NATS 101 Intro to Weather and Climate Section 34: 08:00AM MWF ILC 150

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NATS 101 Intro to Weather and Climate Section
34 0800AM MWF ILC 150

• Dr. E. Robert Kursinski
• TA Tina Stall

Please turn off cell phones
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Who Am I?

• Professor Department of Atmospheric Science
• Joint Faculty Appointment
• Dept. of Planetary Sciences
• Worked for many years at NASA JPL in So. Cal.
• Research Specialty
• Remote Sensing, Water cycle, Planetary
  atmospheres
• Ph.D. in Planetary Sciences
• M.S. in Electrical Engineering
• B.S. in Physics, Minor in Music Theory

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Vital Statistics

• Office Hours Dr. Kursinski by Appointment PAS
  Bldg, Rm 580
• Ms. Stall Monday Wednesday 11-noon
• PAS Bldg, Rm 526 and by Appointment
• Required Text Essentials of Meteorology-An
  Invitation to the Atmosphere, 4th 5th Ed. by C.
  Donald Ahrens Picture Link Publisher Download,
  Save
• Recommended Text Study Guide for Essentials of
  Meteorology, 4rd Ed. by C. Donald Ahrens Link
• Required Material Thirty (30) 4''x 6'' index
  cards.

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Course Description

• Intro to science of processes weather climate
  change
• atmospheric structure and composition,
• energy balance,
• wind systems,
• clouds and precipitation,
• weather fronts, cyclones, weather forecasting,
• thunderstorms and lightning,
• hurricanes, monsoons,
• climate and global warming,
• ozone hole and air pollution

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Course Description

• Emphasis will be given to phenomena that have
  strong impacts on human activities.
• The fundamental importance of physics, chemistry
  and mathematics will be noted.
• Atmospheric Science is a branch of Applied
  Physics

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Attendance Policy

• Attendance is mandatory, and will be tallied
  throughout the term.
• After three unexcused absences prior to week 9, I
  will submit to the Office of Curriculum and
  Registration an administrative drop from the
  course and assign a grade in accordance with UA
  policy.
• http//catalog.arizona.edu/2006-07/policies/classa
  tten.htm

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Student Behavior

• UA Code of Academic Integrity, Code of Conduct
  and Student Code of Conduct are enforced in this
  course.
• Every student is responsible for learning these
  codes and abiding by them. http//w3.arizona.edu/
  studpubs/policies/ppmainpg.html
• Students can submit complaints online at
  http//web.arizona.edu/dos/uapolicies/

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Grading Policy

• Final grade will be based on scores from closed
  book/closed notes quizzes and final exam.
• Quizzes will consist of multiple choice
  questions and short answer questions.
• Quizzes will cover new material presented through
  the end of the previous lecture day.
• Extra credit questions given on some quizzes.
• Extra credit impromptu pop quizzes given.

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Grading Policy

• There will be seven quizzes during the term.
  Dates for the quizzes are listed on the home
  page.
• Students who arrive late on quiz days will be not
  allowed to take the quiz after the first student
  turns in her/his quiz. No Exceptions
• The lowest score among the seven quizzes will be
  excluded from the course grade.
• Therefore, no make-up quizzes.

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Grading Policy

• If your final exam score exceeds the average of
  your 6 best quizzes, the quizzes will comprise
  60 of your term grade and the final 40.
• Otherwise, the quizzes will comprise 75 of your
  term grade and the final 25.
• CARROT If your average is 90 or higher on all 7
  quizzes, you will earn an exemption from the
  final and will receive an "A'' for the course.
• No Extra Credit Projects.
• So Plan Accordingly!

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Final Examination

• Section 34 (0800 am MWF) ILC 150
• Wednesday Dec. 12, 0800 am - 1000 am
• The final will consist of approximately 60
  multiple choice questions and short answer
  questions.
• A number of questions will be taken verbatim from
  the old quizzes.

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Course Grading

• Course Grading Scale
• A 90 or higher
• B 80.0-89.99
• C 65.0-79.99
• D 55.0-64.99
• E lt 55.0

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Expectations

• Every student is expected to
• Complete all of the assigned reading before the
  lecture (unless you hear otherwise).
• Devote a minimum of 2 hours outside of class
  studying, reading, etc. for every hour of
  classroom lecture. Unit Credit Definition
• Attend class daily, arrive on time, leave when
  class is dismissed (courtesy to peer students).

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The Golden Rule

• Instructor and students all show
• Mutual Respect!

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Literacy Requirements

• Although the writing requirement for this course
  is negligible, there is a science literacy
  requirement
• Use scientific notation for writing
  numbers (especially rather large or small ones).
• Specify units of physical quantities
  (e.g. meters for elevation, etc.).
• Attempt to quantify physical relationships.

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Announcements

• Course Homepageis now functional
• http//www.atmo.arizona.edu/
• Click Course Links
• Click NATS101 Kursinski

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Class Format Lecture Days

• 2-4 minutes - Interesting weather discussion
• 2-3 minutes - Review/Summary/Clean-up From Prior
  Lecture, Optional
• 40-45 minutes - New Material Lecture, Demos,
  Discussion
• 2-3 minutes - Wrap-up and Summary

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Class Format Quiz Days

• 2-3 minutes - Review/Summary/Clean-up From Prior
  Lecture, Optional
• 5-10 minutes - Last Minute Questions
  Passing Out Quiz Materials
• 40 minutes - Quiz

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Class LISTSERV

• NATS101-034_at_listserv.arizona.edu
• Use for any questions, comments, discussions that
  are general interest to the class.
• kursinski_at_atmo.arizona.edu is reserved for
  personal requests not of general interest.
• To subscribe go to http//listserv.arizona.edu/
  and click the link Subscribe to a list
• http//listserv.arizona.edu/Subscribe.html
• Follow straightforward instructions

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LISTSERV

• You can subscribe by sending an email to
  listserv_at_listserv.arizona.edu with the following
  as the only line in the body of the message.
• subscribe nats101s34 Firstname Lastname
  Substitute your first name for Firstname
  Substitute your last name for Lastname

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Importance of Atmosphere

• Necessary for a wide spectrum of features
• Oceans
• Clouds, Rain, Fresh Water
• Erosion by Water and Wind
• Life, Life on Land
• Blue Skies, Red Sunsets, Twilight
• Sound

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Importance of Atmosphere

• Point 1- Offers Protection
• Consider surface temperatures
• Without atmosphere?
• 0oF global average, large diurnal swings
• Similar to the Moons Climate
• With atmosphere
• 60oF global average, moderate diurnal swings

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Importance of Atmosphere

• Point 2 - Offers Protection
• Consider Surface Radiation
• Shields against harmful UV radiation

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Importance of Atmosphere

• Consider Survival Time
• Without Food
• ? few weeks
• Without Water
• ? few days
• Without Air
• ? few minutes

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To Understand the Atmosphere

• Examine its interfaces
• with land/ocean
• with space

Is a very thin skin 99 below 50 km (31
miles) 50 below 5.5 km (3.4 miles) Atmosphere
Picture
Energy Flow Solar Input Output to Space
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Note thinness of atmosphere in light blue
NASA photo gallery
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Example of Ocean-Atmosphere Coupling El
Nino-La Nina
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http//www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/research/2005/
ann/ann05.html
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(No Transcript)
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Local Weather and Climate The North American
Monsoon

• Tucson gets half of its rainfall during the
  summer
• Sonora, Mexico gets most of its rainfall during
  the summer
• During summer, high pressure sets up to the
  east/northeast of Arizona which brings moisture
  in from the south
• The monsoon is still going Thunderstorms
  yesterday
• For a monsoon overview and daily forecast, see
• http//www.wrh.noaa.gov/twc/monsoon/monsoon.php
• http//www.atmo.arizona.edu/products/models/forec
  asts/forecast.html

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July minus June Rainfall
Douglas et al (1993)
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Local Recent Monsoon Rainfall

• Record water flow through the Sabino and Rillito
  Creeks on July 31
• Rillito flow higher than Colorado river!

See http//fpnew.ccit.arizona.edu/kkh/rillito.floo
d.jul.06.htm
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Course Building Blocks

• Intro ? 1st week or so
• Energy ? 2 weeks
• Moisture ? 2 weeks
• Dynamics ? 3 weeks
• Above are interdependent
• Specific Topics ? 6 weeks

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Atmospheric CompositionPermanent Gases

• N2 and O2 are most abundant gases
• Percentages hold constant up to 80 km
• Ar, Ne, He, and Xe are chemically inert
• N2 and O2 are chemically active, removed
  returned

Ahrens, Table 1.1, 4th Ed.
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N2 and O2
N2 Boiling point 77 K or -196C or 320 F
O2 Boiling point 90 K or -183 C or -297 F
Balance between input (production) and output
(destruction)
Inputplant/animal decaying Output soil
bacteria oceanic plankton--gtnutrient
s
Inputplant photosynthesis Output organic matter
decay chemical combination
(oxidation) breathing
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Atmospheric CompositionImportant Trace Gases
Ahrens, Table 1.1, 3rd ed.
Which of these is now wrong even in the 4th
edition of Ahrens?
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Carbon Dioxide CO2
Sources vegetative decay volcanic
eruptions animal exhalation combustion of fossil
fuels(CH4 2 O2 gt 2 H2O CO2) Sinks photosynth
esis (oxygen production) dissolves in
water phytoplankton absorption (limestone
formation)
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CO2 Trend
Keeling Curve Some gases vary by season and
over many years. The CO2 trend is the cause
for concern about global warming.
CO2 increases in northern spring, decreases in
northern fall
See http//earthguide.ucsd.edu/globalchange/keelin
g_curve/01.html
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H2O Vapor VariabilityPrecipitable Water (mm)
Some gases can vary spatially and daily
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Aerosols

• 1 cm3 of air can contain as many as 200,000
• non-gaseous particles.
• dust
• dirt (soil)
• ocean spray
• volcanic ash
• water
• pollen
• pollutants

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Aerosols - Volcanic Ash
Fig. 1-4, p.6
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Aerosols - Dust Particles
Dust Storm on Interstate 10, between Phoenix and
Tucson, AZ.
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Aerosols

• Provide condensation nuclei for water vapor.
• Provide a surface area or catalyst needed for
  much atmospheric chemistry.
• Aerosols can deplete stratospheric ozone. They
  can also cool the planet by reflecting sunlight
  back to space.

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Reading Assignment

• Ahrens
• Pages 1-22 425-426-427 (Appendix A Units
  etc.), 431-432 (Appendix C Weather chart
  symbols)
• Problems 1.2, 1.3, 1.10, 1.14, 1.17, 1.18, 1.20
• (1.17 ? Chapter 1, Question 17)
• Dont Forget the 4x6 Index Cards