Undergraduate Course: Meteorology: Atmosphere and Environment (METE08001)
Course Outline
| School | School of Geosciences |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 2 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | An introduction to the physical processes occurring in the Earth's atmosphere. Interpretation of weather maps and satellite images, cloud types and formation, atmospheric structure, thermodynamic processes, rain formation, solar and terrestrial radiation, energy balance at the surface, cumulus and cumulonimbus convection, and air pollution. |
| Course description |
Syllabus
Week 1: Overview, introduction to weather maps and satellite imagery
Weeks 2-3: Atmospheric structure, meteorological observations, interpreting charts
Week 4: Air masses and weather fronts
Week 5: Clouds and precipitation
Weeks 6-7: Vertical profiles through the atmosphere: physics, stability, thunderstorms
Weeks 8-9: Atmospheric radiation, surface energy balance, rainbows
Week 10: Air pollution, course review
Further course information can be found at the following link:
https://path.is.ed.ac.uk/courses/METE08001_SV1_SEM1
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2019/20, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 80 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 30,
Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 12,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 2,
Summative Assessment Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
150 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
70 %,
Coursework
30 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Assessment details
Written Exam: 70%, Course Work: 30 %, Practical Exam: 0%.
Both coursework and the exam must be passed (i.e. a mark of 40% or above). There is no option to re-sit coursework in the summer, unless special circumstances are a factor. Students that fail coursework will need to carry this component into their next academic year, and resit it then, if approved by Senior Tutor.
Coursework is made up of three items, each worth 10%: (i) the mid-S1 assessment - this typically involves analysis and interpretation of some meteorological data - e.g., calculations, plotting graphs, writing something; (ii) the completed lab-book - with entries for each of the eight labs; (iii) the observations test.
The 2 hour exam is split into two sections: (A) 20 multiple choice questions, worth 40%; (B) 4 longer answer questions worth 60%, choosing one question from each of four groups of two questions.
Further assessment and feedback information can be found at the following links:
Taught Assessment Regulations: https://www.ed.ac.uk/files/atoms/files/tar19-20.pdf
All details related to extensions procedures and late penalties can be found in the School of Geosciences Handbook, which can be found on the Learn UG Student Information Hub.
Assessment deadlines
Assignment: 12 noon Monday week 6
Observations Test: Week 10 lab
Lab book: 12 noon Monday 26 week 11
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| Feedback |
Students receive brief initial feedback on their lab books after three labs, and written feedback on their mid-S1 assignment. Labs are informal and allow students to ask questions of demonstrators and staff about what they are doing. Clickers are used in some lectures to gauge understanding of the student cohort (individual student responses are not monitored). A discussion forum is on Learn. There is the opportunity to ask questions during or after lectures. After the exam (usually early the following semester), students can read marked exam scripts and question the markers on any comments or the marks achieved. |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours & Minutes |
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| Main Exam Diet S1 (December) | | 2:00 | | | Resit Exam Diet (August) | | 2:00 | |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Use and evaluate numerical and graphical meteorlogical data , e.g., interpret weather maps in terms of local weather; plot and interpret vertical temperature and moisture soundings; observe, code and plot weather elements in standard format;
- Describe atmospheric composition and structure, including the layers of the atmosphere from the surface to 100 km, and be able to describe the basic processes occurring in the atmospheric boundary layer and recognise cloud types and describe their formation mechanisms
- Describe and explain the structure, physics and dynamics of thunderstorms, tornadoes and hail formation;
- Explain the basic physics of atmospheric processes, such as radiation at the surface, water in the atmosphere and its phase changes, and air masses and weather fronts;
- Synthesize and interpret meteorological data, including satellite imagery, and summarise in a professional way within an assignment.
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Reading List
Introducing Meteorology: A Guide to Weather, J. Shonk
Atmospheric Science: An Introductory Survey (2nd Ed), J.M. Wallace and P.V. Hobbs
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Additional Class Delivery Information |
Semester 1
Lectures: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays
Practical classes: choose one of Monday, Tuesday or Thursday |
| Keywords | Met A&E |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr David Stevenson
Tel: (0131 6)50 6750
Email: David.S.Stevenson@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Katerina Sykioti
Tel: (0131 6)50 5430
Email: Katerina.Sykioti@ed.ac.uk |
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