Undergraduate Courses

Information about ATMO 201: Atmospheric Science
ATMO 201 Sections
ATMO 202: Atmospheric Science Lab Sections
Practical laboratory experiments and exercises, conducted by students in the meteorology and computer laboratories, concerning the fundamental physical processes underlying atmospheric phenomena, and the collection, display and interpretation of meteorological information. For non-majors only. Prerequisite: Concurrent enrollment in ATMO 201.
ATMO 202 exercises
ATMO 203: Weather Forecasting Lab
Short-range weather forecasting practice; numerical guidance; weather map analysis and discussions. Prerequisite: Concurrent enrollment in ATMO 201.
GEOS 105 Introduction to Environmental Geosciences
This course is grounded in fundamental scientific concepts needed to understand and evaluate key components of the Earth System, including the Earth’s water, land, atmosphere, and inhabitants.
ATMO 251: Weather Observation and Analysis
Standard and experimental weather observing techniques; subjective and objective analysis; application of conceptual models; simple kinematic and dynamic constraints. Prerequisite: ATMO 203 or registration therein
ATMO 285: Directed Studies
Offered to enable majors in meteorology to undertake and complete with credit in their particular fields of specialization limited investigations not covered by any other courses in established curriculum. Prerequisite: Freshman or sophomore classification.
ATMO 291: Undergraduate Research
Research conducted under the direction of faculty member in atmospheric sciences. May be repeated 2 times for credit. Registration in multiple sections of this course is possible within a given semester provided that the per semester credit hour limit is not exceeded. Prerequisites: Freshman or sophomore classification and approval of instructor.
ATMO 321: Computer Applications in the Atmospheric Sciences
Introduction to technical computing methods in the atmospheric sciences. Students learn to use specialized software and data analysis systems for meteorological applications.
ATMO 324: Physical and Regional Climatology
Climate causes; global and surface energy balance; hydrologic cycle; general circulation; climate change; climate data analysis. Prerequisites: ATMO 201 and 203; MATH 172; course that satisfies departmental computer science requirement.
ATMO 335: Introduction to Atmospheric Thermodynamics
Application of thermodynamics to Earth’s atmosphere; phase changes of water; stability concepts; introduction to physical chemistry. Prerequisites: CHEM 102; MATH 251; PHYS 218.
ATMO 336: Atmospheric Dynamics
Kinematic concepts and relationships; equations of motion; geostrophic and accelerated motions; the vorticity equation and Rossby waves. Prerequisites: ATMO 335, MATH 311 or registration therein.
ATMO 352 (501 and 502): Severe Weather and Mesoscale Forecasting
Parcel theory for dry and moist convection; sounding diagrams and their application to atmospheric convection; organization of midlatitude convection and severe weather; thunderstorm forecasting. Prerequisite: MATH 172 (not formally required but strongly recommended).
ATMO 363: Intro to Atmospheric Chemistry and Air Pollution
Descriptive introduction of the composition and chemistry of natural and pollutant compounds in the atmosphere; transport, cycling and reactivity of atmospheric material; atmospheric measurements, data processing, air quality and human health issues; air pollution trends and climate change. Prerequisites: CHEM 101 and 102 or approval of instructor.
ATMO 435: Synoptic-Dynamic Meteorology
Dynamics and diagnosis of synoptic-scale systems; perturbation theory and baroclinic instability; wave energetics, frontogenises. Prerequisite: ATMO 336 or equivalent
ATMO 441: Satellite Meteorology and Remote Sensing
Introduction to satellite orbit dynamics, atmospheric radiative transfer, atmospheric remote sensing methods, and analysis and application of remotely-sensed meteorological data. Prerequisites: ATMO 324, MATH 308; junior or senior classification.
ATMO 443: Radar Meteorology
Principles of radar theory, hardware, operations and analysis using real-time radar and computer-based case studies; conventional, Doppler and polarimetric weather radar; precipitation estimation, hydrometeor identification and air motion analysis; observations and analyses of thunderstorms, mesocyclones, tornadoes and gust fronts. Prerequisites: PHYS 208 or 219; ATMO 352.
ATMO 446: Physical Meteorology
Physics and meteorology of clouds and precipitation; atmospheric electricity; radiative transfer. Prerequisite: ATMO 335.
ATMO 455: Numerical Weather Prediction
Basic principles of computer models of the atmosphere; parameterizations; use and critical evaluation of models and model output. Prerequisites: MATH 308; ATMO 336 or registration therein.
ATMO 456: Practical Weather Forecasting
Advanced weather forecasting techniques with application to a variety of forecasting problems, both public and private sector. Prerequisites: ATMO 336 or 455; junior or senior classification.
ATMO 459: Tropical Meteorology
Tropical climatology; structure, evolution, and motion of tropical cyclones; tropical cyclone hazards; large-scale tropical phenomena. Prerequisites: ATMO 336; ATMO 352 or registration therein.
ATMO 461: Broadcast Meteorology
Instruction in the practice of broadcast meteorology; practice in and preparation of weather forecast products and demonstration videotapes. Prerequisites: ATMO 455 or approval of instructor; senior classification.
ATMO 463: Air Pollution Meteorology
Problems of air pollution in our global atmosphere; environmental cycles; waste products in the biosphere; atmospheric pollution; natural concentrations of atmospheric constituents; pollution sources; atmospheric transport; pollution sinks; effects of pollution; monitoring and surveillance; and management of air quality. Prerequisite: ATMO 335 or approval of instructor
ATMO 464/689: Laboratoroy Methods in Atmospheric Sciences
Instruction in chemical techniques used to monitor the atmosphere and other earth systems; sampling strategies; survey of current literature focusing on development of new techniques. Prerequisites: CHEM 101 and one semester of calculus (MATH 171 or equivalent).
ATMO 485: Directed Studies
Offered to enable majors in meteorology to undertake and complete with credit in their particular fields of specialization limited investigations not covered by any other courses in established curriculum. Prerequisite: Junior or senior classification.
ATMO 491: Undergraduate Research