Spring 2018 Course Announcements

M/W 215pm-330pm in SEEC N128
Dr. Katja Friedrich (katja.friedrich@colorado.edu)

This course is designed to provide a broad overview of aviation meteorology and advance students’ understanding of the atmosphere for the purpose of maximizing aircraft performance while minimizing exposure to weather hazards. The course revisits important background in elementary meteorology (e.g., temperature, pressure, wind, stability, moisture) that provides concepts and vocabulary necessary to understand aviation weather application. It addresses a variety of atmospheric circulation systems (e.g., air masses, fronts, cyclones, thunderstorms, local wind), their causes, behavior, and their related aviation weather (e.g., wind shear, turbulence, icing, fog). In the last part of the course, a framework is provided for combining the previously learned material to practical use focusing on the collection, analysis, and use of weather data for flight planning and in-flight avoidance of hazardous conditions. The course will also provide a review of meteorology basics in preparation for the FAA examination consisting of lectures, weather analysis, homework assignments, and flight planning to meet the course objectives. Department enforced prereq., ATOC 1050. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: natural science.

Satisfies upper division elective coursework requirement for ATOC undergraduate majors.  Satisfies upper division coursework requirement for ATOC undergraduate minors.

T/Th 300pm-415pm in SEEC S125
Dr. Nicole Lovenduski (nicole.lovenduski@colorado.edu)

Provides a large-scale synthesis of the processes impacting ocean biogeochemistry.  Transforms theoretical understanding into real-world applications using oceanographic data and models.  Topics include:  chemical composition, biological nutrient utilization and productivity, air-sea gas exchange, carbonate chemistry, ocean acidification, ocean deoxygenation, iron fertilization, biogeochemical climate feedbacks, and much more.

Prerequisites: General Chemistry, Calculus

Satisfies requirements for the following programs:
ATOC Undergraduate Major - Fundamentals (4200 Level)
ATOC Undergraduate Minor - Upper Division Coursework (4200 level)
ENVS Undergraduate Major (4200 level)
GEOL Undergraduate Major - Environmental Geosciences Track (4200 level)
 

T/Th 1100am-1215pm in HUMN 1B35
Dr. Jen Kay (jennifer.e.kay@colorado.edu)

Summary: Objective analysis is the extraction of information from data using statistical methods, most often via a computer program.  The goals of this cousre are twofold: 1) provide a working knowledge of the basic methods used to objectively analyze atmospheric and oceanic data, 2) develop skills to critically evaluate published studies using objective analysis techniques. The course will start with a review of basic statistics applied to atmospheric and oceanic sciences datasets: Bayes Theorem, statistical significance testing, and Monte Carlo techniques.  We will then learn techniques to extract information from data directly such as compositing, linear regression, correlation, 1st order autoregressive model, matrix methods including EOF/PCA analysis, and time series techniques including power spectra analysis and filtering.  While new to the University of Colorado and ATOC, similar courses are a standard part of graduate curriculum in Atmospheric Science around the country (e.g., see University of Washington ATMS 552 (http://www.atmos.washington.edu/~dennis/), Colorado State University AT655 http://barnes.atmos.colostate.edu/COURSES/AT655_S17/index.html). 

Class Format: ATOC 4500 is very much a learning by doing course. In addition to lecture by the professor, in-class time will include hands-on “application labs” in Python Jupyter Notebooks.  During the application labs, you will run existing computing codes to analyze data and apply the methods learned in the class.  Homework will require you to write code in and run Python, Matlab, or a similar package to analyze atmospheric and oceanic sciences datasets.  In addition to analysis of a diverse set of professor-selected datasets, students should be prepared to bring their own datasets to analyze.  Students will also lead discussions on papers using the methods presented in class.  There are no exams in this class. 

Satisfies methods in atmospheric and oceanic sciences coursework requirement for ATOC undergraduate majors.  Satisfies upper division coursework requirement for ATOC undergraduate minors.

Required background:  Knowledge of programming, matrix algebra, and calculus will be assumed.  Class is targeted at graduate students and advanced undergraduates conducting research using atmospheric and oceanic sciences data.  Undergraduates require instructor permission to enroll in the cross-listed equivalent (ATOC4500).  Intererested undergraduate students should contact Dr. Jen Kay (jennifer.e.kay@colorado.edu)

T/Th 200pm-315pm in HUMN 1B45
Dr. Alexandra Jahn (alexandra.jahn@colorado.edu)

In this course, students will learn how to convert physical descriptions of the earth system into numerical weather and climate models. This will involve learning how to make assumptions to simplify complex systems, how to discretize and code mathematical equations so they can be solved on a computer, and how to assess if the result and approximations are reasonable.  During the course of the semester, students will build a simple 1D climate model and gain an understanding of how this model differs from more complex climate models. The main programming language for the class will be Python.

For ATOC minors, this course will satisfy 3 credit hours of the upper division coursework requirements.  For ATOC majors, this course may be used as one of the four “Methods of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences” courses. This course is cross-listed as upper division undergraduate (4500) and graduate course (7500). 

Recommended pre-requisites: Some previous programming experience (any language, Python recommended), Calculus 1&2, Differential Equations and Linear Algebra. 

M/W 300pm-415pm in HUMN 1B45
Dr. Mark Seefeldt (mark.seefeldt@colorado.edu)

The daily weather of the middle latitudes is a complex interplay of air masses, fronts, cyclones, and anticyclones. This interaction of the different weather components is dependent on the laws of physics and are governed by mathematical equations representing the motions and behavior of the atmosphere. The studies of atmospheric dynamics and thermodynamics provides these mathematical relationships and descriptions. Synoptic-scale meteorology covers storm systems and weather features spanning multiple states and providing the dominant form of weather experienced in the mid-latitudes. This course will connect the theory and equations of atmospheric dynamics with the weather maps and analyses of synoptic-scale weather systems, such as fronts, jet streams, and mid-latitude cyclones. The connection will be made through an applied approach in studying current and past significant weather events through manual and computer-based calculations and analyses. The end result will be a more in-depth understanding of the mechanisms responsible for weather systems and the ability to create and/or understand weather forecasting.

Recommended prerequisites: ATOC 3050 or ATOC 4720
Preferable to have a math background covering calculus with an understanding of derivatives.

Satisfies methods in atmospehric and oceanic sciences coursework requirement for ATOC undergraduate majors.  Satisfies upper division coursework requirement for ATOC undergradute minors.

M/W 945am-1100am in SEEC N129
Dr. Peter Pilewskie (peter.pilewskie@colorado.edu)

This course provides a fundamental overview of the physics of Earth’s atmosphere. Topics will include atmospheric composition and structure, thermodynamics, atmospheric radiation & optics, cloud physics, and atmospheric electricity & lightning. Lectures will include both descriptive and quantitative approaches to the subject material - there will be weekly in-class demonstrations. Where applicable, observations from the ATOC Skywatch laboratory will be introduced. Note that this class is distinct from ATOC 4720, Atmospheric Dynamics. Prerequisites are one year of calculus and one year of physics with calculus.

For those of you who might be considering this course, take note that the topics covered won't overlap with those in other ATOC courses. For example, we'll cover things like physics of lightning and atmospheric optical phenomena such as the rainbow, halo, and glory, all topics unique to this class. We'll also look at solar and infrared radiation data from our rooftop observatory in order to understand radiation balance . Note that this course satisfies upper division coursework requirement for ATOC undergraduate minors as well as the fundamentals of atmospheric and oceanic sciences coursework requirement for ATOC undergraduate majors.

T/Th 300pm-415pm in SEEC S125
Dr. Nicole Lovenduski (nicole.lovenduski@colorado.edu)

Provides a large-scale synthesis of the processes impacting ocean biogeochemistry.  Transforms theoretical understanding into real-world applications using oceanographic data and models.  Topics include:  chemical composition, biological nutrient utilization and productivity, air-sea gas exchange, carbonate chemistry, ocean acidification, ocean deoxygenation, iron fertilization, biogeochemical climate feedbacks, and much more.

Prerequisites: General Chemistry, Calculus

Satisfies requirements for the following programs:
ATOC Graduate Oceanography Track - Core Course (5200 level)
GEOL Graduate Coursework (5200 level)
Graduate Certificate in Oceanography (5200 level)

Fridays, 400pm-500pm in SEEC S126
Dr. Peter Pilewskie <peter.pilewskie@lasp.colorado.edu>

Seminar Course on Making Back of the Envelope and Order of Magnitude Estimations

Detailed number crunching is common to nearly every field within the atmospheric and oceanic sciences yet at times it obscures a fundamental understanding of the problem at hand. This seminar is aimed at developing intuitive methods of problem solving and making estimates to quickly find an informative answer to a problem. These solutions don’t necessarily replace extensive calculations, but rely on a firm grasp of the subject to inform where to focus one's efforts. Problems explored in this seminar will span all aspects of physics, not just those related to the atmosphere and ocean. Many will be based on common observations and occurrences and hypothetical “what if” questions. For example, how fast could humans melt the worlds ice sheets if they tried? The intent is to develop techniques of estimation and approximation. The seminar will be student driven rather than lecture-based. Participants will collaborate to select problems, assign tasks and develop the methods o!
f solution. There will be problem sets - practice is necessary to improve the skills that are the focus of this seminar. 

Students interested in enrolling in this course should contact Laurie Conway <laurie.conway@colorado.edu>.

T/Th 1100am-1215pm in HUMN 1B35
Dr. Jen Kay (jennifer.e.kay@colorado.edu)

Summary: Objective analysis is the extraction of information from data using statistical methods, most often via a computer program.  The goals of this course are twofold: 1) provide a working knowledge of the basic methods used to objectively analyze atmospheric and oceanic data, 2) develop skills to critically evaluate published studies using objective analysis techniques. The course will start with a review of basic statistics applied to atmospheric and oceanic sciences datasets: Bayes Theorem, statistical significance testing, and Monte Carlo techniques.  We will then learn techniques to extract information from data directly such as compositing, linear regression, correlation, 1st order autoregressive model, matrix methods including EOF/PCA analysis, and time series techniques including power spectra analysis and filtering.  While new to the University of Colorado and ATOC, similar courses are a standard part of graduate curriculum in Atmospheric Science around the country (e.g., see University of Washington ATMS 552 (http://www.atmos.washington.edu/~dennis/), Colorado State University AT655 http://barnes.atmos.colostate.edu/COURSES/AT655_S17/index.html).

This course satisfies the graduate level math course requirement for the ATOC PhD degree.

Class Format: ATOC4500 is very much a learning by doing course. In addition to lecture by the professor, in-class time will include hands-on “application labs” in Python Jupyter Notebooks.  During the application labs, you will run existing computing codes to analyze data and apply the methods learned in the class.  Homework will require you to write code in and run Python, Matlab, or a similar package to analyze atmospheric and oceanic sciences datasets.  In addition to analysis of a diverse set of professor-selected datasets, students should be prepared to bring their own datasets to analyze.  Students will also lead discussions on papers using the methods presented in class.  There are no exams in this class.

Required background:  Knowledge of programming, matrix algebra, and calculus will be assumed.  Class is targeted at graduate students and advanced undergraduates conducting research using atmospheric and oceanic sciences data.  

T/Th 200pm-315pm in HUMN 1B45
Dr. Alexandra Jahn (alexandra.jahn@colorado.edu)

In this course, students will learn how to convert physical descriptions of the earth system into numerical weather and climate models. This will involve learning how to make assumptions to simplify complex systems, how to discretize and code mathematical equations so they can be solved on a computer, and how to assess if the result and approximations are reasonable.  During the course of the semester, students will build a simple 1D climate model and gain an understanding of how this model differs from more complex climate models. The main programming language for the class will be Python.

This course is cross-listed as upper division undergraduate (4500) and graduate course (7500). 

Recommended pre-requisites: Some previous programming experience (any language, Python recommended), Calculus 1&2, Differential Equations and Linear Algebra.