Grad Elective Courses

Numerical techniques used in atmospheric modeling. Statistical methods in environmental sciences including time series analysis, multivariate data analysis, statistical forecasting, forecast verification, and hypothesis testing. (3 units)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or instructor's consent. 

Understanding our environment requires understanding how measurements of it are made. The techniques and instrumentation required to observe conditions near and immediately above the earth's surface are introduced. Laboratory and field exercises are used to develop experience applicable for careers in the atmospheric and environmental fields. (3 units)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or instructor's consent. 

A survey of modern-day synoptic meteorology and its applications, with emphasis on the integrated use of numerical analysis, atmospheric dynamics and physical meteorology to understand, explain, and predict the evolution of mid-latitude weather systems. (3 units)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or instructor's consent. 

Student-led analysis and prediction of current and future weather using modern analysis and forecast tools. (1 unit, repeatable up to 2 units)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or instructor's consent. 

Numerical modeling of turbulent, convective, and mesoscale motions associated with cloud systems. Formulation of physical processes in cloud-resolving models. Role of modeling efforts in understanding the structure and behavior of cloud systems. Representation of clouds and cloud processes in numerical weather prediction and climate models. (3 units)

Prerequisites: ATMOS 6010 AND 6020 or instructor's consent. 

Theory of solar and infrared radiation; fundamentals of energy balance and climate models; parameterization of infrared and solar-flux transfer in clear, aerosol, and cloudy atmospheres; climate perturbations due to greenhouse gases, aerosols and clouds. (3 units)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or instructor's consent. 

Characteristics of surface-based fronts, upper-level fronts, and mid-latitude cyclones, including the use of quasigeostrophic theory and potential vorticity thinking for synoptic analysis. (3 units)

Prerequisite: ATMOS 6110.

Boundary layer characteristics; Reynolds averaging; equations for turbulent flow; turbulence kinetic energy, stability, and scaling; turbulence closure; boundary conditions; convective mixed layer; stable boundary layer; cloud-topped boundary layer; boundary layer modeling. (3 units)

Prerequisite: ATMOS 6010 and 6020 or instructor's consent. 

Quantitative description of cumulus convection, multicell and supercell storms, tropical cyclones, local circulations (thermal and terrain forcing), and downslope windstorms. Whenever possible, we will undertake real-time examination of storms as the may develop around the country. Emphasis is on using observed characteristics to develop a physical and dynamical understanding of phenomena over a range of scales. Students will undertake evaluation of recent literature or an independent research paper. (3 units)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or instructor's consent. 

The land and atmosphere interact in different ways, at various timescales, to affect the climate, weather, and air quality. This course will examine how the atmosphere impacts the fluxes of water, carbon, and other pollutants and, in turn, how these fluxes affect the atmosphere. The course combines lectures, computer labs, and perusal of the primary literature to arrive at a multi-faceted understanding of land-atmosphere interactions.

Synoptic and mesoscale meteorology in complex terrain including orographically-modified cyclone evolution, frontal interaction with topography, terrain- and thermally-driven circulations, mountain waves, downslope winds, gap winds, and orographic precipitation. (3 units)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or instructor's consent. 

Siting of wind turbines, regional wind resource assessment, and short-term prediction of the wind resource. Aspects of boundary layer meteorology important for wind energy: wind profiles and shear, turbulence and gusts, and extreme winds. Wind climate analysis, wind resource estimation and siting, and their relation to local topography and surface features. Meteorological models used for estimation and prediction of the wind: their types, inputs, limitations, and requirements. (1.5 units)

Nucleation and growth of water and ice particles in clouds. Precipitation production. Aerosol-cloud-climate interactions. Dynamics of stratiform and cumuliform clouds. (3 units)

Prerequisite: ATMOS 6020 or instructor's consent. 

Advanced topics in geophysical fluid dynamics: Atmospheric waves, baroclinic and frontal instability, observation and theory of the general circulation, middle atmospheric dynamics, tropical dynamics, and dynamical oceanography. (3 units)

Prerequisite: ATMOS 6010 or instructor's consent. 

Introduction to modern numerical weather forecasting techniques, concentrating on model fundamentals, structures, dynamics, physical parameterization, and model forecast diagnostics. (3 units)

Prerequisite: ATMOS 6010 or instructor's consent. 

Survey of small scale and large scale processes in the tropics. It will place special emphasis on near-real time examination of any tropical cyclones and hurricanes that may develop during the early weeks of the course, including operational and research datasets. It also includes quantitative description of tropical phenomena including El Nino-Southern Oscillation, Madden-Julian Oscillation , easterly waves, and interactions between convective, mesoscale, and large-scale circulations, applications of remote sensing, and field programs. Emphasis is on using observed characteristics to develop a physical and dynamical understanding of phenomena over a range of scales. (3 units)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or instructor's consent. 

A quantitative overview of atmospheric remote sensing concentrating on tropospheric phenomena. Emphasis is placed on developing a basic theoretical foundation as well as detailed examination of selected contemporary problems in this rapidly evolving field. (3 units)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or instructor's consent.