Department Course Catalog
Undergraduate Level (Normal)
| Course |
Title |
Credits |
Requisites* |
Description |
| ATS350 |
Introduction to Weather and Climate |
2 |
None |
Behavior of the atmosphere and its influence upon human activities |
| ATS351 |
Introduction to Weather and Climate Laboratory |
1 |
ATS350 (C) |
Actual weather data, visualization of meteorological phenomena, and in-depth discussion of current environmental issues |
| ATS495 |
Independent Study: General Atmospheric Science |
Variable |
Variable |
|
Undergraduate Level (Restricted)
| Course |
Title |
Credits |
Requisites* |
Description |
| ATS540 |
Daily Weather Laboratory I |
2 |
Variable |
Synoptic analysis; cyclones, anticyclones, fronts, associated weather; long waves in the westerlies; upper troughs, ridges, basic currents; weather phenomena |
| ATS541 |
Daily Weather Laboratory II |
2 |
ATS540 (P) |
Synoptic computation of cyclone and anticyclone movement; circulation and intensity changes; mesoscale weather phenomena; precipitation processes |
| ATS555 |
Air Pollution |
3 |
C113, M261 or M340, PH122 or PH142 (P) |
Nature, ambient concentrations,
sources, sinks, and physiological activity of pollutants; meteorology;
legislation; social and economic factors. |
| ATS560 |
Air Pollution Measurement |
2 |
C114 (P) |
Examination and application of techniques
for air pollution measurement. Includes sampling and analysis of gases,
aerosols, and precipitation. |
Graduate Level (M.S.)
| Course |
Title |
Credits |
Requisites* |
Description |
| ATS540 |
Daily Weather Laboratory
I |
2 |
ATS601 (C) |
Synoptic analysis;
cyclones, anticyclones, fronts, associated weather; long waves in
the westerlies; upper troughs, ridges, basic currents; weather phenomena. |
| ATS541 |
Daily Weather Laboratory
II |
2 |
ATS540 (P) |
Synoptic computation of cyclone
and anticyclone movement, circulation, and intensity changes; mesoscale
weather phenomena; precipitation processes. |
| ATS555 |
Air Pollution |
3 |
C113, M261 or M340, PH122 or PH142 (P) |
Nature, ambient concentrations,
sources, sinks, and physiological activity of pollutants; meteorology;
legislation; social and economic factors. |
| ATS560 |
Air Pollution Measurement |
2 |
C114 (P) |
Examination and application of techniques
for air pollution measurement. Includes sampling and analysis of gases,
aerosols, and precipitation. |
| ATS601 |
Atmospheric Dynamics
I |
3 |
M261, M531 (P) |
Momentum, continuity equations;
circulation, vorticity, thermodynamics; boundary layer; synoptic scale
motions in midlatitudes. |
| ATS602 |
Atmospheric Dynamics
II |
2 |
ATS601 (P) (WI) |
Sound waves, gravity waves, Rossby
waves; numerical weather prediction; baroclinic instability; general
circulation; tropical dynamics. |
| ATS604 |
Atmospheric Modeling |
3 |
None |
Design of numerical models of the
atmosphere, and applications to current problems. Emphasis is on a
practical understanding of relevant numerical methods. |
| ATS605 |
General Circulation
of the Atmosphere |
3 |
ATS602 (C) |
Observations and theory of the general
circulation of the atmosphere, with emphasis on understanding physical
mechanisms. |
| ATS606 |
Introduction to Climate |
3 |
ST301 (P) |
Exchange of energy, water and momentum
through the atmosphere, surface vegetation and oceans. Paleoclimate,
climate change, variability and feedbacks. |
| ATS610 |
Physical Oceanography |
3 |
None |
Foundations of ocean circulation theory and general circulation of the ocean using observational data and rotating tank experiments. |
| ATS620 |
Thermodynamics and Cloud
Physics |
3 |
M340, PH142 (P) |
Equilibrium thermodynamics, cloud
microphysics, cloud dynamics, precipitation formation, and cloud electrification. |
| ATS621 |
Atmospheric Chemistry |
2 |
C114, M340, PH142 (P) |
Overview of chemical kinetics and
equilibria; sources and sinks of pollutants; photochemistry and smog
formation; aqueous-phase chemistry; acid rain. |
| ATS622 |
Atmospheric Radiation |
3 |
ATS620 (P), ATS602 (C) |
Terrestrial, solar radiation propagation
in the atmosphere; radiative components in energy budgets, weather
systems, climate studies; remote sensing. |
| ATS623 |
Atmospheric Boundary
Layer |
2 |
ATS601 (P) |
Equations for shallow atmospheric
motions; thermal instability of a fluid layer; atmospheric turbulence;
flow stability; 1-D mixed layer models. |
| ATS631 |
Introduction to Atmospheric Aerosols
|
2 |
None |
Physical, chemical, and microphysical characteristics of atmospheric particulate matter; measurement principles and techniques.
|
| ATS650 |
Measurement Systems
and Theory |
2 |
PH142, ST301 (P) |
Surface and upper air measurement
systems; theory and system response, sensor design; automated data
collection, analysis and display systems. |
| ATS652 |
Atmospheric Remote Sensing |
2 |
ATS622 (P/WI) |
Concepts of electromagnetic and
acoustic wave propagation; active and passive remote sensing techniques
including radar, lidar, thermal emission systems. |
| ATS655 |
Objective Analysis in
the Atmospheric Sciences |
3 |
M531 (P/WI) |
Objective analysis of geophysical
data: general statistics; matrix methods; time series analysis. Emphasis
on applications to real-world data. |
| ATS695 |
Independent Study (General
Atmospheric Science) |
Variable |
None |
None |
| ATS680 |
Land-Atmosphere Interaction |
2 |
None |
Land-Atmosphere Interaction |
| ATS699 |
Thesis: M.S. |
Varies |
Varies |
None |
Graduate Level (Ph.D.)
| Course |
Title |
Credits |
Requisites* |
Description |
| ATS703 |
Numerical Weather Prediction |
2 |
ATS602 (P) |
Quasi-geostrophic approximation;
barotropic, baroclinic, primitive equation, and general circulation
models; numerical methods. |
| ATS704 |
Large-scale Geophysical
Fluid Dynamics |
2 |
ATS602 (P) |
Quasi-static, quasi-geostrophic
equations; planetary waves; geostrophic adjustment; barotropic, baroclinic
instability; frontogenesis; tropical cyclones. |
| ATS707 |
Atmospheric Waves and
Vortices |
3 |
ATS602, ATS605 (P/WI) |
Dynamics of the stratosphere and mesosphere with emphasis on the lower and middle stratosphere. |
| ATS708 |
Middle Atmosphere Dynamics |
3 |
ATS605 |
Dynamics of the stratosphere and mesosphere with emphasis on the lower and middle stratosphere. |
| ATS710 |
Geophysical Vortices |
3 |
ATS601, ATS602 (P/WI) |
Observational, experimental, and theoretical aspects of geophysical vortices, such as hurricanes, polar lows, tornadoes and dust devils. |
| ATS711 |
Micrometeorology |
2 |
ATS623 (P) |
Laminar and turbulent flow; momentum,
heat, water vapor transports near the surface; radiation, evaporation,
and diffusion in boundary layer. |
| ATS712 |
Dynamics of Clouds |
3 |
ATS623 (P) |
General theory of cloud dynamics;
parameterization of microphysics and radiation; models of fog, stratocumuli,
cumulonimbi, and orographic clouds. |
| ATS715 |
Atmospheric Oxidation
Processes |
2 |
ATS621 (P) |
Atmospheric hydrocarbon and nitrogen
oxide reactions; aqueous phase scavenging and reactions; chemical
pathways in the atmosphere. |
| ATS716 |
Air Quality Characterization |
2 |
ATS560, ATS555 or ATS621 (P/WI) |
Students plan, execute, and report
on a measurement campaign to characterize local air quality. |
| ATS721 |
Theoretical Topics in
Radiative Transfer |
3 |
ATS622 (P) |
Physics of atmospheric radiation;
theoretical techniques used to show radiation transfer equation. |
| ATS722 |
Atmospheric
Radiation and Energetics |
3 |
ATS622 (P) |
Radiative transfer in
the atmosphere; implications on remote sensing and energetics. |
| ATS724 |
Cloud Microphysics |
2 |
ATS621 (P) |
Theories and observations of nucleation;
cloud droplet spectra broadening; precipitation growth and breakup;
ice multiplication; cloud electrification. |
| ATS730 |
Mesoscale Modeling |
3 |
ATS602, ATS632 (P) |
Development of basic equations used
in mesoscale models and methodology of solution. |
| ATS735 |
Mesoscale Dynamics |
3 |
ATS602 (P) |
Analysis of physical and dynamical
processes that initiate, maintain, and modulate atmospheric mesoscale
phenomena. |
| ATS737 |
Satellite Observation
of Atmosphere and Earth |
3 |
ATS622, ATS652 (P/WI) |
Satellite measurements; basic orbits
and observing systems; applications of remote sensing and imaging
to investigations of atmospheric processes. |
| ATS741 |
Radar Meteorology |
3 |
ATS 652 (P/WI) |
Radar systems; radar equation and
applications; multiple Doppler observation and processing; radar studies
of mesoscale systems. |
| ATS742 |
Tropical Meteorology |
3 |
ATS605, ATS623, ATS655 (P) |
Climatology and general circulation
of the tropics; air-sea, cumulus energy, and momentum exchanges; tropical
storm dynamics. |
| ATS743 |
Interaction of the Ocean and Atmosphere |
3 |
ATS601 and ATS602, or instructor permission |
Ocean-atmosphere interactions in observations, theory, and models. Time mean atmosphere-ocean circulations through climate variability and change.
|
| ATS745 |
Atmospheric General
Circulation Modeling |
3 |
ATS602, ATS605 (P) |
Survey of current problems in modeling
of the general circulation of the atmosphere. |
| ATS750 |
Climate Dynamics: Atmospheric Variability |
3 |
ATS605, ATS655 (P) |
Analysis and interpretation of large-scale
patterns of climate variability and observed climate change. |
| ATS753 |
Global Hydrologic Cycle |
3 |
ATS601 (P) |
Hydrologic cycle; moisture transport
and air-ground exchange; water budgets of meteorological phenomena;
climatology of atmospheric water. |
| ATS755 |
Topics in
Climate Research |
3 |
ATS606 (P) |
Survey of current topics
in climate research. |
| ATS760 |
Global Carbon Cycle |
2 |
ATS606 (P) |
Exchanges of CO2 between the atmosphere,
the land surface, and oceans. Biogeochemical processes. Micrometeorological
and inverse flux estimation. |
| ATS762 |
Biosphere-Chemistry-Climate Interactions |
2 |
ATS621 |
Explore the sensitivity of the climate system to atmospheric chemical composition with emphasis on connections to biosphereic processes and feedbacks.
|
| ATS765 |
Climate Dynamics: Oceanic Variability |
3 |
ATS602 (P) |
Climate variability on times scale
of years to millennia with focus on the role of the ocean circulation.
Approach through dynamical systems theory. |
| ATS770 |
Ocean Modeling |
3 |
ATS602 (P) |
Conceptual and numerical ocean models and their application to current problems in climate science and biogeochemical cycles. |
| ATS772 |
Aerosol Chemistry |
2 |
C114, M161, PH122 or PH142 (P) |
Physics and chemistry of atmospheric
aerosols including composition, surface properties, size, interaction
with radiation sources, sinks. |
| ATS784 |
Supervised College Teaching |
Variable |
Variable (WI/WH) |
None |
| ATS786 |
Practicum |
Variable |
None |
None |
| ATS795 |
Independent Study: General Atmospheric Science |
Variable |
None |
None |
| ATS796 |
Group Study (See ATS699 for research categories.) |
Variable |
Variable |
None |
| ATS799 |
Dissertation: Ph.D. |
Variable |
Variable |
None |
Requisite Codes: P=Prerequisite C=Corequisite WI=Written Consent of Instructor WH=Written Consent of Department Head
As a general planning guideline, courses at the 700 level are usually taught in alternate years. However, actual frequency of course offerings depends on demand.
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