ILAS Seminar-E2 :Fundamentals of Earth's atmosphere dynamics and climate
| Numbering Code | U-LAS70 10002 SE50 | Year/Term | 2022 ・ First semester | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Credits | 2 | Course Type | seminar | |
| Target Year | Mainly 1st year students | Target Student | For all majors | |
| Language | English | Day/Period | Fri.5 | |
| Instructor name | Luce，Hubert (Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere Professor) | |||
| Outline and Purpose of the Course | The state of the atmosphere affects all the human activities and the quality of life. For example, sudden weather changes can have strong impacts on agriculture and extreme weather conditions can produce human and material damages. This seminar proposes an introduction to atmosphere physics with the purpose to be understandable by everyone. Based on concepts and fundamental principles, it is made for all the students who wish to know the main atmospheric processes producing regional climates, weather systems and extreme events, without complex theoretical modellings. | |||
| Course Goals | In this seminar, the students will get insights into the main mechanisms responsible for the state and dynamics of the atmosphere and extreme weather conditions. They will also have the tools necessary to better understand certain aspects of the climate change, one of the objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG13: climate action) of the United Nations. | |||
| Schedule and Contents |
Weeks 1-2 1. Composition of the atmosphere and structure - Composition of the air and its origins. - Temperature, density and pressure: the hydrostatic equilibrium Weeks 3-5 2. Terrestrial and solar radiations: energetic balance - Electromagnetic radiation of a black body. - The radiative balance - Greenhouse effect: a simplified model - A complication: effects of convection - Latitude dependence and seasonal cycle. Weeks 6-8 3. Contribution of water - The water in all its phases - Principle of saturation, latent heat. - Cloud formation and precipitation -Thermal gradient of the troposphere and stability. Weeks 9-11 4. Atmospheric circulations and extreme weather conditions - The main features and prevailing winds - The intertropical convergence zone - The monsoons - The mid-latitude circulations - The cyclones and tornadoes Weeks 12-13 5. Ocean-atmosphere coupling. - The fundamental role of the ocean in the climate system. - Example 1: El Niño-southern oscillation (ENSO) - Example 2: North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) Week 14 6. Snow, ice, glacier (cryosphere) impacts on climate. Week 15 Final Examination Week 16 7. Conclusions and feedback |
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| Evaluation Methods and Policy |
Evaluation will be: Active participation in class: 30 pts Assignments/projects at home: 30 pts Final examination: 40 pts |
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| Course Requirements | This lecture only requires scientific backgrounds in natural sciences of high school levels. | |||
| Study outside of Class (preparation and review) |
Materials (pdf files) are made available before class. Students are encouraged to study materials before and after each class for assimilating technical or uncommon words. Depending on the topic, the study of the materials and the preparation of the report for the evaluation may take a few hours a week. |
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| Textbooks | Textbooks/References | There is no specific textbook for this course. Its content will be based on multiple references (books, websites) that will be mentioned during the course. | ||
