Fall, 2015: Introduction to Meteorology (METR 110-01) - 4 s.h.
Lectures: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 9-9:50, Science I, room 319
Lab: Thursday 2-3:50, room 309
Instructor: Dr. Jerome Blechman, room 311B Science I, phone 3322, Jerome.Blechman@oneonta.edu
Office hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 10-10:50
Come visit me in my office hours if you have questions on the course content, mathematical or scientific concepts or if you have a problem with the course. My door is always open, even if it’s not “office-hours”. If I can’t be there for my office hours, I’ll put a note on my door. If you need me and can’t come to office-hours, I’ll arrange for a mutually agreeable time for us to meet in my office.
Text: Essentials of Meteorology by C.D. Ahrens, Seventh Edition, 2013, Brooks/Cole publishing.
Course Description: The physical processes of the atmosphere as they produce weather phenomena; weather elements, condensation and precipitation processes, air masses, fronts, winds, circulation systems, severe storms; interpretation of weather maps; laboratory experience (attributes: LA, NL2)
Learning Outcomes (Natural Sciences General Education)
Students will demonstrate:
· Understanding of the methods scientists use to explore natural phenomena, including observation, hypothesis development, measurement and data collection, experimentation, evaluation of evidence, and employment of mathematical analysis; and
· Application of scientific data, concepts, and models in one of the natural sciences.
Learning Outcomes (This Course)
· Students will be able to describe and apply the fundamental principles governing the behavior of gases in the atmosphere, interactions of air masses and fronts, and the basics of humidity and precipitation.
· Students will demonstrate understanding of pressing atmospheric environmental problems. Students will identify and apply climatological principles to the study of the present, past, and possible future climates.
Emergency Evacuation/Shelter-in-Place Procedures:
In the event of an emergency evacuation (i.e. fire or other emergency), classes meeting in Science I are directed to reassemble at Chase Gymnasium so that all persons can be accounted for. Please review the College's Emergency Evacuation Procedures and Shelter-in-Place Procedures at the following web link: http://www.oneonta.edu/security. All students are also encouraged to register for NY Alert for immediate notification of campus emergencies on or near the campus.
ADA (Americans With Disabilities Act) Statement
All individuals who are diagnosed with a disability are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. As such, you may be entitled to certain accommodations within this class. If you are diagnosed with a disability, please make an appointment to meet with Student Disability Services (SDS), 209 Alumni Hall, ext. 2137. All students with the necessary supporting documentation will be provided appropriate accommodations as determined by the SDS Office. It is your responsibility to contact SDS and provide the professor with your accommodation plan before a test. You will only receive accommodations once you provide me with an SDS accommodation plan. Any previously recorded grades will not be changed. http://www.oneonta.edu/development/sds/
Grading: There will be two class exams and a cumulative Final Exam. There will be NO laboratory exam. Most handout labs will be graded and the average of these will constitute the laboratory grade.
Attendance will be taken in the laboratory. Students with perfect attendance will receive 4 extra points (%) at the end of the semester to be added to their course total as shown below. One point will be lost for each unexcused absence. If you miss lab you must prove your absence is excusable (see http://www.oneonta.edu/collegehandbook/excused-absences.asp). No matter what, you must make up any missed lab work or the grade for that lab will be 0%. That would cut down your lab grade considerably.
Grading Scale: 93-100% = A 90-92% = A- 87-89% = B+ 83-86% = B
80-82% = B- 77-79% = C+ 73-76% = C 70-72% = C-
67-69% = D+ 63-66% = D 60-62% = D- 0-59% = E
Weighting of Exams and Labs
Weight Exam date
Class Exam #1 15% Wednesday, Oct 7
Laboratory Average 40% This is a simple average of lab grades
Class Exam #2 20% Wednesday Nov 18
Final Exam 25% Friday, Dec 18, 8 a.m.
Total: 100% + 4% bonus for perfect lab attendance
Lecture Topics Dates Assigned Text Pages for 7th ed
1. Introduction, Atmospheric Composition Aug 31-Sep 2 4-10, 29-32, 158-164
2. Lapse rates, Layers of the atmosphere Sep 4-6 10-14 (stop at mesosphere), focus on page 13
3. Gas Laws Sep 11-14 focus on page 35, 124-128
4. Humidity and Saturation Sep 16-18 86-104
5. Clouds Sep 21-23 104-114, 130-134
6. Satellites Sep 25-28 114-118
7. Raindrops and Snowflakes Sep 30-Oct 2 134-148
Review for exam 1 Oct 5 (Exam 1 on Oct 7, exam recap on Oct 9)
8. Winds on the weather map Oct 14-16 164-169
8. Fronts and Air masses Oct 19-21 174-176, 224-244
9. The Norwegian Cyclone Model Oct 23-30 244-253
10. Thunderstorms, Lightning and Tornadoes Nov 2-11 148-149, 288-328
Review for exam 2 Nov 16 (Exam 2 on Nov 18, exam recap on Nov 20)
11. Hurricanes Nov 23, 30 333-362
12. Climate and Climate change Dec 2-7 201-207 (stop at Jet Streams),
368-372, 398-410, focus p. 402
Review for cumulative Final Exam Dec 14 Review all assigned pages
More Notes and Policies
1. On reading: focus sections are optional, except for pages 13, 35, and 402. Read as much of the textbook as you like. Note that for exams, you are responsible for the assigned pages up to the date of the exam.
2. All reading assignments from text, all labs and all lectures are fair game for the exams.
3. You MUST bring the following to all labs: Textbook, #2 pencil with eraser, blue or black pen, ruler and a calculator. If you are unprepared for lab you may not be able to do well. I will take points off from badly done labs. Labs are due no later than the class after they are assigned, although some labs are due at the end of the lab period. Late labs will be accepted (except for lab 11, the tornado case study projects and lab 9, the IDV forecast lab) but the grade will be severely reduced, as explained in note 8.
4. Lab attendance carries extra credit (see section on Grading). If you must miss lab for any reason, please communicate this with me before the class you must miss, if possible. If you wake up sick, let me know at Jerome.Blechman@oneonta.edu as soon as you are able. We’ll need to schedule a make-up lab.
5. For exams I will NOT allow cell phones. Bring a calculator. If you don’t have one, talk to me in advance of the exam.
6. Make-up test policy: If you miss an exam, you may only take a make-up if you provide suitable proof that the absence was excusable. Visiting the College Health/Wellness Center is insufficient as suitable proof. If you do not take a make-up, the exam grade is 0%. Don’t let that happen.
7. The College policy on academic dishonesty will be enforced. You are encouraged to work together in labs but you must submit your own work. On exams you cannot work together, copy answers, or misrepresent anyone else’s work as your own.
From http://www.oneonta.edu/development/judicial/code.pdf: “Academic dishonesty is defined as any act by a student that misrepresents or attempts to misrepresent to an instructor or any College official, the proficiency or achievement of that student or another student in any academic exercise, or that is intended to alter any record of a student’s academic performance by unauthorized means… It is the student’s responsibility to read and understand the policy on all aspects of academic integrity as published in this publication and the Catalog.”
If you participate in academic misconduct during this course, I am allowed to impose one of the following punishments, i.e., you will
· receive a zero on the assignment OR
· receive a zero for that portion of the class (labs, in-class, projects, etc) OR
· fail the class (yes, that is possible) AND in all cases
· be reported to the Judicial Affairs office.
8. All work is due on the stated due date. Labs are usually due at the lecture following the lab but sometimes by the end of your lab period. If you have any questions about a due date, ask me to clarify. Work that is turned in late will receive a 10% deduction for each 24-period, including weekends, that it is late after the deadline. A 24-period begins one minute after the stated deadline, usually at the beginning of the next lecture. This mean that if you turn in your work 2 minutes late, the most you can receive on it is 90%. If it is turned in the next day, you can, at most, get 80% and so on.
Laboratory Activities for Meteorology 110 sec 01, Fall 2015
Date Laboratory Activities
Sep 3 Orientation to Meteorology lab; Geography
Sep 10 Atmospheric Pressure measurements
Sep 17 Temperature Conversions and Lapse Rates
Sep 24 Temperature and Humidity Measurements
Oct 1 Campus Weather Observations
Oct 8 Satellite and Radar
Oct 15 Isobars and Isotherms
Oct 22 The Integrated Data Viewer or IDV
Oct 29 Weather Forecasting using the IDV
Nov 5 Biometeorology: Heat Index, Degree Days, Wind Chill
Nov 12 Tornado Case Study Project
Nov 19 Hurricanes
Nov 26 No Lab (Give Thanks)
Dec 3 Climate in History (Video)
Dec 10 TV weather