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The Climate System
Fall
2005
Geog 430/530; ARL 530; GC 530
A
Global Change PhD minor Core Class
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Course Description
This is a course on general
climatology as it relates to environmental processes. It is useful for
students interested in climatic aspects of physical geography, and for
all students in environmental sciences and environmental studies who
need a broad understanding of climatology. The course provides a
comprehensive guide to the nature of Earth's climate, and presents a
synthesis of contemporary scientific ideas about atmospheric
circulation within the climate system. It covers climate at global,
regional and local scales, through lecture material in combination with
computer simulations and data analysis.
Major topical sections cover Radiation, Energy and Temperature,
Atmospheric
Moisture, Atmospheric Motion & Global Climate, Air Masses, Fronts
and Storms, Extratropical Regional Climates, Tropical Regional
Climates, Local-Scale Climates, and Climate Change. Prerequisites: an
introductory
weather/climate class or instructor's permission.
Textbook, Readings
and Web Site
Required textbook:
Barry, R.G. and
Chorley, R.J., 2003: Atmosphere, Weather and Climate. 8th
Edition. Routledge: New York, NY.
An additional introductory text that some have found useful for
basic information only is:
Aguado E. and
Burt, J.E., 2004: Understanding Weather and Climate, 3rd
Edition.
Prentice-Hall: Upper Saddle River, NJ.
The class website at
http://geog.arizona.edu/~comrie/geog430/ is the central information
resource, including important dates, lecture material, and online lab
activities. Students are strongly recommended to make personal
printouts of lecture text and graphics to enable notetaking in class.
Exams & Grading
Three exams will be held on
or about the dates listed in the online course lecture outline, each
covering the preceding section. Exams will be a mixture of multiple
choice, short answer, and brief paragraph responses. Both the lecture
material and the readings will be on the exams. Grades will be based on
exams and a research project written up as a term paper. The weighting
of these assignments differs for students taking the course at the 400
or 500 level. There will be no make-up exams. All exams are required;
the
instructor should be formally notified of a legitimate absence, in
advance
if possible. Due dates for assignments are firm; late assignments will
be assessed a penalty. Grading of 400-level and 500-level students
will be on separate curves. More on grading philosophy can be found
here .
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400-level
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500-level
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3
Exams
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60%
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40%
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Research
Paper
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40%
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60%
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100%
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100%
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Research
Papers
The research paper will involve data
analysis surrounding a basic or applied problem, on a topic to be
approved by the instructor. For graduate students, the research paper
will be more in-depth on an original topic. All students are required
to consult with the instructor during the semester for development of
ideas, and for supervision of various drafts of the final paper. The
reports will be written in the style of short scientific papers,
following the
guide and example provided on the class website. Papers will be printed
double-spaced, single-sided, numbered, and stapled in the upper
left-hand
corner. Brevity, neatness, and clarity of presentation are almost as
important
as clarity of thought.
Course
Policies
Students are encouraged to share ideas and skills and to freely discuss
the principles and applications of course materials. However, the
guiding principle of academic integrity is that a student's submitted
work must be the student's own. Attendance at lectures and
participation in computer assignments are expected for students at both
levels.
The assignments are intended as aids to learning, and collaboration
between students is encouraged. Attendance is not taken, but any
student
who is excessively absent from class runs the risk of being
administratively dropped from the course. All students are required to
attend the 500-level paper presentations at the end of the semester.
Students with disabilities: If you anticipate the need for
reasonable accommodations to meet the requirements of this course, you
must register with the Disability Resource Center and request that the
DRC send the instructor official notification of your accommodations
needs as soon as possible. Please plan to meet with the
instructor by appointment or during office hours to discuss
accommodations and how the course requirements and activities may
impact your ability to fully participate.