Geog310 Urban Climatology (Tuesday, 6:10-10:00PM, KH-D4047)
Instructor: Dr. Hengchun Ye; Office location KH-D4058
Contact phone and email: 323-343-2229; hye2@calstatela.edu
Office hours: T and Wed 2:30PM-5:00PM and by appointment
General Education Upper Division Themes
A theme consists of three interrelated courses on the same topic, designed to help
students acquire knowledge of topics that are current, enduring, and of significant
importance for humanity. Topics are designed to promote: an understanding of oneself
and one’s fellow human beings, the social and physical environment, and a wide range of
cultural achievements. They also encourage an understanding of the shared concerns of
all people as well as diverse cultural heritages, promote an awareness of ethical and
social concerns, and a cultivation of moral responsibility.
This is a course in Theme D. Urban Climatology
Theme coordinator: Dr. Stephen Rothman
This theme contributes to an understanding of urbanization, its causes and consequences,
and the urban experience from a variety of points of view. Courses explore the city as a
special kind of human habitat and the relations between social and natural environments.
Students gain the tools to comprehend the social, political, economic and cultural
complexities of cities and the human and natural forces that shape urban life, experiences
and environments
Students must choose theme courses outside of their major department/division/school
unless a waiver has been approved by the General Education Subcommittee. One course
from three areas: Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Social Sciences, and Humanities
(12 units required) must be completed. The courses in this theme are listed below.
Natural Sciences and Mathematics area: CE 352, GEOG/HS 309, GEOG 310, GEOL 357
Social Sciences area: (d)CHDV 321, GEOG 376, HIST 383, SOC 330
Humanities area: ART 317, (d)COMM 389, ML 300, TAD 316
(d) denotes diversity courses which will satisfy both the upper division and diversity
requirements.
Course Description:
The United Nations estimates that by the year 2025, 60% of the world’s population will live
in cities. Urban climatology studies how the city modifies its immediate atmospheric
environment. The types and magnitude of changes brought about by altering the natural
landscape varies considerably from place to place. However, there are several basic
changes that are found in practically all built-up environments and these will be studied in
this class. Students will learn the fundamental concepts of the urban-climate system,
atmospheric composition, energy budget, hydrological cycle, the carbon cycle and
ecosystems. In addition, students will study the impacts of the modified environment on
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the well-being of human population living in an urban setting. Students also exercise
critical thinking skills through data collection, analyses, mapping, writing, and presentation
required in this class.
Textbook:
No textbook is required. Reading list are in reserve of the library. The instructor will post
notes and materials at http://instructional1.calstatela.edu/hye2/geog310.
Tentative Schedule:
Week One: Introduction
Week Two: Solar Radiation, energy balance, and the Urban Heat Balance
Week Three: the urban heat island and mitigations; City Bioclimatology-human comfort;
heat-related mortality.
Week Four: Field Data Collection and Analysis (see attachment for details of this exercise)
Week Five: Urban Humidity, Clouds, Precipitation, Urban wind field
Week Six: Water Budget and Urban Hydrology
Week Seven: Mid-Term Exam (cover the first 5 weeks’ lectures).
Week Eight: Architecture and Urban Planning; Design with Climate
Week Nine: Air Pollution and Other Atmospheric Hazards in urban environment
Week Ten: Project Presentations and Discussions; Project paper due
Week Eleven (December 5): Final Exam 7:30PM-10:00PM (comprehensive)
Course Grading:
Mid-term exam 30%
Final exam 40% (comprehensive with emphasis on the post-mid-term lectures)
Research Project 20% (10% for group presentation and participation; 10% for individual
paper; see attachment for details of the project)
Assignments: 10% (exercises, mini-papers)
Reserved Readings:
The Human Impact on the Natural Environment by
The Urban Climate by Helmut E. Landsberg. Academic Press, 1981.
General Climatology by Howard J. Critchfield, Fourth edition, 1983.
Global Physical Climatology by Dennis L. Hartmann, Academic Press, 1994.
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Climatology: an Atmospheric Science by John J. Hidore and J. E. Oliver. Macmillan
Publishing Company, 1993.
Earth Sciences in the City: A Reader by Heiken, G. et al. Eds. AGU.
Polices:
1. Students are strongly encouraged to review class notes after each lecture.
Instructor’s notes, review material etc. will not be available outside the classroom.
It is the students’ responsibility to attend lectures and take part activities.
2. “Make-up” exams are not allowed except for special situations that must be
approved by the instructor before the regular exam time. No more than one makeup is allowed for each student.
3. Students with disabilities should personally contact the instructor as soon as
possible so necessary accommodations can be made to ensure full participation*.
4. Communication with instructor regarding any concerns is strongly encouraged.
5. This class has zero tolerance for plagiarism.
6. The instructor reserves the right to change any topics or arrangements specified in
the syllabus.
7. Cell phones must be turned off during class
ACADEMIC HONESTY
Any instances of cheating or plagiarism (defined as representing someone else’s ideas or
work as your own) will be treated according to University policy and reported to the Vice
President for Student Affairs. Please review the online Catalogue descriptions of what
constitutes plagiarism.
The university provides reasonable accommodations to students with documented physical and learning
disabilities. The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD), located in Student Affairs Room 115
coordinates all documentation of disabilities (323-343-3140) http://www.calstatela.edu/univ/osd/.
Field Study Project
Title: Micro-climate and environmental factors of the Cal-State, LA campus
Geog310, Urban Climatology; Dr. Hengchun Ye
Objectives: replacing nature landscape with buildings and artificial materials modifies its
immediate atmospheric conditions significantly. In this exercise, we use the Cal-State
LA campus as a model for an urban setting to explore its microclimate that produced.
Students will learn to use weather instrumentation and observation procedures and
will develop weather mapping and analytical skills. They will apply their knowledge of
energy budget, urban heat islands and concepts of albedo, latent heat and specific heat
to explain their observations. In addition, they will examine biases in data collection
practices and their potential impacts on their research results.
Resources: electronic thermometer and hygrometers for data collection, paper and pens for
recording data. Each student should bring a watch to control the time period of data
collection. The books in reading list and other micro-climate related materials on the
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internet and in the library may be helpful to your final report. For the presentation, a
computer projector or overhead projector will be provided.
Procedures for instructor:
1. Review major factors and local factors affecting air temperature.
2. Explain air temperature and its measurement.
3. Distribute handout and equipment
4. Explain project design details
5. Organize students into groups of five and release students to work.
6. Set up reconvene time to return instruments to the instructor
Procedures for students:
1. Study project handouts
2. Each group should spend a few minutes planning and distributing responsibilities, elect a
leader in the group, and set up the next meeting time and location before leaving the
classroom to start data collection
3. Return instruments to the instructor and sign-off your name before leaving campus
4. Revisit your data recording spots and make notes of the surrounding environment before
the next group meeting (no instruments are needed this time)
5. Share data with other students within the group and work together to produce an isotherm
map. Brainstorm for analyses and explanations during the next group meeting period.
6. Write individual report.
7. Work on presentation. One person (represent the team) or the entire team participate the
presentation.
8. Turn in his/her individual report by the last day of the class (December 1, presentation
date).
Project Design
Attached is a campus map, separated into five sections; A: Northwest section; B: Northeast
section; C: Middle section; D: Southwest section; E: Southeast section. Each student will be in
charge of one section (select one section that is familiar to the student assigned, so he/she can
find the correct coordinates efficiently).
1. Students in each group decide on an exact time when measurement starts and try to
finish it within 20 minutes.
2. Try to make 10-20 readings in each section starting with the center and gradually
moving towards the outside edges of the campus. Record measured temperature and
humidity on the map with a pencil corresponding to the geographic location on the
map.
3. After the return visit (with all locations checked), each student shares data within the
group (NOT WITH OTHER GROUPS) and makes an isotherm map with both
temperature and humidity data recorded on the map.
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4. Discuss the spatial pattern of the temperature distribution and the hottest and coolest
places on campus and search for explanations assisted by the site environment
recordings during the second visit.
5. Work on individual report
6. Brainstorm and prepare presentation for the team
7. Turn in your paper attached with the map and the group-participation scores (010) for each student in your group including yourself.
Report requirements
There are four sections in each report: 1. Introduction; 2. Data Collection; 3. Results; 4.
Discussion and Conclusions. In the introduction section, clearly state the goal of the project
and its importance and list the names of student in your group. In the data collection section,
specify how data was collected, who is in charge of which section, and the time frame of the
observations. In results section, discuss spatial pattern of temperature and humidity with
attached isotherm map (can be drawn by individual or one map represents the group
product). Also point out the hottest, coolest, wettest, and driest places on campus. In the
discussion section, summarize your results and explain them in detail including why the
observed pattern occurs. If the patterns contradict what you would expect (or what should be
based on theories), you may want to discuss any problem or data biases associated with the
data collection procedures. All the results and discussions should match up with your data
(map) presented.
The individual report accounts for 10 points and the group presentation and
participation accounts for another 10 points. For group presentation and participation points,
each student rates the contribution of each participant in his/her group (from 0%-100%
participation). Any student who fails to participate in data collection or who produces poorquality data, or who missed group meetings should only get discounted group participation
rate. The instructor will average all five ratings to derive individual rates and assign groupparticipation points accordingly. The rating for each student in your group (including
yourself) should be attached in the last page in your paper report. Student who failed to do so
will be assigned 0% participation as his/her own evaluation.
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