ESAS 1110 – Professor Paul L. Sirvatka
Topical Outline and Readings
Text: Meteorology by Ackerman and Knox
UNIT IClick here for the Unit I Notes Packet
P=
RT: FUNDAMENTAL BEHAVIOR OF THE AIR
Gas Laws; Charles' Law; Boyle's Law; The Ideal Gas Law; Adiabatic Processes
Chapter 1, pp. 1-18
Math Lab Part 1
HEAT
AND TEMPERATURE
chapter 2, pp. 27-35, 38-39
ADIABATIC PROCESSES -- GETTING READY FOR THE RAIN -- Notes
Chapter 3, pp.
68-76
STRUCTURE
OF THE ATMOSPHERE
Layers; Layers; Chemical
Constituents; Importance of Gases; MeteorsMeteors
Chapter 5, pp. 147-156
Geography Lab
ENVIRONMENTAL
ISSUES AND CONCERNS
The Greenhouse Effect;
Global Warming; The Ozone Problem
Chapter 15 pp.
441-466
Geography Quiz
WEATHER
INSTRUMENTS
Instruments
Chapter 5, pp. 127-134
STATION
MODELS
Symbols and Meanings
Chapter 1, pp.
18-24
Test I
UNIT II Click here for the Unit II Notes Packet
WATER
IN THE ATMOSPHERE - "PROVE IT!" -- Notes
Relative Humidity;
Mixing Ratio; Dew Point; Wet Bulb; Vapor Pressure
Chapter 4, pp. 83-96
WATER
ON THE EARTH - "IF YOU SEE IT, ITS A LIQUID!" -- Notes
Floods; Fog; Steam
Chapter 4,
96-98;
CLOUD
PHYSICS - "EVERYTHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW..."
Types; Collision and
Coalescence; The Bergeron Process
Chapter 4, 101-124
STABILITY
AND INSTABILITY - LEARNING TO LIFT A PARCEL -- Notes
Parcel Method; Judging
the Atmosphere's Stability; LCL; LFC; EL
Chapter 4, pp. 99-101
See this link.
Instability Lab
LIFE
CYCLE OF A GARDEN VARIETY THUNDERSTORM -- Notes
Development; Frozen
Precipitation
Chapter 11, pp.
318-319
Test II
UNIT III Click here for the Unit III Notes Packet
Math Lab Part 2
ELECTROMAGNETIC
RADIATION - "WHAT IS THE CAUSE OF THE WEATHER?"
; Electromagnetic Spectrum
THE
SUN - "HOW HOT IS HOT?" -- Notes
Physical Properties;
Temperature
BLACKBODY
RADIATION -- Notes
Wien's Displacement
Law; Stefan-Boltzmann Law
Chapter 2, pp.
34-37, 39-40
VARIABILITY OF INCOMING SOLAR
RADIATION - "WHAT CAUSES THE SEASONS?" -- Notes
Seasons; Orbit;
Temperature vs. Length of Day
Chapter
2, pp. 40-50; Chapter 3, pp. 53-68
Climate Lab
RADIATION AND THE EARTH-ATMOSPHERE
SYSTEM - "WHY IS THE SKY BLUE?" -- Notes
Absorption;
Reflectivity; Scattering;
Chapter 5, pp.
134-138
RADIATION BUDGET - "WHEN
WATER VAPOR CONDENSES..."
Conduction and
Convection
GENERAL
CIRCULATION - REDEFINING THE WEATHER -- Notes
Hadley Cell;
Three-Cell Model; ITCZ
Chapter 7, pp.
189-203
Test III
UNIT IV Click here for the Unit IV Notes Packet
FORCES
OF MOTION - "NEWTON WAS A WEATHERMAN?" -- Notes
Gravity, PGF, Coriolis
Force, Centrifugal Force, Friction
Chapter 6, pp.
159-169
FORCES
AND WINDS - DEVELOPING AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE JET STREAM -- Notes
Geostrophic; Gradient;
Surface; Hydrostatic Equation
Chapter 6, pp.
169-176
SEA
AND LAND BREEZES - LEARNING TO FORECAST IN FLORIDA DURING JULY -- Notes
Time and Size Scales;
Mesoscale Circulations
Chapter 6, pp.
180-186
Physics Quiz
AIR
MASSES AND FRONTS - "DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT SAYING 'LOW'!"
Identification and
Modification; Finding Fronts; Types; Cross-Sections; Associated Weather
Chapter 9, pp.
251-272
Cyclone and Isoplething Lab
LIFE
CYCLE OF A WAVE CYCLONE - THIS IS A WEATHER MAP! -- Notes
Baroclinicity;
Cyclogenesis; Frontogenesis; Associated Weather
Chapter 10, pp.
275-308 (Do not outline the story)
THUNDERSTORMS
AND SEVERE WEATHER - LOADING THE GUN -- Notes
Squalls; Convective
Instability; Multicell and Supercell Storms
Chapter 11, pp.
311-348
SURVIVING
AND UNDERSTANDING SEVERE WEATHER
Tornadoes; Safety; Lightning; Supercell Diagram; Tornado Climate, Watches, and Warnings; Thoughts on changing the criteria for warnings; Help with the text in watches;
HURRICANES
AND TROPICAL STORMS -- Notes
Formation; Safety;
Conservation of Angular Momentum
Chapter 8, pp.
223-247
Additional Info Test IV Cumulative Final Exam
Criteria for Advisories, Watches, and Warnings;
NSSL's Harold Brooks' Severe
Weather Hazard Climatology Page