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	Radiation and energy
Daily and seasonal temperature variation	Atmospheric humidity, clouds and precipitation
Winds at different spatial scales	Air masses, fronts and extratropical (midlatitude) cyclones
Thunderstorms, tornadoes and hurricanes	Extreme weather events
Global warming	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:

• Lab assignments: While the lab assignments will be handed out at the start of your lab period, they will not be due for a week, allowing time flexibility for working on the assignment.
• Lab practical exams: To take place during two separate weeks–the first during the middle of the term and the second near the end. You will have a one-week window to pick the time that you want to take a lab exam, but once you have started an exam, you will have two hours to finish.
• Some lectures may only be provided in recorded format–this is especially true of lectures that are strongly related to the labs.
• Weather journal assignment, which has a one-month completion window.
• Lecture slides provided on CANVAS for later review.
• Recorded lectures provided on CANVAS for later review.

Synchronous course components:

• Lecture period: Lectures will be given live (e.g. via Zoom) at the regularly scheduled class time. Some lectures may only be provided in recorded, and therefore asynchronous format.
• Lab period: Instructor/TA will be available for lab/lecture questions during the regularly scheduled lab period.
• Lecture midterm, to take place during one lecture period.
• Lecture final exam, to take place during the regularly scheduled timeframe.
• For students who are unable to attend a regularly scheduled lecture, both the slides and a recorded version of the lecture will be available on CANVAS (see asynchronous components above).

Quantitative Course: This is a designated Q course.

Grading

Materials

MATERIALS + SUPPLIES:

Lab Resources:

• Lab assignments 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: