Lower Division Courses
5. Climate and Climate Change: Our Changing Atmosphere (3)
Lecture—2
hours; discussion—1 hour. Scientific concepts needed to understand
climate and climate change. Principles of regional variations in
climate. Understanding observed seasonal, decadal and millennial
changes. Analysis of the Antarctic ozone hole, El Nino and human-induced
global warming. GE credit: SciEng | QL, SE, SL, VL —III. Ullrich
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. | QL, SL, VL —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. GE credit: SciEng.
| QL, SL, VL —I. (I.) Grotjahn, II. (II.) Paw U
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. Introduction to Atmospheric Science (4)
Lecture—3 hours; discussion—1 hour. Prerequisite(s): Mathematics 16A or 21A, and Physics 7A or 9A. Fundamental
principles of the physics, chemistry, and fluid dynamics underlying
weather and climate. Solar radiation, the greenhouse effect, and the
thermal budget of the Earth. Clouds and their formation, convection,
precipitation, mid-latitude storm systems. GE credit: QL, SE, VL —I. (I.) Faloona
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. GE Credit: SciEng. | OL, QL, VL —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 ofcurrent
weather conditions and recent model performance. Verificationand
discussion of prior forecast. Interpretation of current forecastmodel
guidance. Posting of forecast. May be repeated for credit up tothree
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 understandingclimate
variability. GE Credit: SciEng. | QL, WE —II. (II.) Anastasio
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. GE
Credit: SciEng. | QL, VL —I. (I.) Faloona
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.)
Chen
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.) Chen
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.) Nathan
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.
Cappa
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.)