WX 365 Satellite and Radar
Weather Interpretation
Dr. Brad Muller
Course Description
• Read course description in syllabus.
• Three basic components to course:
– (1) Physics of electromagnetic radiation and its
application to remote sensing.
– (2) Satellite remote sensing and image
interpretation
– (3) RADAR remote sensing and image
interpretation
• Prerequisite: WX301 or WX352 or WX353.
Course Text
• An Introduction to Satellite Image
Interpretation—Eric D. Conway and the
Maryland Space Grant Consortium.
• Available at bookstore or…
• On reserve in the university library.
• Note CD-ROM at back of book.
Course Notes
• Go to Blackboard and click on “WX365 Course
Page” button.
• An alternative way to get to that page that
does not require Blackboard is:
• http://wx.db.erau.edu/
– Click on “Faculty Pages” (upper left)
– Click on “(Not So) Brief Wx Links”
– Click on “Courses/Notes/Information”
– Click on “WX 365—Satellite and Radar Weather
Interpretation”
• Exams will be mostly based on the notes.
Course Notes (cont’d)
• Three groups of links corresponding to three
parts of course:
– Exam 1 material--Physics of electromagnetic
radiation
– Exam 2 material--Satellite image interpretation
– Exam 3 material--Radar image interpretation
Course Calendar
• See “Course Calendar” button in Blackboard.
• Consult on a DAILY basis!! to know when
homework is due, when exams are, and what
lecture material we will be covering when.
Grading and Standards
• Grading: 1st mid-term exam:
•
2nd mid-term exam:
•
Homework assignments:
•
Final Exam (Exam 3):
• Standards:
•
•
A: 90-100
B: 80-89
C: 70-79
25%
40%
10%
25%
D: 60-69
F: Below 60
Attendance
• Attendance will be recorded daily. Make every
effort to attend every class session. Students
who do not come to class waste time for the
instructor and other students by not being
familiar with the course requirements and
their responsibilities. Excessive absence
adversely affects your grade.
Makeup Exams
• If a student misses a scheduled quiz/exam,
prior notification is expected and a makeup
quiz/exam will only be given if a valid and
documented excuse is provided.
• The key is to make sure you communicate with
me!
• An unexcused absence will result in zero credit
for that quiz/exam.
Unexcused Late Assignments Not
Accepted!
• All assignments are expected on their due dates.
Unexcused late assignments will NOT be accepted.
• If you cannot hand in an assignment on time, email
me on or before the day it is due with the reason for
your being unable to turn it in, and it will be excused
and accepted late at my discretion.
• This component is worth 10% of your grade; therefore,
if you care about your grade you will hand in all
assignments.
• Remember: 10% of your grade means that an 85 test
average equates to a 75 class score (i.e, a “C”) for a
student who does not hand in any homework!
In-class exercises:
• Many class days will include in-class exercises in finding and
recognizing satellite and radar examples of phenomena
discussed in the lecture. These are not for credit or graded,
and nothing is handed in.
• Your ACTIVE and ENTHUSIASTIC participation is essential!
• These exercises are relatively unstructured and flexible due
to the variable and ephemeral nature of weather.
• Show me your most interesting findings, but keep looking for
new examples, other variations, etc.
• Don’t just find one example then stop and sit on your hands
or play video games for the rest of the period!
• The more you look at in class, the more effective you will be
at recognizing these patterns in the future.
Classroom computer use
• During class time, computers on the desktops are
to be used to do in-class exercises, view the
course page, online notes, and relevant
meteorology-related information.
• They are NOT to be used for games, instant
messaging, shopping sites, email etc. Class time is
for lectures on the subject matter and
meteorology-related activities.
• Experience shows that unauthorized computer
use is distracting for the student who is doing it
and also to those around them.
Weather Center
• The ERAU Weather Center (room 356)
provides a place to study and receive help
from student tutors.
• Computers available for completion of
lab/homework exercises.
Office Hours
• I am here to help you learn. See me if you
have questions or are having trouble.
•
•
•
•
•
INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Bradley Muller
OFFICE LOCATION:COA335
PHONE: 226-6862
EMAIL: mullerb@erau.edu
OFFICE HRS: MWF 9:15-10:15, M-F 1:00-2:30 p.m. or by
appointment.
Wx Links Page
• Click on “Wx Links” button.
• Starts off with a dozen or so of my favorite wx
links.
• Additional links organized by category.
• Best satellite links (in my opinion): NASA MSFC
and ERAU.
• See list of Satellite Links.
HW 1
• See Course Calendar and Homework buttons.