Meteorology. The Atmosphere interacts with and affects all earth systems, it is therefore required that Earth Science students demonstrate competency in Meteorology. Students will demonstrate competency by: • Listing the primary gaseous components of the atmosphere and explaining the importance of each. • Explaining why the atmosphere has the observed vertical temperature, density, and pressure profiles that it has. • Applying the first law of thermodynamics and the ideal gas law to the atmosphere. • Describing the short and longwave radiation balance of the earth/atmosphere system, and explaining how that radiation balance influences climate and weather. • Describing the details of the earth’s orbit around the sun, and explaining how this earth/sun geometry influences the seasons. • Listing and explaining the major factors that control the daily and seasonal temperatures. • Describing how humidity is quantified and measured, and how to convert between the various measures of humidity. • Describe how temperature and moisture determine the stability of the atmosphere, and explain how stability influences cloud and storm development. • Applying the skew-t diagram to determining atmospheric static stability and cloud development. • Listing the types and characteristics of the various clouds found in the atmosphere. • Explaining how precipitation is formed, measured, and what determines the type of precipitation reaching the ground. • Applying ▇▇▇▇▇▇’▇ second law of motion to the atmosphere. • Quantitatively describing geostrophic, hydrostatic, and gradient wind balance, and conceptually explaining departures from a balanced state. • Explaining how pressure gradient force, Coriolis force, and friction determine the wind direction and speed. • Describe how the vertical wind shear of the geostrophic wind relates to the horizontal temperature gradient. • Listing the various scales of atmospheric motion, and providing examples of each. • Explaining how the various scales of atmospheric motion interact. • Describing how local wind systems develop and are maintained. • Describing how the global circulation of the atmosphere is maintained. • Listing the characteristics of the different types of air masses, and explaining how the air masses are formed. • Defining a front, and explaining why fronts are regions of active weather. • Listing the cloud sequences and other characteristics of warm, cold, occluded, and stationary fronts. • Describing the horizontal and vertical structure of a developing extratropical cyclone, and explaining why this structure exists. • Describing the development and structure of thunderstorms and tornadoes. • Explaining the cause of lightning, and describe the different types of lightning. • Interpreting and plotting station models for both surface and upper-air charts. • Interpreting coded METAR reports. • The use meteorological software and the worldwide web to locate, display, and analyze meteorological observations and model data. • Applying the above-mentioned competencies in a collaborative laboratory environment.
Appears in 1 contract
Meteorology. The Atmosphere interacts with and affects all earth systems, it is therefore required that Earth Science students demonstrate competency in Meteorology. Students will demonstrate competency by: • Listing the primary gaseous components of the atmosphere and explaining the importance of each. • Explaining why the atmosphere has the observed vertical temperature, density, and pressure profiles that it has. • Applying the first law of thermodynamics and the ideal gas law to the atmosphere. • Describing the short and longwave radiation balance of the earth/atmosphere system, and explaining how that radiation balance influences climate and weather. • Describing the details of the earth’s orbit around the sun, and explaining how this earth/sun geometry influences the seasons. • Listing and explaining the major factors that control the daily and seasonal temperatures. • Describing how humidity is quantified and measured, and how to convert between the various measures of humidity. • Describe how temperature and moisture determine the stability of the atmosphere, and explain how stability influences cloud and storm development. • Applying the skew-t diagram to determining atmospheric static stability and cloud development. • Listing the types and characteristics of the various clouds found in the atmosphere. • Explaining how precipitation is formed, measured, and what determines the type of precipitation reaching the ground. • Applying ▇▇▇▇▇▇’▇ second law of motion to the atmosphere. • Quantitatively describing geostrophic, hydrostatic, and gradient wind balance, and conceptually explaining departures from a balanced state. • Explaining how pressure gradient force, Coriolis force, and friction determine the wind direction and speed. • Describe how the vertical wind shear of the geostrophic wind relates to the horizontal temperature gradient. • Listing the various scales of atmospheric motion, and providing examples of each. • Explaining how the various scales of atmospheric motion interact. • Describing how local wind systems develop and are maintained. • Describing how the global circulation of the atmosphere is maintained. • Listing the characteristics of the different types of air masses, and explaining how the air masses are formed. • Defining a front, and explaining why fronts are regions of active weather. • Listing the cloud sequences and other characteristics of warm, cold, occluded, and stationary fronts. • Describing the horizontal and vertical structure of a developing extratropical cyclone, and explaining why this structure exists. • Describing the development and structure of thunderstorms and tornadoes. • Explaining the cause of lightning, and describe the different types of lightning. • Interpreting and plotting station models for both surface and upper-air charts. • Interpreting coded METAR reports. • The use meteorological software and the worldwide web to locate, display, and analyze meteorological observations and model data. • Applying the above-mentioned competencies in a collaborative laboratory environment.
Appears in 1 contract