Geography 324: Global Climatic Regions - Texas A&M University

Geography 324: Global Climatic Regions
Spring 2008
Course Description: The primary objective of the course is to explain the patterns of climate over the earth’s surface.
We begin by considering climatological basics, such as the atmosphere, radiation balance, moisture, and circulation.
Building on these concepts, we will then explore the geography of climate at different spatial scales, from broad regions to
individual landforms. In the spirit of integration that is characteristic of geography, we will investigate relationships of
climate to landforms, soils, vegetation, and fire.
Professor: Dr. Charles Lafon
Office: 706B Eller O&M Building
Office Hours: M 8:15–9:15 am; TR 3:45–4:45 pm; or by appointment
Phone: 862-3677
E-mail: clafon@geog.tamu.edu
Class Meeting Time and Place: TR 2:20–3:35 pm, CSA 303
Teaching Assistant: Ilyana Dobreva (iliyana_d@yahoo.com); mailbox is in O&M 814. Office: M 3-4:30; F 12-1:30
Prerequisite: GEOG 203 or ATMO 201 or consent of instructor
Required Text: Rohli, R.V. and Vega, A.J. 2008. Climatology. Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Sudbury, MA.
Additional reading materials are scientific journal articles. These are available electronically from the TAMU Libraries
home page (http://library.tamu.edu/portal/index.jsp). Click on “E-journals” in the middle of the page, type the name of
the journal under “Search term,” and follow the links to the journal contents to navigate to the journal article of interest.
Following are the journal articles required for this course:
Gay, D.A. and Davis, R.E.. 1993. Freezing rain and sleet climatology of the southeastern USA. Climate Research 3:209-
220.
Westerling, A.L. et al. 2003. Climate and wildfire in the western United States. Bulletin of the American Meteorological
Society 84:595-604.
Grading:
Mid-term exam 1: 20%
Mid-term exam 2: 20%
Final exam: 20%
Exercises: 20%
Regional climatology research paper: 20%
Grades likely will be assigned based on the standard cutoffs: A = > 90%, B = 80-89%, C = 70-79%, D = 60-69%, F = <
60%. If it is necessary to raise the grades at the end of the semester, a “curve” will be implemented after all grades are
calculated.
Exams emphasize material presented in lectures, reading assignments, and exercises. Students seeking an excused
absence on an exam day must notify the professor or the Department of Geography by the end of the next working day
following the absence, as described in Texas A&M University Student Rules. Please see the instructor in advance if you
know you will not be able to take an exam on the scheduled date.
Course Outline and Daily Schedule (Tentative):
I. CLIMATIC PROCESSES
Date Topic
Jan 15 (Tu)
Jan 17 (Th)
Introduction; Regional climatology assignment
The atmosphere; Ex. 1: Climate Data
Reading assignment
Ch 1, 2

Jan 22 (Tu)
Jan 24 (Th)
Jan 29 (Tu)
Jan 31(Th)
Feb 5 (Tu)
Feb 7 (Th)
Feb 12 (Tu)
Feb 14 (Th)
Feb 19 (Tu)
Feb 21 (Th)
Earth’s energy balance
Earth’s energy balance
Temperature patterns
Atmospheric moisture & precipitation; Ex. 1 due
Atmospheric moisture & precipitation; Ex. 2: Seasonality
Isohyets (in-class exercise)
MID-TERM EXAM 1
General circulation; Paper topic (region) due
General circulation; Isohyets exercise due
General circulation
II. GEOGRAPHY OF CLIMATE
Feb 26 (Tu)
Feb 28 (Th)
Mar 4 (Tu)
Mar 6 (Th)
Mar 11 (Tu)
Mar 13 (Th)
Mar 18 (Tu)
Mar 20 (Th)
Mar 25 (Tu)
Mar 27 (Th)
Apr 1 (Tu)
Apr 3 (Th)
Apr 8 (Tu)
Apr 10 (Th)
Apr 15 (Tu)
Apr 17 (Th)
Apr 22 (Tu)
Apr 24 (Th)
Climate classification; Ex. 2 due
Climate classification; Ex. 3: Climate classification
Climate classification
Extratropical Northern Hemisphere climates
Spring Break
Spring Break
Extratropical Northern Hemisphere climates; Ex. 3 due
MID-TERM EXAM 2
Tropical and Southern Hemisphere climates
Tropical and Southern Hemisphere climates
Climatic influences on vegetation patterns
Fire climatology
Climatic geomorphology
Climatic influences on the distribution of soils
AAG
AAG
Student presentations; Regional climatology paper due
Student presentations
Final Exam Date: Wednesday, May 7, 2008, 1:00-3:00 pm
Ch 3, 5
Ch 6
Ch 7
Ch 4
Ch 8
Ch 9; Gay & Davis journal article
Ch 10
Westerling et al. journal article
ADA Statement: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides
comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all
students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their
disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Department of Student
Life, Services for Students with Disabilities in Room B118 of Cain Hall, or call 845-1637.
Copyright and Plagiarism policy: The materials used in this course are copyrighted. These materials include but are not
limited to syllabi, quizzes, exams, lab problems, in-class materials, review sheets, and additional problem sets. Because
these materials are copyrighted, you do not have the right to copy the handouts, unless permission is expressly granted.
As commonly defined, plagiarism consists of passing off as one’s own the ideas, words, writings, etc., which belong to
another. In accordance with this definition, you are committing plagiarism if you copy the work of another person and
turn it in as your own, even is you should have the permission of that person. Plagiarism is one of the worst academic
sins, for the plagiarist destroys the trust among colleagues without which research cannot be safely communicated.
If you have any questions regarding plagiarism, please consult the latest issue of the Texas A&M University Student Rules,
http://student-rules.tamu.edu, under the section “Scholastic Dishonesty.”
Aggie Honor System Office website: http://www.tamu.edu/aggiehonor/