Phys2301 - Atmospheric Physics
Fall 2011 Course Calendar, MWF 9:15-10:20 am, Moodle course site
|
Date |
Topic |
Observation |
Mini Lecture |
|
|
W 8-24 |
Climate System
– General Overview Components of the climate system slides convection and turbulence |
|
|
|
|
F 8-26 |
Climate System
– General Overview Structure and composition Climate Zones Cloud Classification Climate Map, Clouds (slides) |
Problems 3 and 4 from handout 1 |
||
|
M 8-29 |
Climate System
– General Overview Weather systems in moderate latitudes slides Global wind systems slides |
|
||
|
W 8-31 |
Climate System
– General Overview Global wind systems slides Hydrological cycle slides |
|
||
|
F 9-2 |
Climate System
– General Overview Quiz 1 answer Hydrological Mass balances |
Record observations for a continuous period of 14 days |
Handout 1, problems 9, 10, 11 (climate charts) Interpret maps and charts (pdf) Weather maps and charts (MS Word) |
|
|
M 9-5 |
Labor Day |
|
|
|
|
W 9-7 |
Density, pressure Hydrostatic equation Experiment pressure gradient |
|
|
|
|
F 9-9 |
Vertical pressure gradient Barometric equation Sea level pressure Scale height |
|
answers to 1 (utterly subjective) problem 2 answer |
|
|
M 9-12 |
Scale height Level thickness |
|
|
|
|
W 9-14 |
More level thickness Oceans |
|
Latest day to start complete September observations today |
|
|
F 9-16 |
Salinity, density, state diagram for sea water Quiz 2 answers |
|
From handout 2: Problems 2.6, 2.9, 2.10, 2.13, 2.14, 2.15, 2.19 (I removed example 20 – we will do that in class) |
|
|
M 9-19 |
Pycnocline, thermocline, halocline Circulation slides |
|
|
|
|
W 9-21 |
Virtual temperature First law of thermodynamics |
|
|
|
|
F 9-23 |
Processes, work, heat Specific heat enthalpy |
|
Handout 3: problem 1 (ocean measurements) Text book, problems 1 and 2 chapter 5, page 86 (the average depth of the ocean is given as 3.8 km, different
from assumptions made in class; not sure why but go with it) Handout 4: problem 1 (molar mass of dry air, mass composition) |
|
|
M 9-26 |
Enthalpy, more examples, geopotential |
|
|
|
|
W 9-28 |
Geopotential, Chinook Adiabatic processes, DALR |
|
|
|
|
F 9-30 |
Potential temperature Quiz 3: pycnocline, ideal gas, virtual temperature, work |
|
Handout 4: Problems 7 (virtual T, e), 8 (virtual temperature), 9 (balloon radius), 10 (hurricane), 11 (hiker), 12 (thickness change) |
|
|
M 10-3 |
Example, using p-a chart |
|
|
Weather Journal for September |
|
W 10-5 |
|
|
|
|
|
F 10-7 |
Balloon example |
|
Handout 4: 14 (work), 18 (potential energy), 30 (ideal gas), 31 (balloon again) Moved 33 to next week |
|
|
M 10-10 |
Phase transitions |
|
|
|
|
W 10-12 |
Clausius Clapeyron Characterizing humidity |
|
|
|
|
F 10-14 |
Quiz 4 (1st law of TD, adiabatic processes, DALR) answers |
|
Handout 4.20, 4.33 (parcel), 4.34 (skewT) |
|
|
M 10-17 |
Fall break |
|
|
|
|
W 10-19 |
SALR, LCL |
|
|
|
|
F 10-21 |
Analytical LCL |
|
Handout 5: problems 3, 5, 6, 10, 11 |
|
|
M 10-24 |
Equivalent potential temperature |
|
|
|
|
W 10-26 |
|
|
|
|
|
F 10-28 |
Entropy, reversibility Quiz 5 quiz solution |
|
From experiment Fri10-21: Assess the influence of measuring uncertainty for weather forecasting, in particular for cloud formation/ precipitation. From handout 5: 19, 20, 23, 25, 26 |
|
|
M 10-31 |
Second law, applications Static stability |
|
|
|
|
W 11-2 |
|
Record observations for a continuous period of 14 days |
|
|
|
F 11-4 |
Static stability Radiative Transfer – Using the thermal imager on crisp and sunny morning: grasses by the science building |
|
Since I messed this up so nicely, there is no homework assignment due today |
|
|
Saturday11-5 |
8:30 lawn by science building: balloon launch |
Attend if interested |
Track online: 1. Go to aprs.fi 2. Call sign KD0MVU Enjoy. |
|
|
M 11-7 |
General overview |
|
||
|
W 11-9 |
Radiance, irradiance, solar constant |
Terrestrial Observations of the atmosphere (JS) |
|
|
|
F 11-11 |
Quiz 6 answers |
Handout 6: 4, 5, 8, 9 answers Textbook, page 39, problem 1 and 3 |
||
|
M 11-14 |
Trip to the AWOS at the Morris Airport – Meet at 9:15 am at the west entrance (parking lot) of the science building. Wear WARM clothes! Some walking over a field required. |
Latest day to start complete November observations |
||
|
W 11-16 |
Insolation Satellite server: http://www.goes.noaa.gov/index.html |
Remote sensing (WM) |
|
|
|
F 11-18 |
Pleistocene, variations in solar constant |
Smog (SG) |
Handout 7 (Radiation), problems 8, 9, 10, 11 |
|
|
Saturday11-19 |
8:00 lawn by science building: balloon launch |
Attend if interested |
Track online: 1. Go to aprs.fi 2. Call sign KD0MVU Enjoy. |
|
|
M 11-21 |
Blackbody radiation |
Ozone Layer (MR) |
|
|
|
W 11-23 |
Greenhouse effect, layered atmosphere |
|
|
|
|
F 11-25 |
Thanksgiving |
|
|
|
|
M 11-28 |
Halos and rainbows (AH) Growth and shapes of ice crystals (KB) |
|
||
|
W 11-30 |
Atmospheric electric phenomena (GZ) |
|
||
|
F 12-2 |
Quiz 7 answers |
|
Thunderstorms (CR) |
Weather Journal for November; extra credit
due |
|
M 12-5 |
Droplets |
Tropical cyclones (TY) |
|
|
|
W 12-7 |
movies |
Tornadoes (EL) |
|
|
|
F 12-9 |
Introduction to dynamics |
Weather modification (MK) |
Handout 8: problems 7 not 8 |
|
|
T 12-13, 4-6 pm |
Final Exam |
|
|
|
Page last modified: 12/7/2011 3:49 PM
Maintained by Sylke Boyd, sboyd@morris.umn.edu
University of Minnesota-Morris, Division of Science and
Mathematics
The views and opinions expressed in this page are strictly those of the page author. The contents of this page have not been reviewed or approved by the University of Minnesota.
