Atmospheric Science

Lower Division Courses

5. Global Climate (3)
Lecture—2 hours; discussion—1 hour. Scientific methods and principles used to observe and analyze the physical processes underlying the climate system. Application of principles emphasizing seasonal, regional and global climates. Analysis of global climate changes. GE credit: SciEng.—II. Weare

6. Fundamentals of Atmospheric Pollution (3)
Lecture—3 hours. Effects of human emissions on the atmosphere: smog, ozone pollution, and ozone depletion; indoor air pollution; global warming; acid rain. Impacts of these problems on the earth, ecosystems, and humans. Strategies to reduce atmospheric pollution. GE credit: SciEng.—I. Anastasio

10. Severe and Unusual Weather (3)
Lecture—2 hours; discussion—1 hour. Prerequisite: high school physics. Introduction to physical principles of severe and unusual weather: flood, blizzards, thunderstorms, lightning, tornadoes, and hurricanes. Emphasis on scientific perspective and human context. Not open to students who have received credit for course 100. (Former course 100.) GE credit: SciEng, Wrt.—III. (III.) Reck

30. Issues in Atmospheric Science (2)
Lecture—1 hour; discussion—1 hour. Prerequisite: high school physics. Introduction to selected topics in atmospheric science, such as: meteorological aspects of air pollution, use of computer models in weather forecasting, theories of global climate change, impact of satellites on meteorology, and modern meteorological instrumentation. (P/NP grading only.)—II. (II.) Anastasio

60. Atmospheric Physics and Dynamics (4)
Lecture—3 hours; discussion—1 hour. Prerequisite: Mathematics 16A and Physics 5A or 7A. Composition and thermal structure of the atmosphere. Radiation and the heat budget of the earth and its atmosphere. Cloud formation and precipitation processes. The atmosphere in motion, thunderstorms and other severe weather phenomena.—I. (I.) Chen

92. Atmospheric Science Internship (1-12)
Internship—3-36 hours. Prerequisite: lower division standing and consent of instructor. Internship off and on campus in atmospheric science. Internship supervised by a member of the faculty. (P/NP grading only.)

98. Directed Group Study (1-5)
Prerequisite: consent of instructor. (P/NP grading only.)

99. Special Study for Undergraduates (1-5)
(P/NP grading only.)

Upper Division Courses

110. Weather Observation and Analysis (4)
Lecture—3 hours; laboratory—3 hours. Prerequisite: course 60. Acquisition, distribution and analysis of meteorological data. Vertical sounding analysis, stability indices, probability of local severe weather, weather map analysis. Use of National Weather Service analyses and forecast products. Laboratory makes use of computer-generated analyses.—II. (II.) Chen

111. Weather Analysis and Prediction (3)
Lecture—3 hours. Prerequisite: courses 110, 121B, 111L (concurrently), knowledge of a programming language. Tools for analyzing observed properties of mid-latitude weather systems. The analysis-forecast system, including various weather forecast models. General structure and properties of mid-latitude weather systems.—II. Grotjahn

111L. Weather Analysis and Prediction Laboratory (2)
Laboratory—2 hours; Online lecture—4 hours. Prerequisite: course 111 (concurrently). Subjective and objective analysis of weather data. Web-based learning of the analysis-forecast system and various weather forecasting situations. Weather map interpretation and forecast discussions. (P/NP grading only.)—II. Grotjahn

112. Weather Forecasting Practice (2)
Discussion—2 hours; laboratory—1 hour. Prerequisite: course 110. Formal practice in preparing local weather forecasts. Analysis of current weather conditions and recent model performance. Verification and discussion of prior forecast. Interpretation of current forecast model guidance. Posting of forecast. May be repeated for credit up to three times. (P/NP grading only.)—I. (I.) Grotjahn

115. Hydroclimatology (3)
Lecture—3 hours. Prerequisite: course 60. Examination of climate as the forcing function for the hydrologic system. Emphasis on seasonal variations in the relationship between precipitation and evapotranspiration for meso-scale areas. Watershed modeling of floods and drought for evaluating the effects of climatic fluctuations.—III. (III.)

116. Climate Change (3)
Lecture—3 hours. Prerequisite: course 60. Climate trends and patterns spanning the recent past and the future. Emphasis on natural processes that produce climate variations and human influence on these processes. Evidence of climate change and the role of global climate models in understanding climate variability.—II. (II.)

120. Atmospheric Thermodynamics and Cloud Physics (4)
Lecture—3 hours, extensive problem solving. Prerequisite: Mathematics 21C, Physics 9B, course 60 (may be taken concurrently). Atmospheric composition and structure, thermodynamics of atmospheric gases, thermal properties of dry and moist air, atmospheric stability; cloud nucleation, cloud growth by condensation and collision, cloud models.—I. (I.) Weare

121A. Atmospheric Dynamics (4)
Lecture—3 hours; extensive problem solving. Prerequisite: course 120, Mathematics 21D, Physics 9B. Fundamental forces of atmospheric flow; noninertial reference frames; development of the equations of motion for rotating stratified atmospheres; isobaric and natural coordinate systems; geostrophic flow; thermal wind; circulation and vorticity.—II. (II.) Nathan

121B. Atmospheric Dynamics (4)
Lecture—3 hours; extensive problem solving. Prerequisite: course 121A. Dynamics of fluid motion in geophysical systems; quasi-geostrophic theory; fundamentals of wave propagation in fluids; Rossby waves; gravity waves; fundamentals of hydrodynamic instability; two-level model; baroclinic instability and cyclogenesis.—III. (III.) Nathan

124. Meteorological Instruments and Observations (3)
Lecture—2 hours; laboratory—3 hours. Prerequisite: course 60; Physics 5C. Modern meteorological instruments and their use in meteorological observations and measurements. Both standard and micrometeorological instruments are included.—I. (I.) Paw U

128. Radiation and Satellite Meteorology (4)
Lecture/discussion—3 hours; discussion/laboratory—2 hours. Prerequisite: course 60, Physics 9B, Mathematics 22B, 21D. Concepts of atmospheric radiation and the use of satellites in remote sensing. Emphasis on the modification of solar and infrared radiation by the atmosphere. Estimation from satellite data of atmospheric variables such as temperatures and cloudiness.—II. (II.) Reck

133. Biometeorology (4)
Lecture—3 hours; discussion—1 hour. Prerequisite: one course in a biological discipline and Mathematics 16B or consent of instructor. Atmospheric and biological interactions. Physical and biological basis for water vapor, carbon dioxide and energy exchanges with the atmosphere associated with plants and animals, including humans. Microclimate of plant canopies and microclimatic modification such as frost protection and windbreaks.—II. Paw U, Snyder

149. Air Pollution (4)
Lecture—3 hours; discussion—1 hour. Prerequisite: Mathematics 21D, 22B, Chemistry 2B, Atmospheric Science 121A or Engineering 103. Physical and technical aspects of air pollution. Emphasis on geophysical processes and air pollution meteorology as well as physical and chemical properties of pollutants. (Same course as Civil and Environmental Engineering 149.)—I. Chang

150. Introduction to Computer Methods in Physical Sciences (4)
Lecture—3 hours; laboratory/discussion—2 hours. Prerequisite: Engineering 5 or the equivalent, Mathematics 22B and a course in fluid dynamics (course 121A, Physics 104A, or Engineering 103A) or consent of instructor. Computational techniques used in physical sciences. Integral and differential equation numerical solution: mainly finite differencing and spectral (Fourier transform) methods. Includes introduction to C. Specific applications drawn from meteorology. Students write one C and several FORTRAN programs. Offered in alternate years.—II. Grotjahn

158. Boundary-Layer Meteorology (4)
Lecture—3 hours; discussion—1 hour. Prerequisite: course 121A. Growth, development and structure of the atmospheric layer directly influenced by the underlying surface and extending to a maximum of about two kilometers under convective conditions. Turbulent diffusion in the boundary layer. The microclimate at and near the ground surface.—III. (III.) Faloona

160. Introduction to Atmospheric Chemistry (4)
Lecture—3 hours; discussion—1 hour. Prerequisite: Chemistry 2B. Quantitative examination of current local, regional and global problems in atmospheric chemistry (including photochemical smog, acid deposition, climate change, and stratospheric ozone depletion) using fundamental concepts from chemistry. Basic chemical modeling of atmospheric reaction systems.—II. (II.) Anastasio

192. Atmospheric Science Internship (1-12)
Internship—3-36 hours. Prerequisite: completion of 84 units and consent of instructor. Internship off and on campus in atmospheric science. Internship supervised by a member of the faculty. (P/NP grading only.)

198. Directed Group Study (1-5)
Prerequisite: three upper division units in Atmospheric Science. (P/NP grading only.)

199. Special

Study for Advanced Undergraduates (1-5)
Prerequisite: three upper division units in Atmospheric Science and at least an overall B average. (P/NP grading only.)