2006-08 Course Descriptions - Catalog - University of Oklahoma

Meteorology (METR)The Uni ver sity of Oklahoma 2006-2008 Gen eral Cat a log4330 Information Technology Skills for Meteorology (slashlisted with5330). Prerequisite: grade of C or better in CS 1313 or permission ofinstructor. The use of computers and networks to process the informationof meteorology. Workstation skills, computer operating systems, programminglanguages, the internet, computer graphics, analysis and display ofmeteorological data. No student may credit for both 4330 and 5330. (Irreg.)G4424 Synoptic Meteorology Laboratory. Prerequisite: Grade of C orbetter in 3123 and 3223. This course is a lecture/laboratory coursedesigned to provide students a physical understanding of atmosphericprinciples. Students are challenged to explain theoretical concepts and todemonstrate a mastery in understanding various physical processesincluding the theory and practice of weather analysis and forecasting,surface and upper air analysis, fronts and wave cyclones, satellitemeteorology, sounding analysis, thermodynamic diagram, cross sections,forecasting, NMC models, MOS, radar meteorology, and severe weather.Communications skills are emphasized. (F)G4433 Mesoscale Meteorology. Prerequisite: Grade of C or better in4133, 4424. Structure and dynamics of convective and mesoscalephenomena including: mesoscale convective systems, severethunderstorms, tornadoes, low-level jets, mountain waves and hurricanes.Discussion of the general behavior, characteristics, and dynamics of theformation and development of these phenomena, and the types ofweather and hazards they produce. (Sp)4491 Weather Briefing (Slashlisted with 5491). Prerequisite: Grade of Cor better in 3113, 3213. Students prepare and present daily weatherbriefing. The briefing should demonstrate ability to synthesize currentweather information on all scales, prepare a forecast and communicate thisclearly and succinctly to an audience. Can be repeated for credit up to fourhours. No student may earn credit for both 4491 and 5491. (F, Sp)G4613 Satellite Meteorology. Prerequisite: Grade of C or better in 3123,3223. Survey of satellite meteorology and climatology. History ofmeteorological satellites, radiation, orbital mechanics, satellite systems anddata processing, basic image interpretation, cloud-drift winds, precipitation,temperature soundings, tropical cyclone, mesoscale, and synoptic-scaleanalysis and forecasting, cloud, water vapor and precipitation climatology,radiation budget. Laboratory (Irreg.)G4624 Radar Meteorology. Prerequisite: Grade of C or better in 3223,3613, Mathematics 3413 or 3113. Develops quantitative relationshipsbetween physical characteristics of targets illuminated by a pulse ofelectromagnetic energy and the quantities measured by weather radar.Capabilities and limitations of radar designs are studied relative tometeorological applications. Doppler principles, including interpretation ofdata, are provided. Polarimetric and phased array radar are introduced.Experience is gained in hands-on exercises with weather radars andcomputer based labs. (Sp)G4633 Hydrometeorology. Prerequisite: Grade of C or better in 3123,3223 or permission of instructor. Interdisciplinary emphasis on mesoscaleprecipitation processes, applications of new hydrometeorological observingsystems, and on the interactions between meteorology and hydrologyduring flood events. (Irreg.)4643 Physics of Planetary Atmospheres (slashlisted with 5643).Prerequisite: Grade of C or better in 3113, 3213, Physics 2524,Mathematics 3113 or permission of instructor. This course will provide anintegrated overview of planetary sciences, emphasizing planetary formationand evolution, the atmospheres of the planets, and atmosphere/surfaceinteractions. The interrelationships among different systems will beemphasized. The goal is to provide insight on how we decipher details ofdistant planets, and the differences ad similarities among the planets of oursolar system. No student may earn credit for both 4643 and 5643. (Irreg.)4653 Air pollution Meteorology and Modeling (Slashlisted with 5653).Prerequisite: grade of C or better in 3113, 3213. Presents an overview ofatmospheric dispersion problems and relevant weather systems with anemphasis on processes in the atmospheric boundary layer. Basic conceptsand theories of turbulent transport and mixing are introduced and differentdispersion theories and modeling approaches are discussed. No studentmay earn credit for both 4653 and 5653. (Irreg.)4663 Radar Engineering (Slashlisted with 5663, Crosslisted withElectrical and Computer Engineering 4663). Prerequisite: grade of C orbetter in Electrical and Computer Engineering 3613, or permission.Introduction to radar system designs and applications with emphasis onweather radar. Radar system architecture and their functionalities andlimitations of subsystems are discussed. Theories of radar detection andestimation in a noisy and cluttered environment; existing technologies andadvanced techniques to improve radar performance. No student may earncredit in both 4663 and 5663. (F)G4803 Selected Topics in Meteorology. Prerequisite: permission ofinstructor. May be repeated with change of subject matter; maximumcredit 12 hours. Topics may include aspects of atmospheric dynamics andsevere-storm forecasting, experimental design, economic meteorology,weather modification, climate, radiation, aviation weather, etc. (Irreg.)4911 Senior Seminar (Capstone). Prerequisite: Grade of C or better in3123, 3223. With 4922, satisfies Capstone course requirement. Theinstructor will guide senior meteorology majors through planning of aresearch project. Interdisciplinary topics are encouraged and library workwill be required. Students will be paired with regular or adjunct facultymentors. Senior doctoral students may serve as mentors with permissionfrom the instructor. The result of 4911 will be a mini-proposal which willserve as a guide for the senior research project. In addition, the instructormay present professional skills useful during job search, early employment,and graduate school application and attendance. Note that METR 4922should be taken following this course. (F, Sp) [V]4913 Senior Seminar. Prerequisite: grade of C or better in 3113 and 3223.Satisfies the capstone course requirement. The instructor will guide seniormeteorology majors on a research project. Interdisciplinary topics will beencouraged and library work is required. Students will complete writtenand oral presentations of a senior thesis. (F, Sp) [V]4922 Senior Seminar II (Capstone). Prerequisite: Grade of C or better in3123, 3223, 4911. with 4911, satisfies the Capstone course requirement.The instructor will guide students as they follow the research planestablished in the mini-proposa completed in METR 4911. Library workwill continue to be required with development of research methodologyand analysis of results. Students will continue to work with faculty (seniordoctoral student) mentors. The culmination of the two-course Capstonesequence will be a written and oral presentation of the senior thesis. Theskills learned in Capstone I and II will be useful whether the student isemployed in academia, government, or the private sector. (F, Sp) [V]4990 Special Problems in Meteorology. 1 to 4 hours. Prerequisite: permissionof instructor. May be repeated with change of subject matter. (F, Sp, Su)G5103 Boundary Layer Meteorology. Prerequisite: 3113, Mathematics3113. Transfer processes near the earth’s surface, turbulence, the planetaryboundary layer, air mass modification, fog formation, pollutant transport.G5113 Advanced Atmospheric Dynamics I. Prerequisite: Mathematics4163 or permission of instructor. Basic fluid dynamics, equations ofmotion, vorticity dynamics, scale analysis, shallow water equations, linearwave dynamics, gravity waves, Rossby waves, quasi-geostrophic motions. (F)G5123 Advanced Atmospheric Dynamics II. Prerequisite: 5113 orpermission of instructor. Shallow water theory in a rotating referenceframe, waves and instabilities, thermal convection and chaos, internalwaves, anelastic approximation, baroclinic instability, symmetric instabilityand frontogenesis, general circulation of the atmosphere.G5223 Atmospheric Radiation. Prerequisite: 3213, Mathematics 3113, orpermission of instructor. Theory of radiative transfer, spectra of gaseousmolecules, use of band models for radiative calculations, interaction ofsolar radiation with atmospheres, infrared radiative transfer in atmospheres,radiative cooling and heating, scattering, climate and radiation, remotesensing. (Sp)G5233 Cloud and Precipitation Physics. Prerequisite: 3223, Mathematics3113. Development of thermodynamical relationships and generalizedClausius-Clapeyron equation, phase diagrams, atmospheric aerosols,review of hydrodynamics of flow past particles, collision and coalescenceefficiency, theory of nucleation, precipitation growth, observations withradar, electrical state of the atmosphere. (F)G5243 Atmospheric Electrodynamics. Prerequisite: permission of instructor.Global electrical circuit, fair-weather electricity, storm electrification,charging mechanisms, electrical discharges, lightning, thunder,instrumentation and observing systems, meteorological applications.G5303 Objective Analysis. Prerequisite: 4133, Mathematics 3113,Engineering 3723, or equivalent. Introduction to techniques used inobjective analysis of meteorological data; polynomial fitting; method ofsuccessive corrections; weighting functions; statistical methods; optimuminterpolation; filter design; four-dimensional data assimilation. (F)G5323 Time Series Analysis I. Prerequisite: Mathematics 4733 or 4753,computer programming. Data collected from geophysical phenomena areconsidered as stochastic processes. The resulting time series are149 Course Descriptions