Atmospheric Environments: Climatology

Curriculum Guideline

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Course
GEOG 2210
Discontinued
No
Course Code
GEOG 2210
Descriptive
Atmospheric Environments: Climatology
Department
Geography and the Environment
Faculty
Humanities & Social Sciences
Credits
3.00
Start Date
End Term
Not Specified
PLAR
No
Semester Length
15
Max Class Size
35
Contact Hours
Lecture 2 hrs. per week Lab 2 hrs. per week
Method(s) Of Instruction
Lecture
Lab
Hybrid
Field Experience
Learning Activities

This course will employ a variety of instructional methods to accomplish its objectives, including some of the following:

 

  • Lecture
  • Labs
  • Field Work
  • Multimedia
  • Individual and/or Team Projects
  • Small Group Discussions
  • Map Analysis

 

Course Description
This interactive and hands-on course builds on principles introduced in GEOG 1110 by exploring climatological and meteorological processes at work in our atmospheric environment. Exchange and transformation of energy, moisture and momentum are examined to explore a variety of topics ranging from daily weather variations (e.g. temperature, humidity, wind and severe weather) to environmental issues such as air pollution, urban heat islands, ozone depletion and global climate change.
Course Content

 

  1. Introduction to Climatology
  2. Energy Principles and Concepts
    • Types of energy
    • Energy dimensions
    • Laws of Thermodynamics
  3. Radiation - The Radiation Balance
    • Radiation Laws and distribution
  4. Energy
    • Energy budgets
    • Transfers and exchanges
    • Pattern of distribution
  5. Atmospheric Moisture
    • Measurement of humidity
    • Evaporation and condensation processes
    • Connections to surface energy and moisture balances
  6. Adiabatic Processes and Stability
    • Adiabatic lapse rates
    • Construction and use of tephigrams
    • Cloud development
    • Potential temperature
    • Precipitation formation and measurements
  7. Atmospheric Circulation
    • Forces affecting air motion
    • Surface and upper air circulation
    • Interaction between upper air circulation and surface conditions
    • Regional winds
    • Local winds
  8. Global Circulation
    • Models of atmospheric and ocean circulations
    • Teleconnections
    • Climatic classification and indices
    • Climatic controls - climatic patterns
  9. Weather Forecasting
    • Types of forecasts
    • Spatial and temporal scales of forecasts
    • Data requirements
    • Accuracy
  10. Climate Change
    • Natural and anthropogenic causes
    • Urban climates
    • Air pollution

 

Learning Outcomes

At the conclusion of the course the student will be able to:

  1. Describe and use the frameworks of science applicable to 2nd-year physical geography.
  2. Describe and explain the forms and exchanges of radiation and heat energy and discuss the laws applicable to the development of a radiation balance for the earth and its atmosphere.
  3. Explain the constructs and quantitative representations of energy and moisture budgets and their connections to different observed environmental conditions.
  4. Compute adiabatic lapse rates and evaluate conditions of stability and instability in the atmosphere including the use of temperature entropy diagrams.
  5. Describe and explain the forces controlling air motion and the resultant types of wind patterns.
  6. Describe and explain the relationship between upper level circulation and surface pressure patterns.
  7. Describe and explain methods employed to measure climatologic elements.
  8. Describe atmospheric conditions contributing to air pollution and the anthropogenic implications of air pollution.
  9. Describe and explain natural and anthropogenic causes of climate change at multiple scales.

 

Means of Assessment

The evaluation will be based on course objectives and will be carried out in accordance with Douglas College policy. The instructor will provide a written course outline with specific evaluation criteria during the first week of classes.

An example of an evaluation scheme would be:

Labs 30%
Project 20%
Lab Exam 10%
Midterm Exam 20%
Final Exam 20%
Total 100%

 

 

Textbook Materials

Texts will be updated periodically. Typical examples of texts would be:

 

  • Ahrens, D., Jackson, P.L, and C.J. Jackson (2012). Meteorology Today: An Introduction To Weather, Climate, and the Environment, First Canadian Edition. Cengage Nelson.
  • Ross, S. L. (2013).  Weather and Climate: an Introduction. Oxford.
  • Aguado, E. and J.E. Burt. (2015). Understanding Weather and Climate, 7th edition.   Pearson Prentice Hall.

 

Prerequisites

GEOG 1110