governing the Earth's weather and climate. Topics include: radiation, greenhouse effect, clouds, precipitation, atmospheric circulation, mid-latitude cyclones, tropical storms, climate change. Quantitative.

COURSE DETAILS:

Description: “Weather and Climate” is an overview of the fundamental principles and processes governing meteorological and climatological phenomena on the Earth. This may include brief forays into other worldly atmospheres (e.g. Mars) as sharp contrasts can be informative. Initial focus will be on meteorological principles, starting with key concepts that are useful to understanding the narratives that, for example, describe the formation of precipitation, the evolution of frontal systems and, moving up spatial scales, the mechanisms behind global weather patterns. Storms will receive special attention given their potential to impact human lives. Given our location, focus will sometimes be on British Columbia and the northeast Pacific Ocean. Discussion also includes climate, including the general circulation, seasons, ocean-atmosphere interactions and global warming. Station models, isoplething and weather maps will also be part of the narrative. Labs provide opportunity for learning how to interpret maps, and apply methods and concepts discussed in lecture. Topics will include:

·        Atmospheric composition and structure ·        Daily and seasonal temperature variation ·        Winds at different spatial scales ·        Thunderstorms, tornadoes and hurricanes ·        Global warming

·        Radiation and energy ·        Atmospheric humidity, clouds and precipitation ·        Air masses, fronts and extratropical (midlatitude) cyclones ·        Extreme weather events ·        Global climates ·        Climate variability ·        Lapse rates and stability

Organization: One 2-hour lecture and one 2-hour lab each week. There will be no lab during the first week of the course.

Asynchronous course components:

• Labs, handed-out on a weekly to bi-weekly basis.
• Weather journal assignment, which has a one-month completion window.
• Lecture slides provided on CANVAS for later review.

Synchronous course components:

• Lectures are given live (e.g. via Zoom) at the regularly scheduled class time.
• Short quizzes may be given during most weeks during the lecture period, graded as part of the participation mark.
• Some lab sessions have additional lectures that will be given live during the scheduled lab time.
• Instructor/TA will be available for lab/lecture questions during the regularly scheduled lab period.
• Lab practical exams, to take place during two separate lab periods–the first during the middle of the term and the second near the end.
• Lecture midterm, to take place during one lecture period.
• Lecture final exam, to take place during the regularly scheduled timeframe.

 

Grading

Materials

MATERIALS + SUPPLIES:

Lab Resources:

• Labs will be available online, though CANVAS, SFU's learning management system. For doing labs, it is recommended that you have a scientific calculator–spreadsheet programs also work well for this, too. At times, a ruler and writing materials may be needed.

 

Technical requirements:

• Internet connected device, preferably a computer for access to lectures (via Zoom), labs/assignments, lecture slides and other resources using CANVAS.
• A camera may be helpful for some assignments.

REQUIRED READING: