PHYS2801
ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCE
PHYS2810 ATMOSPHERIC PHYSICS
Lecture
notes, Tutorial Solutions etc.
What
are the basic forces which determine the state of our atmosphere,
and hence both our weather and climate? The answer starts
with radiation from the sun, which is not distributed uniformly
over the globe. As the atmosphere responds to this unevenness,
and tries to redistribute this energy, more factors come
into play, starting with the gas laws and the laws of heat.
In these two courses we examine the science which underpins
both our weather and our climate, and see many of the consequences
as competing forces do their bit. This will enable us to
also understand such key issues as ozone formation and loss,
global warming, basic weather phenomena and a variety of
'air quality' issues.
PHYS2810
is a 3 Unit of Credit course, consisting of two lectures
per week.
PHYS2801 is a 6 Unit of Credit course, which will complement
the two lectures with a two hour laboratory each week, where
students will have the chance to work with both real weather
data, and simplified computer models of weather and climate.
Both
courses are designed for students from a range of backgrounds,
with a variety of reasons for studying our atmospheric environment:
aviation, chemistry, environmental science, meteorology,
oceanography, physical geography, physics. The laboratory
classes will be sufficiently flexible to allow different
students to pursue their own interests.
Assumed
knowledge:
Mathematics:
Algebra will be used, and occasionally simple calculus.
MATH1031 (or higher) would be useful, but a good knowledge
of HSC maths is enough.
Physics: Some knowledge of basic physical science is desirable.
For example, HSC physics, PHYS1111, or higher. Alternately,
GEOG1701 is good preparation.
Text
and Recommended Books:
| PHYS2801 |
Textbooks |
Ahrens;
Meteorology Today (sixth edition)
Stull; Meteorology for Scientists and Engineers (2nd
ed) |
| PHYS2810 |
Textbook
Recommended
|
Ahrens;
Meteorology Today
Stull; Meteorology for Scientists and Engineers. |
| |
(Note
Ahrens and Stull are available as a special value pack,
including a CDROM.) |
| |
Additional
reference |
Sturman
and Tapper, The Weather and Climate of Australia and
New Zealand. |
Printed
notes on selected topics will also be distributed.
Syllabus:
Introduction:
composition and properties of the atmosphere.
Radiation
and climate: radiation laws, Earth's radiation budget, greenhouse
gases and greenhouse effect, atmospheric scattering processes,
ozone formation and loss, satellite remote sensing, simple
models of the climate, feedback processes, climate change
mechanisms, predictions of climate futures.
Moisture,
stability and cloud physics: gas laws, thermal relations,
thermodynamic charts, water substance, saturation, humidity
variables, adiabatic processes, stability, chart applications,
condensation processes, cloud types and formation, cloud
microphysics and precipitation.
Dynamics
and circulation: forces which drive the atmosphere, geostrophic
and gradient winds, thermally driven circulations, the general
circulation, air masses and fronts, vertical structure of
weather systems and storms, weather radar.
For
PHYS2801, laboratory exercises will illustrate many of these
topics: spreadsheet exercises, chart exercises; in addition
students will give a presentation on a topic not fully covered
in the lecture course.
Assessment:
| PHYS2810: |
2
assignments each 15%, 2 hour final exam 70%. |
| PHYS2801: |
2
assignments each 7.5%, 2 hour final exam 35%, laboratory
50%.
(The exam will contain a mixture of numerical and descriptive
questions,
and reasonable choice will be available.) |
Lecturers:
Dr. Michael Box; Dr. Gail Box.
Further
Information
For more information
about PHYS2810 contact:
