ESS55 Earth's Atmosphere (Spring 2009) [syllabus]
Lecture: Tuesday & Thursday 11:00-12:20, PCB1300
Discussion: Monday 11:00-11:50, RH184
INSTRUCTORS

Professor Jin-Yi Yu
Office: 3315 Croul Hall
Phone: (949) 824-3878
Email: jyyu@uci.edu
http://www.ess.uci.edu/~yu/
Office Hour: Tuesday 2:00-3:00pm or by appointment

TA: Ms. Yi Wang
Office: 1101A Croul Hall
Email: ywang17@uci.edu
Office Hour: Thursday 2:00-3:00pm or by appointment
COURSE CONTENT

The course will cover some fundamentals of atmospheric science, such as the static atmosphere (including composition, hydrostatic balance and thermodynamics), the global energy balance, radiative transfer and climate, the hydrologic cycle, the general circulation and climate regimes. Prerequisite: Mathematics 2B; Physics 3B or 7B.

TEXTBOOK

  • Meteorology: Understanding the Atmosphere, by S. A. Ackerman and J. A. Knox, Thomson Brooks/Cole, 2003.

    • GRADES

    (30%) Homework
    (30%) Midterm
    (30%) Final
    (10%) In-class participation
    SYLLABUS

    Week 1: A brief survey of the atmospher
  • origins of the atmosphere
  • vertical structure of composition
  • vertical structure of air pressure
  • vertical structure of temperature
  • ionosphere
    Classnote #1: Survery (Powerpoint) (PDF) (Handout) Updated on 4/02/2009
    Reading: Meteorology: Understanding the Atmosphere (Ch. 1)
    Homework: #1 (with answers) (due 4/9/2009)
    Week 2: Global energy balance
  • planetary energy balance
  • greenhouse effect
  • role of cloud
  • energy transfer processes
  • energy balance at earth's surface
    Classnote #2 : Global Energy (Powerpoint) (PDF) (Handout) Updated on 4/21/2009
    Reading: Meteorology: Understanding the Atmosphere (Ch. 2)
    Homework: #2 (with answers) (due 4/16/2009)
    Week 3: Radiation transfer in the atmosphere; Temperature
  • spectrum of radiation: solar and infrared
  • absorption, emission, reflection, scattering, and transmission
  • colors of sky and sun
  • seasonal and latitudinal variations of temperatures
    Classnote #3: Radiation Transfer and Temperature (lecture note included in Classnote #2)
    Reading: Meteorology: Understanding the Atmosphere (Ch. 3)
    Homework: #3 (with answers) (due 4/23/2009)
    Week 4: Pressure and Wind
  • atmospheric pressure - pressure gradient force
  • effects of rotation - Coriolis force
  • the geostrophic wind - upper level flow
  • effects of friction - surface flow
  • weather maps
    Classnote #4: Motion (Powerpoint) (PDF) (Handout) Updated on 4/16/2009
    Reading: Meteorology: Understanding the Atmosphere (Ch. 6)
    Homework: #4 (with answers) (due 4/30/2009)
    Week 5: Atmospheric general circulation
  • three-cell circulation
  • Walker circulation in the tropics
  • ITCZ, subtropical high, polar low
  • general circulation in the stratosphere
  • wind-driven ocean circulation
    Classnote #5: General Circulation] (Powerpoint) (PDF) (Handout) Updated on 5/1/2009
    Reading: Meteorology: Understanding the Atmosphere (Ch. 7; pages 208-216 of Ch.8)
    Homework: #5 (with answers) (due 5/7/2009)

    === MIDTERM (5/7/2009; 11am-12:20pm; PCB1300; Chapters 1, 2, 3, 6, and 7) ===

    Week 6: Moist processes in the atmosphere
  • humidity
  • water vapor and latent heat
  • lapse rate and adiabatic process
  • concept of static stability
  • dew, frost, fog
    Classnote #6: Moist Processes (Powerpoint) (PDF) (handout) Updated on 5/19/2009
    Reading: Meteorology: Understanding the Atmosphere (Ch. 4)
    Week 7: Cloud development and precipitation process
  • why clouds form
  • cloud types
  • growth of cloud droplet
  • forms of precipitations
    Classnote #7: Precipitation and Cloud (Powerpoint) (PDF) (handout) Updated on 5/21/2009
    Reading: Meteorology: Understanding the Atmosphere (Ch. 4)
    Homework: #6 (with answers) (due 5/21/2009)
    Week 8: Mid-latitude weather
  • air masses
  • fronts and midlatitude cyclones
  • cyclogenesis
  • thunderstorms
  • tornadoes
  • lightning
    Classnote #8: Cyclone (Powerpoint) (PDF) (handout) Updated on 5/28/2009
    Reading: Meteorology: Understanding the Atmosphere (Ch. 9, 10, 11)
    Homework: #7 (with answers) (due 5/28/2009)

    Week 9: Tropical hurricane
  • Hurricane Characteristics
  • Hurricane Formation, Movement and Dissipation
  • Hurricane Destruction and Warming
    Classnote #9: Cyclone (Powerpoint) (PDF) (handout) Updated on 5/22/2009
    Reading: Meteorology: Understanding the Atmosphere (Ch. 8)
    Homework: #8 (with answers) (due 6/4/2009)
    Extra-Credit Question: Weather Map (additional 3 points added to the final grade; turn in the assignment by 6/4/2009)
    • Week 10: Climate variability and changes
  • El Nino-Southern Oscillation
  • Arctic Oscillation
  • Future climate change (The Fourth IPCC Report) Classnote #10: ENSO (Powerpoint) (PDF) (handout) Updated on 5/22/2009
    Reading: Meteorology: Understanding the Atmosphere (Ch. 8)

  • Review sheet for the final
    === FINAL (Tue, Jun 9, 10:30-12:30pm) (covering Chapters 4, 8, 9, 11)===

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