World Meteorological Organization
Joint ET-ETC/ET-GOV/Doc. 5.1(4)
COMMISSION FOR AERONAUTICAL
METEOROLOGY
16.XI.2015
Joint Meeting of ET-ETC and ET-GOV
Wellington, New Zealand
30 November – 3 December 2015
EXPECTED KEY DELIVERABLES
Expert Team on Education, Training and Competency
ET-ETC Task 2.1.2 - AMP Educational Documentation
(Submitted by Kathy-Ann Caesar)
Summary and Purpose of Document
This document supports Member States and training institutes by
advising on achieving, demonstrating, assessing and documenting AMP
competency requirements, including provision of examples of good
practices.
ACTION PROPOSED
The meeting is invited to provide feedback on the progress of the activity.
_______________
ITEM 5
English only
Joint ET-ETC/ET-GOV/Doc. 5.1(4), p. 2
1.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
(Text to be included in the Final Report of the meeting)
2.
PROGRESS/ACTIVITY REPORT
2.1
The Forum
The task is to formulate a ‘consistent process for dealing with requests from NMHSs
and similar agencies for reviews of AMP educational documentation.’ It is also necessary to
provide the WMO NMHSs with guidance on how they can assess the academic and
competence qualifications of their respective AMPs.
The task is complex in that it has to address possible concerns of the member states,
the possible issues/gaps that will arise as they strive to achieve compliance among their
AMP, and address cost issues to deal with resolving the said issues.
The ET-ETC team will need to provide a forum for which NMHSs can state their
concerns. This may exist already within the CAeM Moodle site which provides a venue for
posting questions, feedback and discussion. The ‘Competency Assessment Forums’ section
already exists and needs to be revived. As the Task team adds more guidance
documentation/material, the Moodle will be a medium for both questions and answers.
Members of the team, both core and supporting members could address these
concerns/issues on a rotational basis. Serious concerns could be tabled for discussions with
the Task team as an entity.
2.2
Mapping academic compliance
Comparison tables were discussed as a process to access compliance of the
educational background of the AMP with the BIP-M/BIP-MT. This has been effective in
identifying gaps in the academic background of personnel. While the language of the
curriculum and BIP-M learning outcomes may not be the same, one can quickly access what
areas have and have not been covered (Table 1).
Joint ET-ASC/ET-ISA/Doc. 5.1(4), p. 3
Table 1: Example of the Curricular Comparison
Comparison of WMO-1083 to RTC Syllabus
DYNAMICS - (BIP-M)
The following is a comparison of syllabus for the Forecasters’ course at an Regional Training Centre and University
to the guidelines of Meteorological training as set out in WMO 1083.
References
WMO-No. 1083:2012 - Manual on the Implementation of Education and Training Standards in Meteorology and
Hydrology-Volume I (Annex VIII to WMO Technical Regulations)-Meteorology
University Faculty Handbook 2
RTC Course Syllabus
Subject
CIMH Syllabus
REQUISITE TOPICS IN MATHEMATICS AND PHYSICAL SCIENCES
UWI
CIMH
METE2100
Dynamic Meteorology I
Dynamics Meteorology I
 Students will at the end of this
course be able to apply
mathematical principles to the
Meteorological concepts in
atmospheric sciences.
 Recall basic vector and calculus
operations;
 Construct the momentum
equations from Newton’s 2nd law;
 Represent the momentum
equations in component form,
vector form, spherical and natural
coordinates;
 Evaluate the momentum
equations using scale analysis;
 Illustrate geostrophic,
cyclostrophic and gradient
balances;
 Transform equations from one
coordinate system to another;
 Represent the continuity equation
(conservation of mass) in
Eulerian and Lagrangian form;
 Interpret the continuity equation;
 Identify the thermal wind
equations;
 Interpret the thermal wind
equations;
 Distinguish between barotropic
and baroclinic atmospheres;
 Examine the circulation theorems
and vorticity equations;
 Understand the concepts of
conservation of absolute and
potential vorticity;
 Examine the dynamics and
structure of the planetary
boundary layer.
METE3200 – Dynamic
Meteorology II
Students will at the end of this course
be able to apply mathematical
principles to the Meteorological
concepts in atmospheric sciences.
 Revise
the
mathematical
principles
and
concepts
developed
in
METE2100,
METE2200 METE3100;
Equation of motion in vector form
as derived from Newton’s second
law - inertial and non-inertial
coordinate systems, the real and
apparent forces and the concept of
gravity.
Equations of motion in tangent
plane coordinates and in spherical
coordinates - orders of magnitude
of various terms (based on
observations) leading to the
simplified equations; justification
of the resulting approximations.
Equations of motion using
pressure as vertical coordinate.
The continuity equations; concept
of
homogeneous
and
incompressible fluid.
The energy equation form of the
mechanical, thermodynamic and
total energy equations; elementary
concepts of the generation,
transformation and dissipation of
energy in the atmosphere.
Horizontally balance motions with
no
tangential
acceleration;
comparison of geostrophic and
gradient winds with actual winds;
the divergence and vorticity of the
geostrophic wind; the geostrophic
thermal wind.
Horizontal motions with tangential
acceleration; role of ageostrophic
motions.
Definition of vorticity and
circulation; Bjerknes circulation
theorem with interpretation and
applications.
Formulation and interpretation of
the
vorticity
equation:
simplification of the equation for
mid—latitude synoptic systems:
conservation of absolute and
potential vorticity: simple Rossby
waves and lee waves in westerly
flow.
Dynamic Meteorology II
WMO 1083
WMO 1083 : Dynamics Meteorology
Atmospheric dynamics
– Equations describing large-scale
atmospheric flows: Explain the physical
principles underlying the equations that
describe large-scale atmospheric flows (i.e.,
the primitive equations), including deriving
the apparent and real forces acting on a fluid
in a rotating frame of reference, and
formulating the horizontal equation of
motion;
– Pressure coordinates: Cast in pressure
coordinates the primitive equations that
govern the evolution of large-scale
atmospheric flows, and state the advantages
of using this coordinate system;
– Scale analysis and balanced flows: Apply
scale analysis to determine the dominant
processes operating in various examples of
fluid flows, and derive the equations
describing balanced flows (including inertial,
cyclostrophic, geostrophic and gradient
flows), hydrostatic equilibrium and thermal
wind balance;
– Ageostrophic motion: Use the equations of
motion to explain the causes and implications
of ageostrophic flow, including the effect of
friction;
– Vorticity and divergence: Explain the
concepts of divergence, vorticity and
potential vorticity, describe the mechanisms
for generating changes in these parameters,
and determine the relationship between
divergence in the horizontal wind and
vertical motion;
– Quasi-geostrophic flow: Explain the
approximations and assumptions involved in
deriving the quasigeostrophic
system of equations, outline the derivation of
the geopotential tendency and omega
equations, provide a physical interpretation
of the forcing terms in these equations, and
Joint ET-ASC/ET-ISA/Doc. 5.1(4), p. 4
2.3
Other areas of discussion
The following areas were also identified and are being worked on:
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-
-
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3.
No.
1.
Level on competence. – Each NMHS will need to determine and document the
level of AMP compliance within their organization, where the minimum level will
be the Competence Standard.
Competence Assessment. – Each NMHS will have to devise a method of
‘competence assessment’. The structure will depend on the size and duties of the
NMHS.
Gaps in Competence – Long serving operational staff will have to be reassessed
and gaps identified. Retraining options will have to be identified. The ET-ETC
Competency Training Mapping Database and the Competency Toolkit can be
used.
Cost recovery - The cost of retraining staff will be a concern and will have to be
addressed.
ACTION/PLANS/RESPONSIBILITIES WITH DELIVERABLES
Action
Develop a consistent process
for dealing with requests from
NMHSs and similar agencies
for reviews of AMP educational
documentation.
Responsibility
Paul Bugeac,
Kathy-Ann Caesar
________
Deliverables
A procedure to which NMHSs
can submit requests for
guidance
Deadline