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| Instructor: Professor John Chiang email: jchiang@atmos.berkeley.edu office phone: 642-3900 office: 547 McCone office hours: TBA |
Class Location: 575 McCone Class Time: MW 9:30-11 Course control number: 36526 Units: 3 |
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| About the Course: Purpose: This course examines the processes that determine the structure and circulation of the Earth's atmosphere. The approach is deductive rather than descriptive: to figure out the properties and behavior of the Earth's atmosphere based on the laws of physics and fluid dynamics. Roughly 45% of the course will cover atmospheric thermodynamics and radiation, and the rest on atmospheric dynamics. Prerequisites: Solid background in advanced calculus and general physics. Some previous knowledge of the atmosphere is useful, but not necessary. Grades (provisional): Homework ~30%; Midterm ~30%; Final (take-home) ~40% Recommended texts: (on 2-day reserve in the Earth Sciences Library) Hartmann, D.L. Global Physical Climatology. Academic Press, 1994 Holton, J.R. An Introduction to Dynamic Meteorology, 4th ed. Elsevier. There is an earlier edition to this book (3rd) which will mostly work, too. Wallace, J. M. and P.V. Hobbs. Atmospheric Science: An Introductory Survey. 2nd Ed. Academic Press. (recommend purchasing). NOTE: the new 2nd edition is much revised from the first edition. Syllabus (subject to change): 1. Introduction to the atmosphere Atmospheric length and timescales; atmospheric composition; thermal and circulation structure 2. Thermodynamics Equation of state; Laws of thermodynamics; Adiabatic processes; Thermodynamics of atmospheric water; Adiabatic processes of saturated air; Hydrostatic equilibrium; Convection; Cloud formation 3. Radiation Nature of electromagnetic radiation; Absorption and emission of radiation by molecules; Blackbody radiation; Atmospheric absorption and scattering of solar radiation; Atmospheric absorption and scattering of terrestrial radiation; Radiative transfer; Radiative and radiative-convective equilibrium; Energy budget of earth 4. Dynamics Fundamental and apparent forces; Conservation laws: momentum equation, continuity equation, thermodynamics energy equation; Scale analysis; Elementary applications of basic equations: geostrophic balance, thermal wind; Circulation and vorticity; Quasigeostrophic analysis; Planetary boundary layer; Atmospheric oscillations; Baroclinic instability (time permitting); Tropical dynamics (time permitting) |
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Week #
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Subject
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Week 1
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Introduction | |||
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1
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(M) 8/28
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Introduction to atmospheric science | W&H Ch1 | |
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2
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(W) 8/30
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a. Introduction to atmospheric science (cont.). b. Thermo: Equation of State, Hydrostatic balance |
W&H 3.1-3.3 (omit 3.1.1 and 3.2.2) |
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Week 2
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(M) 9/4
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< NO CLASS- LABOR DAY HOLIDAY> | |||
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3
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Thermo: Hydrostatic balance, First law of thermodynamics |
W&H 3.2-3.5 | ||
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Week 3
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4
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(M) 9/11
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Thermo: adiabatic processes, thermodynamics of water vapor |
W&H Ch3 | |
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5
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(W) 9/13
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Thermo: adiabatic processes of saturated air; Convection; 2nd law |
finish W&H CH3 skim 3.7.3 on the derivation of the C-C relationship |
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Week 4
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6
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(M) 9/18
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Thermo: Carnot cycle; and Energetics of hurricanes |
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7
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(W) 9/20
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Thermo: Cloud Processes | W&H 6.1, 6.4, 6.5.2, 6.5.3 |
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Week 5
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8
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(M) 9/25
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Thermo: cloud processes, continued | W&H 8.3.1a | |
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9
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(W) 9/27
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Radiation: Atomic and molecular transitions, blackbody radiation |
Notes, and W&H 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4.3 |
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| Note: | No class on Wed Oct 11 Midterm will be on Mon Oct 23, in class On Friday Oct 20, 9:30-11a.m., I will hold a review session |
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Week 6
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10
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(M) 10/2
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Radiation: Emission temperature, Greenhouse effect | lecture notes | |
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11
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(W) 10/4
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Radiation: Scattering; Radiative transfer |
notes; and W&H 4.4, 4.5 | |
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Week 7
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12
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(M) 10/9
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Radiation: radiative and radiative-convective equilibrium | notes | |
| Note: I will have office hours on FRIDAY, 10-12, this week - usual office hours on Tuesday are canceled. | ||||
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13
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(W) 10/11
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No Class | ||
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Week 8
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14
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(M) 10/16
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Radiation: Role of Cloud in Climate, Global Energy Balance, Poleward Energy Transports Midterm notes Equations sheet |
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15
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(W) 10/18
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Dynamics: Fundamental forces |
Holton 1.4 | |
| (F) 10/20 | 9:30 - 11 a.m., review session | |||
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Week 9
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16
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(M) 10/23
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In-class midterm | ||
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17
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(W) 10/25
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Dynamics: Coriolis effect, equations of motion | Holton 1.5.3, 2.3 | |
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Week 10
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18
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(M) 10/30
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Dynamics: Scale analysis, geostrophic balance, continuety and thermodynamic equations |
Holton 2.1, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6; and W&H 7.2.4 |
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19
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(W) 11/1
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Dynamics: equations in isobaric co-ordinates; thermal wind relationship | Holton 1.6.2, 3.1, 3.4 | |
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Week 11
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20
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(M) 11/6
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Dynamics: Balanced flows | Holton 3.2 | |
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21
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(W) 11/8
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Dynamics: Ekman layer |
Holton 5.3.4 | |
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Week 12
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22
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(M) 11/13
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Dynamics: Ekman layer (continued) | Holton 5.3.4, and class handout on Rossby and Ekman numbers |
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23
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(W) 11/15
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Dynamics: ocean ekman layer, origins of friction parameterization | notes, and W&H p375-383 | |
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Week 13
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24
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(M) 11/20
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Dynamics: Circulation and Vorticity |
Holton 4.1,4.2 | |
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25
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(W) 11/22
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lecture canceled | ||
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Week 14
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26
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(M) 11/27
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Dynamics: Potential vorticity and its conservation
Dynamics: Waves primer |
Holton 4.3 | |
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27
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(W) 11/29
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Dynamics: Shallow water gravity waves | Holton 7.1,7.2, 7.3.2 | |
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Week 15
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28
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(M) 12/4
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Summary and Wrap-up Take home final exam will be given out at the end of class Take home exams due Monday, December 11, 5p.m. (in my mailbox, 505 McCone) |
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29
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(W) 12/6
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Office hours during usual class time | ||
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Week 16
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Monday, December 11, 5 p.m.: Take home exams due (in my mailbox, 505 McCone) | |||