Meteo 421 – Atmospheric Dynamics Spring 2013 Syllabus January 12, 2014
General information
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Instructor: Prof. Marcelo Chamecki Office: 506 Walker Phone: (814) 863-3920 Email:
chamecki@meteo.psu.edu Office hours: M W 4:30PM–5:30PM
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Meetings: Lectures: M W F 12:20PM–01:10PM in 105 Walker Recitation: Th 08:00AM–09:15AM in
105 Walker
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Teaching Assistant: Petros Kalogeras Office: 530 Walker Email: puk142@psu.edu Office hours: T
11:00AM–12:00PM and Th 12:00PM–13:00PM
Prerequisites
Prerequisites: Math 230 (or Math 231 & 232) and Meteo 300. Concurrent: Math 251, Phys 212, and Meteo
431. Students who do not meet these prerequisites may be dis-enrolled during the first 10-day free add-drop
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period after being informed in writing by the instructor .If you have not completed the listed prerequisites,
then promptly consult with the instructor if you have not done so already. Students who re-enroll after being
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dis-enrolled according to this policy are in violation of Item 15 on the Student Code of Conduct .
Course
content
This course builds on the foundation laid in Meteo 300, Fundamentals of Atmospheric Science, by
presenting applications of the equations of motion to the description of a variety of atmospheric motions. The
intrinsically rotational aspects of large-scale atmospheric motions are presented through a discussion of
vorticity dynamics (including both relative and planetary vorticity) and the related circulation theorems of
Kelvin and Bjerknes that culminate in potential vorticity thinking. The contrast between oscillating and
unstable atmospheric systems is highlighted using the examples of gravitational, inertial, and shear
instability, and the parcel and perturbation methods are introduced for studying these systems. An
introduction to wave dynamics presents the concepts of phase and group velocity with applications to
gravity, inertial, and Rossby waves, and to geostrophic adjustment. Finally, the general circulation including
the major zonal wind systems (e.g., the mid-latitude westerlies) and the major overturning cells (Hadley and
Ferrel cells) is discussed quantitatively to provide a description of planetary-scale motions. (There are
differences between this description and that in the blue book. Specifically, the following topics are no longer
covered: isallobaric and convective isallobaric winds; barotropic and baroclinic instability; and for the general
circulation, longitudinally dependent features, the angular momentum budget, and the Lorenz energy cycle).
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See http://www.psu.edu/dept/oue/aappm/C-5.html See http://studentaffairs.psu.edu/conduct/codeofconduct/
Course objectives
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Students can demonstrate skills in applying calculus to the quantitative description of atmospheric
phenomena.
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Students can demonstrate familiarity with how basic physical laws are applied to provide knowledge
of the development and evolution of weather phenomena primarily at the planetary and synoptic scales.
Course outcomes
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Students can demonstrate the ability to apply the equations of motion to the quantitative description
of a variety of atmospheric motions including the general circulation.
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Students can demonstrate knowledge of balanced and unbalanced flows that form the basis for the
depiction of atmospheric motions.
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Students can demonstrate knowledge of the rotational aspects of large-scale atmospheric motions
as described by vorticity and circulation.
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Students can demonstrate the ability to apply wave dynamics and stability concepts to atmospheric
problems.
Textbook and course outline
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The required textbook for this course will be An Introduction to Dynamic Meteorology, 5 edition, by J. R.
Holton and G. J. Hakim. The book covers most of the topics that will be presented in the course. The reading
assignments and part of the homework problems will be specified from the textbook. It is essential that all
text assignments are carefully read. In addition, the assigned sections constitute a minimal portion of what
should be read. Students should identify other sections and other reference books (some suggestions listed
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below) according to their own interests. Additional reading material will be posted on Angel . A rough outline
of the course with the corresponding chapters in the textbook to guide your readings is provided below.
1. Review of METEO300 (Chapters 1–3)
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Equations of motion (spherical coordinates and rotating frame of reference)
Scale analysis
Balanced flows
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Circulation and vorticity (Chapter 4)
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Atmospheric oscillations and instabilities (selected portions of chapters 2, 3, 5, 7)
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Atmospheric wave motion (Chapter 5)
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The general circulation (we will not use Holton & Hakim for this)
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https://cms.psu.edu/
Course evaluation
Students will be evaluated based on two midterms, a final exam, and several homework sets. While you are
encouraged to discuss the homework problems with your colleagues, the work you then hand in under your
name is to be summarized and written down by you. Homeworks will be distributed on Friday after the
lecture and will be due on the following Friday at the beginning of the recitation period (8:00AM). I do not
give full marks for homework sets handed after the due date (late homeworks should be discussed directly
with me, the TA is not allowed to accept late homeworks, so do not ask her to do it). Final grade
composition:
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Homework – 20%
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Midterms – 25% each
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Final – 30%
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Tentative schedule: Midterm 1 – Friday February 27 (during recitation or evening) Midterm 2 – Friday
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April 10 (during recitation or evening) Final – To be determined
Except for illness, make-up exams will be conducted only for students who make arrangements with me
prior to the scheduled exam time.
Recitation periods will be used for in-class problems sets, which constitute an integral part of the course
material to be covered in the exams. You are required to attend the recitation and to work on the problem
sets. During the recitation I will help students in developing their problem-solving skills, which will be
required for homeworks and exams. Problem sets from the recitation will not be graded.
Attendance
This course abides by the Penn State Class Attendance policy given at http://senate.psu.edu/policies/4200.html#42-27. Students should attend every class and recitation and should be held responsible for all work
covered in the course.
List of recommended references
This is a list of useful references for our course. I strongly recommend that you choose at least one or two of
these books as additional sources of information to our textbook .
1. Introductory books (similar level as Holton & Hakim):
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Introduction to Geophysical Fluid Dynamics by B. Cushman-Roisin
Atmosphere, Ocean and Climate Dynamics by J. Marshall and R. A. Plumb
Introduction to Circulating Atmospheres by I. N. James
2. More advanced books (useful as references for more in-depth treatment of the material):
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The Ceaseless Wind: an Introduction to the Theory of Atmospheric Motion by J. A. Dutton
Atmosphere-Ocean Dynamics by A. E. Gill
Atmospheric and Oceanic Fluid Dynamics by G. K. Vallis
Academic integrity
Students in this class are expected to write up their problem sets individually, to work the exams on their
own, and to write their papers in their own words using proper citations. Class members may work on the
problem sets in groups, but then each student must write up the answers separately. Students are not to
copy problem or exam answers from another person’s paper and present them as their own; students may
not plagiarize text from papers written by others. Students who present other people’s work as their own will
receive at least a 0 on the assignment and may well receive an F or XF in the course. For information about
the Earth and Mineral Sciences Academic Integrity Policy, which this course adopts, please see:
http://www.ems.psu.edu/current undergrad students/academics/integrity policy.
Accommodations for students with disabilities
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The Office of Disability Services requests and maintains disability-related documents; certifies eligibility for
services; determines academic adjustments, auxiliary aids, and/or services; and develops plans for the
provision of academic adjustments, auxiliary aids, and/or services as mandated under Title II of the ADA
Amendments Act (ADAAA) of 2008 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. A list of these
services is provided at http://equity.psu.edu/ods/current-students.
Campus emergencies, including weather delays
Campus emergencies, including weather delays, are announced on Penn State Live (http://live.psu.edu/)
and communicated to cellphones, email, the Penn State Facebook page, and Twitter via PSUTXT (to sign
up, please see http://live.psu.edu/psutxt).
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See http://equity.psu.edu/ods/