Course
Discontinued
No
Course Code
GEOG 2210
Descriptive
Climatology
Department
Geography and the Environment
Faculty
Humanities & Social Sciences
Credits
3.00
Start Date
End Term
201620
PLAR
Yes
Semester Length
15
Max Class Size
35
Contact Hours
Lecture 2 hrs. per week
Lab 2 hrs. per week
Method(s) Of Instruction
Lecture
Lab
Learning Activities
This course will employ a variety of instructional methods to accomplish its objectives, including some of the following:
- Lecture
- Labs
- Field Work
- Slides/Videos
- Individual and/or Team Projects
- Small Group Discussions
- Map Analysis
Course Description
This study of physical and dynamic climatologic processes and principles follows from Geography 1110. Atmospheric energy, moisture and momentum constitute the framework in which observed elements such as temperature, humidity and wind are employed to exemplify climatologic and meteorologic principles. Environmental issues involving human impacts such as air pollution, urban heat islands, global warming and ozone depletion are also examined.
Course Content
- Introduction to Climatology
- Energy Principles and Concepts:
- Types of energy
- Energy dimensions
- Laws of Thermodynamics
- Radiation - The Radiation Balance
- Radiation Laws and distribution
- Energy
- Energy budgets
- Transfers and exchanges
- Pattern of distribution
- Atmospheric Moisture
- Measurement of humidity
- Condensation processes
- Solution to curvature effects
- Adiabatic Processes and Stability
- Adiabatic lapse rates
- Construction and use of tephigrams
- Cloud development
- Potential temperature
- Wet bulb potential temperature
- Precipitation formation and measurements
- Atmospheric Circulation
- Forces affecting air motion
- Surface and upper air circulation
- Interaction between upper air circulation and surface conditions
- Regional winds
- Local winds
- Global Circulation
- Climatic classification and indices
- Climatic controls - climatic patterns
- Applications of Climatology
- Hydrometeorology
- Agroclimatology
- Human comfort indices
- Climatic controls and indices
- Climate Change
- Anthropogenic
- Urban climates
- Air pollution
Learning Outcomes
At the conclusion of the course the student will be able to:
- Describe and use the frameworks of science applicable to 2nd-year physical geography.
- Describe and explain the forms and exchanges of radiation and heat energy and discuss the laws applicable to the development of a radiation balance for the earth and its atmosphere.
- Explain the constructs and quantitative representations of energy and moisture budgets and their connections to different observed environmental conditions.
- Compute adiabatic lapse rates and evaluate conditions of stability and instability in the atmosphere including the use of temperature entropy diagrams.
- Describe and explain the forces controlling air motion and the resultant types of wind patterns.
- Describe and explain the relationship between upper level circulation and surface pressure patterns.
- Describe and explain methods employed to measure climatologic elements.
- Describe atmospheric conditions contributing to air pollution and the anthropogenic implications of air pollution.
Discuss applications of climatology to water resource and agricultural contexts.
Means of Assessment
The evaluation will be based on course objectives and will be carried out in accordance with Douglas College policy. The instructor will provide a written course outline with specific evaluation criteria during the first week of classes.
An example of an evaluation scheme would be:
| Labs | 30% |
| Project | 20% |
| Lab Exam | 10% |
| Midterm Exam | 20% |
| Final Exam | 20% |
| Total | 100% |
Textbook Materials
Texts will be updated periodically. A typical example of a text would be:
- Ahrens, Donald. (2003). Meteorology Today: An Introduction To Weather, Climate, and the Environment (7th ed.). Pacific Grove, California: Thompson Learning, Inc.
Prerequisites