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Minor Atmospheric Science (18 credits)

Note: This is the 2014–2015 edition of the eCalendar. Update the year in your browser's URL bar for the most recent version of this page, or click here to jump to the newest eCalendar.

Offered by: Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences     Degree: Bachelor of Science

Program Requirements

This Minor may be taken in conjunction with any program in the Faculty of Science.

Required Courses (15 credits)

  • ATOC 214 Introduction: Physics of the Atmosphere (3 credits)

    Offered by: Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences : An introduction to physical meteorology designed for students in the physical sciences. Topics include: composition of the atmosphere; heat transfer; the upper atmosphere; atmospheric optics; formation of clouds and precipitation; instability; adiabatic charts.

    Terms: Fall 2014

    Instructors: Yau, Man K (Fall)

    • Fall

    • 3 hours lecture

    • Prerequisite: CEGEP Physics, or the combination of PHYS 131 and PHYS 142, or permission of instructor.

  • ATOC 215 Oceans, Weather and Climate (3 credits)

    Offered by: Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences : Laws of motion, geostrophic wind, gradient wind. General circulation of the atmosphere and oceans, local circulation features. Air-sea interaction, including hurricanes and sea-ice formation, extra-tropical weather systems and fronts, role of the atmosphere and oceans in climate.

    Terms: Winter 2015

    Instructors: Yau, Man K (Winter)

    • Winter

    • 3 hours lecture

    • Prerequisite: ATOC 214

  • ATOC 309 Weather Radars and Satellites (3 credits)

    Offered by: Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences : Basic notions of radiative transfer and applications of satellite and radar data to mesoscale and synoptic-scale systems are discussed. Emphasis will be put on the contribution of remote sensing to atmospheric and oceanic sciences.

    Terms: Winter 2015

    Instructors: Fabry, Frederic; Huang, Yi (Winter)

    • Winter

    • 3 hours lecture

    • Prerequisite: ATOC 215

  • ATOC 315 Thermodynamics and Convection (3 credits)

    Offered by: Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences : Buoyancy, stability, and vertical oscillations. Dry and moist adiabatic processes. Resulting dry and precipitating convective circulations from the small scale to the global scale. Mesoscale precipitation systems from the cell to convective complexes. Severe convection, downbursts, mesocyclones.

    Terms: Fall 2014

    Instructors: Ioannidou, Evangelia (Fall)

Either of the following courses:

  • ATOC 219 Introduction to Atmospheric Chemistry (3 credits)

    Offered by: Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences : An introduction to the basic topics in atmospheric chemistry. The fundamentals of the chemical composition of the atmosphere and its chemical reactions. Selected topics such as smog chamber, acid rain, and ozone hole will be examined.

    Terms: Winter 2015

    Instructors: Preston, Thomas (Winter)

  • CHEM 219 Introduction to Atmospheric Chemistry (3 credits)

    Offered by: Chemistry (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Chemistry : An introduction to the basic topics in atmospheric chemistry. The fundamentals of the chemical composition of the atmosphere and its chemical reactions. Selected topics such as; a smog chamber, acid rain, and the ozone hole, will be examined.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2014-2015 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2014-2015 academic year.

Complementary Course (3 credits)

3 credits from the following:

  • ATOC 312 Rotating Fluid Dynamics (3 credits)

    Offered by: Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences : Lagrangian and Eulerian time derivatives. Vorticity, divergence and Helmholtz decomposition. Two-dimensional Navier-Stokes equation for non-divergent flows. Rotating coordinate systems and the shallow water equations. Linear solutions, potential vorticity, and geostrophy in the shallow water context. Shallow-water quasi-geostrophic approximation, including Rossby waves and barotrophic (Rayleigh) instability.

    Terms: Fall 2014

    Instructors: Kirshbaum, Daniel (Fall)

  • ATOC 357 Atmospheric and Oceanic Science Laboratory (3 credits)

    Offered by: Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences : Students will gain hands-on experience in several fundamental atmospheric and oceanic science topics through practical experimentation. A diverse set of experiments will be conducted, ranging from in situ observations in Montreal, to remote sensing of clouds and radiation, to laboratory chemistry and water-tank experiments. As a background for these experiments, students will receive training on sensor principles and measurement error analysis, as well as the fundamental physical processes of interest in each experiment. They will learn to operate, and physically interpret data from, various sensors for in situ and remote observation of meteorological variables. Their training will also extend to operational weather observations, analysis, and forecasting.

    Terms: Winter 2015

    Instructors: Kos, Gregor (Winter)

    • Prerequisite(s): ATOC 214 or permission of instructor.

Faculty of Science—2014-2015 (last updated Feb. 18, 2014) (disclaimer)
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