For further information on the graduate program, please contact the Academic Counselor (kathryn@atmos.washington.edu).
Rapid growth of research in atmospheric sciences began in the late 1940s in
response to needs and opportunities in weather forecasting. Extensive research
is now underway to extend the time scale over which useful forecasts can be made
and to increase the amount of regional and temporal detail in short-range
forecasts. In addition, the atmospheric sciences now address a broad range of
other problems of fundamental interest and importance. Examples include changes
in climate that could result from increases in atmospheric CO2 and other
greenhouse gases, acid rain associated with industrial effluents, and the
application of remote-sensing techniques to the monitoring and understanding of
weather and climate.
Graduate students in the atmospheric sciences come from a variety of
disciplines: physics, chemistry, engineering, atmospheric, or geophysical
sciences, and applied mathematics. Opportunities are broad enough that each of
these backgrounds is valuable for specific fields within the atmospheric
sciences. However, students of atmospheric sciences should have in common a
sound background in the fundamentals of physics and applied mathematics and an
interest in complex natural phenomena. Research projects and graduate courses in
the Department of Atmospheric Sciences are closely related, and the
well-prepared graduate student may expect to begin research work rather quickly.
For most students, the first year of graduate study is devoted largely to
basic courses in atmospheric sciences and mathematical methods. Virtually all
students devote at least half-time to research that may include experimental
laboratory work, observations in the field, data analysis, numerical simulation,
and mathematical analysis.
Research in the atmospheric sciences often extends beyond the strict limits
of the subject into other areas of geophysical and environmental sciences.
Depending upon their special interests, students may take courses in physics,
mathematics, chemistry, oceanography, geophysics, engineering, and other fields.
The Department of Atmospheric Sciences offers programs of graduate study
leading to the degrees of Master of Sciences (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy
(Ph.D.). The department also cooperates in offering studies leading to degrees
of M.S. and Ph.D. under the interdepartmental Geophysics and Atmospheric
Chemistry Programs, participates in the Astrobiology graduate program
www.astro.washington.edu/astrobio,
the Global and Environmental Chemistry (GEC) Program
www.ocean.washington.edu/gec
and under less formal arrangements with other degree-granting units on campus.
Research assistantships are available for graduate students working towards
advanced degrees. Graduate students are required to spend one quarter as a
teaching assistant at some stage during their graduate career. Normally,
assistantships may be held for up to three years for the M.S. Program and five
years for the Ph.D. Program.
Each candidate for an advanced degree is expected to attend Department of Atmospheric Sciences colloquia, and to participate in the Graduate Student Forum, which meets to discuss academic and nonacademic issues of interest to graduate students.
Fields of Graduate Study and Research
The faculty, staff, and students in the Department of Atmospheric Sciences
at the University of Washington are engaged in the study of a broad range of
atmospheric phenomena and processes, using methods ranging from mathematical
analysis to field experimentation. Research projects range in size from small
studies involving individual scientists to large national and international
programs involving teams of scientists.
Research groups in the department are concerned with Atmospheric Chemistry,
Atmospheric Dynamics, Boundary-Layer Processes, Cloud and Aerosol Research,
Glaciology and Planetary Atmospheres, Cloud , Storms, Weather Analysis and
Forecasting, Climate, Global change, Airflow over mountains, and other topics.
Some groups maintain special research facilities for the use of their students.
In some of these activities, there is close cooperation with the nearby Pacific
Marine Environmental Laboratories at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) Regional Center through the Joint Institute for the Study
of the Atmosphere and Ocean (JISAO). Faculty members often have interests in
more than one area, and research projects frequently involve questions of broad
scope that do not fall neatly into a single category. This is particularly true
of research projects directed toward understanding the chemical and physical
modification of the environment by human activities.
The major research groups within the department are described below. A
number of specific research topics currently under study are also highlighted.
Atmospheric Chemistry
The atmosphere is chemically complex and evolving due to natural events, biological and anthropogenic activities; it has fundamental chemical links to the oceans, the solid earth and the biota. The global concentrations of several trace gases are observed to be increasing at rates that are predicted to cause significant long-lived changes in the chemical and radiative properties of the atmosphere. The physical state of the stratosphere is dominated by the photochemistry of ozone and oxygen strongly influenced by water, nitrogen oxides and chlorinated molecules. the adverse health effects of air pollution, the acidity of precipitation and degradation of visibility are influenced by the chemistry of ozone, nitrogen and sulfur oxides, organic molecules and free radicals. A change in global climate may result from the effects of gases and aerosols on the earth's radiation balance either directly or indirectly by interactions with clouds.
Laboratory and field experiments and modeling by atmospheric chemists are directed at determining chemical composition and chemical processes in the atmosphere and in turn their effects on the atmosphere, and on a larger scale the biogeochemistry of the earth. The research deals with the trace gas measurements and the physical, chemical and optical properties of particles, focusing on a range of topics from analytical techniques and instrumental development to global climate models which use the measurements as input and also guide the development of analytical techniques and the logistics of large scale field measurement programs. Atmospheric chemistry research at the University of Washington can be found in the Departments of Atmospheric Sciences, and Chemistry, and in the School of Oceanography.
Atmospheric Dynamics
Atmospheric Dynamics involves observational and theoretical analysis of all
motion systems of meteorological significance, including such diverse phenomena
as thunderstorms, tornadoes, tropical hurricanes, extratropical cyclones, jet
streams, and global-scale oscillations. The immediate goal of dynamical studies
is to explain the observed circulation systems on the basis of fundamental
physical principles. The practical objectives of such studies include improving
weather prediction, developing methods for prediction of short-term (seasonal
and interannual) climate fluctuations, and understanding the implications of
human-induced perturbations (e.g., increased carbon dioxide concentrations or
depletion of the ozone layer) on the global climate.
The observational capabilities provided by satellite remote sensing and
Doppler radars and the numerical modeling capabilities provided by modern
digital computers have enormously increased the ability of dynamicists to
observe and analyze motion systems on a variety of scales. These and other
research tools are employed by the department in studying a variety of motion
systems including mesoscale phenomena, tropical convective systems, global
weather and climate, and the circulation of the stratosphere.
The department has active research programs in the numerical modeling of
mesoscale convective systems, mountain waves, planetary-scale waves, and the
global circulation of the atmosphere.
Boundary-Layer Research
The structure and dynamics of the lowest layer of the atmosphere which
comprises the planetary boundary layer (PBL) are of vital importance for the
understanding of weather and climate, the dispersion of pollutants, and the
exchange of heat, water vapor, and momentum with the underlying surface.
Processes of special interest within the PBL include the vertical transfer of
momentum, heat and water vapor by turbulence, and the absorption and emission of
radiation at the surface and within the atmosphere. One focus of the
Boundary-Layer Research Group's efforts is on the development and testing of
instrumentation for measuring the turbulent fluctuations of velocity components,
temperature and humidity. Another focus is on the theoretical analysis and
interpretation of turbulent statistics and flow dynamics. The importance of
instabilities, secondary flows, and coherent structures has been an important
part of this study. The area of air-sea interaction has been a primary area of
research. Several large experiments have been conducted by the department.
Present emphasis is on the role of the boundary layer in the growth and decay of
cyclones and satellite capabilities in ocean measurements.
Faculty and students are engaged in a variety of field and theoretical
projects including the study of surface fluxes, mesoscale variations in
boundary-layer structure, and effects of variable terrain and variable seastate.
Observations have been made from fixed towers, floating buoys, ships, tethered
balloons, aircraft, and satellites. Data from satellite instruments such as
scatterometers and multichannel scanning microwave radiometers are being used to
infer the global structure of the marine planetary boundary layer. Field studies
are made jointly with teams from other universities and research institutes.
Departmental researchers have participated in many international research
programs in many parts of the globe, from the tropics to the Arctic.
Climate Fluctuations and Change
As human activity begins to alter atmospheric composition and climate on a
global scale, the challenge of understanding the global system comprised of
atmosphere, ocean, ice and land vegetation takes on a heightened sense of
urgency. Climate reserach is also motivated by the hope of substantial economic
benefits to be realized from improved weather and climate prediction on time
scales ranging from weeks to seasons or longer.
Faculty and students in the department are engaged in a number of projects directed toward a better understanding of climate variability and long-term climate change, including: dynamics of atmospheric variability on time scales of weeks or longer and its relation to extreme events such as droughts and unseasonable warmth or cold; the El Nino phenomenon in the equatorial Pacific and its effects on global climate; decadal variability in the mid-latitude and polar regions; the predictability of El Nino and other natural climate phenomenon; long term variability of the deep ocean circulation driven by gradients of heat and salt; the role of clouds, aerosols, sea-ice and land vegetation in determining the sensitivity of the climate system; and the problem of distinguishing between natural climate variability and climate change induced by human activity. The research involves the analysis of global data sets, many of them derived from satellite observations, and experiments with an array of numerical models of the various components of the climate system.
Cloud and Aerosol Research
The Cloud and Aerosol Research Group (CARG) is concerned with three broad areas of research that overlap in many important ways: atmospheric aerosols and trace gases, the physics and chemistry of clouds and precipitation, and mesoscale processes associated with cloud and precipitation systems.
The atmospheric aerosol and trace gas studies are concerned with the origins of various particles and gases in the air and their effects on the atmosphere on local, regional and global scales. This has involved the group in airborne measurements in many locations around the world and in studies of the emissions of particles and gases from the ocean, volcanos, forest fires and industries. Recent field projects have been carried out in the Arctic, Atlantic Ocean, Persian Gulf, several locations in North America and in Brazil.
For many years the group has been engaged in studies of the structures of clouds and the various processes that can lead to precipitation. Although rooted in field observations, this work includes conceptual and numerical model development. Current studies include the effects of clouds on the radiative balance of the earth and climate.
The CARG is deeply involved in mesoscale studies of cloud and precipitation systems. One of the unique aspects of these studies is the blending of synoptic, mesoscale and microscale analyses. These studies have led to new conceptual models for the structures of winter cyclones on the west coast, east coast and central United States.
Cloud Dynamics, Precipitation Processes,
and Storms
These studies are concerned with the organization of air motions and precipitation processes in all types of clouds, ranging from oceanic stratus clouds to tropical convection to fronts passing over mountain ranges. This area of research emphasizes the analysis of observations of storms by aircraft, radar and satellite and interpretation of the data via numerical modeling of the clouds. These studies aim to help understand the role of clouds and precipitation in the global atmospheric circulation and climate and to improve the forecasting of precipitation and severe weather.
Students and faculty often participate in field experiments to study precipitating cloud systems in various locations around the world. A shipborne radar is presently being used to study tropical convection and stratus clouds and a radar on Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands to verify measurements with a radar on a satellite. Aircraft radar is being used to study the precipitation produced by fronts moving over the coastal mountains of California. Projects are in progress for studying precipitation in the Italian Alps and over Taiwan.
Glaciology
The glaciological research in the Department is aimed toward understanding and predicting the behavior of snow and ice and their role in regional and global climate. The radiative properties of snow, sea ice, and pure ice across the solar spectrum and in the thermal infrared are being studied in cold-room laboratories, and in the field (both the Arctic and Antarctic). Microwave properties of sea ice are being investigated experimentally and theoretically for application to satellite remote sensing. The heat and mass exchanges involved in the growth and decay of sea ice, and air/sea interaction in the presence of an ice cover, are studied by experiments in the Arctic Ocean and by computer modeling. The wind-driven circulation of sea ice is studied both theoretically and with the use of drifting buoys. Researchers from the Department have been conducting multiplidisciplinary fieldwork in the Arctic Ocean and adjacent seas since 1957. Students in the Department are part of the large and active glaciological community at the University, which includes members in the Geophysics Program (glacier dynamics), the Quaternary Research Center (glacial geology; permafrost; isotope chemistry of polar ice cores), and the Oceanography Department (polar oceanography).The Polar Science Center, a branch of the Applied Physics Laboratory, is dedicated to research in high-latitude oceanography, sea ice, air sea interaction, and remote sensing with special emphasis on ice and snow.
Mesoscale Meteorology
Mesoscale meteorology is the study of atmospheric phenomena with typical spatial scales between 10 and 1000 km and time scales between one-half hour and two days. Examples of mesoscale phenomena include thunderstorms, downslope windstorms, land-sea breezes, and squall lines. Many of the weather phenomena that most directly impact human activity occur on the mesoscale. Research in mesoscale meteorology has been spurred by recent advances in observational and numerical modeling capabilities that have greatly improved the tools used by atmospheric scientists to study mesoscale weather systems. Faculty and students in the department are actively involved in a large number of different research projects in mesoscale meteorology. These include studies of convective cloud clusters and squall lines in the tropics and mid-latitudes, studies of precipitation bands along fronts, the investigation of marine stratus and strato-cumulus over the sub-tropical oceans, and research on topographically forced flows such as downslope windstorms, the blocking and channeling of the winds by orography, and the prediction of precipitation in complex terrain. These phenomena are studied using in situ observations, remote sensing, and both idealized and highly detailed mathematical models. Many local weather phenomena of the Pacific Northwest are also under study in the department, where a very high resolution weather forecast model for the Puget Sound region is run twice daily on an operational basis.
Planetary Atmospheres
The behavior of the atmospheres of other planets is of interest in its own
right and may also provide insights of value in the study of our own atmosphere
and climate system. A small effort, focussed primarily on Mars, uses spacecraft
data (including ongoing Mars missions) and computer simulation models to improve
our understanding of the dynamics of planetary atmospheres.
Radiative Transfer and Remote Sensing
The rapid growth in atmospheric radiation studies in recent years is a result both of the increasing use of satellites to monitor atmospheric phenomena and of the increased emphasis on climate modeling. Because satellites measure only radiation, the interpretation of their data requires the study of radiative transfer in the atmosphere. There are also many applications of radiative transfer to studies of solar and infrared radiation in the surface and atmospheric heat budgets.
Current and recent research projects include the use of satellite data for microwave remote sensing of sea-surface temperatures, winds, humidity and liquid and ice content of clouds, infrared remote sensing of upper atmosphere composition and dynamics, and evaluation of the influence of clouds on the regional and interannual variations of the earth's radiation budget. Surface and aircraft fieldwork includes studies of solar and infrared radiation over the sea surface, microwave properties of sea ice, and light-absorption properties of atmospheric aerosols. Theoretical work is underway to explain the radiative properties of snow and sea ice surfaces, to examine radiative processes in the upper atmosphere, and to study the influence of radiation on the maintenance of stratus clouds.
Collaboration between researchers in Atmospheric Sciences and Oceanography Departments and the Applied Physics Laboratory will produce an integrated satellite view of the global climate system including air, land, sea and ice.
Stratospheric Dynamics
Study of the circulation of the stratosphere and mesosphere has greatly expanded in the past decade due primarily to concern about human impacts on the stratospheric ozone layer. The University of Washington has one of the most active stratospheric dynamics research groups in the world. The group's efforts are divided between analysis of observational data and theoretical studies based on numerical models. A primary area of emphasis for the group is study of the dynamical interactions between the troposphere and the stratosphere, including the transfer of momentum and trace constituents across the tropopause. This effort requires understanding of the influence of both large- and small-scale wave motions on the momentum balance and mass circulation of the stratosphere. Members of the group are active in analysis and interpretation of data from the NASA Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS). The group also employs a variety of models, ranging from global scale circulation models to mesoscale convective storm models in its study of the links between the troposphere and the stratosphere.
Synoptic Meteorology
Synoptic meteorology has traditionally been concerned with the analysis and
prediction of large-scale weather systems, such as extratropical cyclones and
their associated fronts and jet streams. An important aim of synoptic training
is to acquaint the student with the structure and behavior of the real
atmosphere. This is accomplished formally through coursework and informally
through the maintenance of a facility for display of weather information
including station reports, satellite pictures, and a wide variety of weather
maps and prognostic charts. An expanding interactive computer system allows
convenient display and manipulation of meteorological data. The department
maintains an extensive archive of weather maps, satellite imagery, and station
reports.
Recent synoptic research in the department has dealt with such diverse
subjects as the large-scale tropical and subtropical disturbances, extratropical
cyclones, polar lows, the interactions between tropical and extratropical
systems, and the large-scale effects of volcanic eruptions. Modeling and
observational analyses are combined in an integrated approach to synoptic
meteorology.
ASSISTANTSHIP AND
APPLICATION INFORMATION
Admission as a graduate student in Atmospheric Sciences is very competitive. A minimum undergraduate grade-point average of 3.0 (B average) is required. The Department requires that all applicants take the Aptitude Test portion of the Graduate Record Examination. Information concerning the GRE may be obtained by writing Graduate Record Examinations, Box 955, Princeton, NJ, 08540, U.S.A.
The Graduate School Application form should be sent to the Graduate School in the envelope provided in the admissions packet, along with the $48.50 admissions fee. It is also possible to send the Graduate School Application form in via the web, by going to: https://www.grad.washington.edu/application/. There is also information at this site to enable the international applicant to submit the Preliminary application form online, thereby saving considerable time in the application process.
The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores, an original copy of the transcript, the yellow copy of the application for admission, the Assistantship and Fellowship Application (with a statement of educational and professional objectives) and letters of recommendation should all be sent to the Department of Atmospheric Sciences. Applications for admission to the Autumn Quarter, 1999 must be made prior to 1 February 1999. This includes the Research Assistantship Application. We make our first offers during the first week of February.
Students whose native language is not English must take the Test of English as a Second Language (TOEFL). Successful applicants with a score of less than 580 will be required to take an English as a Second Language course during their first quarter of residence.
Students entering at the post-M.S. level should have a letter supporting their application from the professor with whom they have worked most closely. This should explain why the applicant has chosen to change graduate programs after completing the M.S. degree.
The stipends for beginning Research Assistants for the 1998-9 year are approximately $1110 per month during the academic year, and approximately twice that amount per month for the three summer months, for a total of $16,650 per annum. Tuition is paid for Research Assistants, as well as medical, visual and dental insurance. Research Assistants are expected to work half-time, 20 hours per week, on research.
Most graduate students are required to serve as Teaching Assistants for one quarter, usually in their second graduate year. The TA stipend will be at the same rate as the student's research assistantship
While the graduate program has no specific prerequisites, it is generally
recommended that at least two years of mathematics (beginning with calculus and
going through differential equations) be taken prior to applying for admission
into the program, as well as one and one half years of calculus-based physics.
Other courses in mathematics, computer science, and the various physical
sciences would also be appropriate, depending upon a student's interest in a
specific aspect of the atmospheric sciences. (A student interested in
atmospheric chemistry might, for example, take additional courses in chemistry).
After admission into the program, each student must confer with the Graduate Program Coordinator prior to registration in the Graduate School. On the basis of the student's academic background and goals, an individual program of studies is agreed upon by the student and the Graduate Program Coordinator. All full-time students normally register for 18 credits (including research and thesis credits) in each quarter that they are enrolled.
Graduate students entering the Department of Atmospheric Sciences will be assigned a primary faculty advisor. During the first year of study all students must qualify to begin research work toward either the M.S. or Ph.D. degree. When the student qualifies for entry into a program of study toward a graduate degree, a supervisory committtee is established with the primary faculty advisor as chairman.
Students may qualify for study toward a master's degree by acquiring a result of Pass on the Qualifying Examination or by writing an acceptable Master's Thesis Proposal. Students who pass the Qualifying Examination with Distinction usually embark upon a program of Ph.D. research, but they may also elect to write an M.S. thesis.
Students may qualify for entry into a program of study toward the Ph.D. degree either by passing the Qualifying Examination with Distinction or by passing the examination at the Pass level and then demonstrating their ability for independent scholarship and research in the process of completing a master's thesis of exceptional quality.
Students who attempt the Qualifying Examination or the M.S. Thesis Proposal
and fail to achieve satisfactory results will be carefully reviewed by their
supervisory committee. The committee may recommend that the student leave the
program or that the student undertake a program of remedial study before
proceeding toward an M.S.degree.
AUTUMN:
ATMS 501 (5) Fundamentals of Physical and Synoptic Meteorology.
Should be taken by all students, except those with exceptionally strong
backgrounds in atmospheric sciences.
ATMS 505 (4) Introduction to Fluid Dynamics. Should be taken by all
first-year students.*
* Students whose anticipated research has minimal connection with
atmospheric dynamics, such as those involved in laboratory or field work in
atmospheric chemistry or cloud microphysics, may take ATMS 441 and 442 in place
of ATMS 505 and 509. Please see the Graduate Program Coordinator before
enrolling in ATMS 441.
Select one of the following:
AMATH 567 (5) Analysis in Engineering I
AMATH 401 (4) Analytical Methods in Engineering I
If the student already has the equivalent of a year of graduate-level
applied mathematics, then one of the following courses may be considered instead
of the above math course:
AMATH 584 (3) Applied Linear Algebra and Numerical Methods
ATMS 458 (4) Introduction to Air Chemistry
EE 505 (4) Intro. Probability
GPHYS 404 (3) Intro. Oceans
OCEAN 421 (3) Chemical Oceanography
GPHYS 408 (4) Geochemical Cycles
Also select ATMS 520 (1), plus one seminar: ATMS 521, 523,
or 524 (1), plus ATMS 600 up to 10 credits, for a total of 18
credits.
WINTER:
ATMS 509 (4) Geophysical Fluid Dynamics I. Should be taken by all
students.
Select one of the following:
AMATH 402 (4) Analytical Methods in Eng. II
AMATH 568 (5) Analysis in Eng. II
Select one of the following (two if the student already has the equivalent
of one year of graduate-level mathematics):
ATM S 535 (3) Cloud Physics
ATM S 525 (2) Air Pollution
AMATH 585 (3) Approximate and Numerical Analysis II
EE 508 (3) Stochastic Processes
Plus ATMS 520 (1), and ATMS 521, 524 (1) as appropriate,
plus ATMS 600, up to 10 credits.
SPRING:
ATMS 502 (3) Introduction to Synoptic Meteorology. Should be taken
by all students.
Select two from the following list:
ATMS 533 (3) Radiation
ATMS 542 (3) Dynamic Meteorology
ATMS 536 (3) Mesoscale Dynamics
ATMS 547 (3) Boundary-Layer Dynamics
ATMS 452 (5) Forecasting Laboratory
AMATH 569 (3) Analysis in Eng. III
AMATH 403 (3) Analytical Methods III
CHEM 426 (4) Instrumental Analysis
CHEM 508 (3) Advanced Inorganic Chemistry
CHEM 510 (3) Curr. Prob. in Inorg. and Nuclear Chem.
CHEM 559 (3) Chemical Kinetics
GEOL 476 (3) Isotope Geology
Plus ATMS 520 (1) and ATMS 521, 523, 524 (1) as appropriate,
plus ATMS 600 up to 10 credits.
The Degree of Master
of Science
OBJECTIVE
The program leading to the degree of Master of Sciences is intended to
enable the student to grow with his field throughout his scientific career, to
recognize and understand new concepts, and to master new procedures as they
emerge in the literature.
Achievement of this objective requires that the student understand the
fundamental principles of physics that are relevant to the atmosphere, acquire a
thorough and comprehensive knowledge of atmospheric properties and behavior, and
develop critical facilities.
REQUIREMENTS
1. A minimum of 36 quarter credits (27 course credits and a minimum of 9
credits of thesis) must be presented, of which at least 3 credits must be in
approved applied mathematics courses and 24 must be in atmospheric sciences
courses numbered above 500 (exclusive of seminars, colloquia, or research
credits).
2. Numerical grades must be received in at least 18 quarter credits of
course work taken at the University of Washington. The Graduate School accepts
numerical grades in (a) approved 400-level courses accepted as part of the
major, and (b) in all 500-level courses. A minimum cumulative gradepoint average
of 3.0 is required for a graduate degree at the University. A minimum grade of
2.7 must be earned in each course presented to satisfy the required 24 credits
of atmospheric sciences courses numbered above 500 (exclusive of research or
thesis) and the 3 credits in applied mathematics.
3. An M.S. student who elects to omit the Qualifying Exam must submit a
written thesis proposal and plans for carrying out the thesis research. A
student selecting this option must request that the Graduate Program Coordinator
appoint a provisional thesis committee not later than the end of the second
quarter of residence. During the following quarter (ordinarily Spring Quarter of
the student's first academic year) the student must register for at least 3
credits of ATMS 600. The grade received for this registration is determined by
the provisional thesis committee on the basis of the written thesis proposal.
Admission to ATMS 700 requires approval of the thesis proposal by the committee.
The approved proposal becomes a part of the student's permanent record.
4. The M.S. thesis should be directed toward the solution of a problem of
substantial scientific importance and should demonstrate the student's ability
to use research methods in a limited area and to discuss critically the
student's own and other investigators' work. The thesis must be prepared in
accordance with the rules and procedures of the Graduate School, and must be
approved by the Supervisory Committee, presented orally to the faculty and
students, and defended in discussion. In addition to the two copies of each
thesis that must be submitted to the Graduate School, one copy must be filed
with the Chairman of the Supervisory Committee and one with the department.
The Degree of Doctor
of Philosophy
OBJECTIVE
The degree of Doctor of Philosophy signifies understanding of the nature of
knowledge normally attained only through the original solution of a problem of
substantial scientific importance.
REQUIREMENTS
1. A student must qualify for study toward the PhD by passing the Qualifying
Examination with distinction, or by presenting an exceptional master's thesis
after passing the Qualifying Examination at the M.S. level. A Ph.D. student must
normally be accepted as a research student by a member of the faculty of the
department. Immediately upon qualifying for PhD study, the student will be
assigned a Supervisory Committee of not less than five members. The student and
the Supervisory Committee will jointly plan the remainder of his/her academic
program. The Supervisory Committee will normally meet with the student at least
annually.
2. Students are required to take supporting courses outside their areas of specialization. At least 6 credits must be earned in approved courses in mathematics or the physical sciences other than atmospheric sciences. An additional 36 credits in Atmospheric Science courses numbered above 500 (excluding seminars and colloquia) must be earned before the Final Examination. Courses at the 500 level in science or mathematics may be substituted, subject to the approval of the supervirsory committee, for some of these additional units.
A total of 27 credits of the required Atmospheric Sciences and
out-of-department course work should be completed in the student's first year.
The remaining credits should be earned during the second and third years of
residency by taking courses at a nominal rate of one class per quarter.
A minimum grade of 2.7 must be presented for each course used to satisfy the
above requirements. A cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.00 is
required for a graduate degree.
3. The General Examination will be taken no later than Autumn Quarter of the
third year of residency.
The exam will consist of a substantial thesis proposal which includes a
review of the pertinent literature, preliminary results on the subject of the
student's research, and proposed future research and methodology.
In the event a student does not pass the General Examination, it may be
retaken once, by the Spring Quarter of the third year. If the student does not
pass at that point, he/she will be invited to complete a terminal M.S.
If the student has gone through the Committee on Graduate Studies (COGS)
process, the COGS will make a recommendation for when the General must be taken.
This should be no later than one year from the date of acceptance into the Ph.D.
program.
The General Examination itself normally consists of an oral examination that
tests the student's understanding of an area of specialization (e.g., synoptic
or dynamic meteorology, cloud physics, energy transfer, etc.) with emphasis on
the subject of the student's intended thesis. Students who pass the General
Examination are admitted as candidates for the Ph.D. degree.
Following the General Examination, the student normally continues research
and thesis work. The student may, however, pursue such advanced course work
directed toward an area of specialization as may be recommended by the
Supervisory Committee.
Neither grades earned in courses nor total credits are sufficient evidence
of eligibility for the Ph.D. degree; they may, however, be used as guides in
planning a program and as indicators of minimum standards.
The thesis is an important part of the candidate's program; it must
represent an original contribution toward understanding a problem of substantial
scientific importance. The thesis must be prepared in accordance with the rules
and procedures of the Graduate School. The thesis must be approved by the
student's thesis reading committee, and it must be presented orally and defended
at a Department of Atmospheric Sciences colloquium. In addition to the two
copies that must be submitted to the Graduate School, one copy of the thesis
must be filed with the department and one copy presented to the Supervisory
Committee chairperson. The Final Examination is conducted following the oral
presentation of the thesis and is limited to the subject of the thesis.
DESCRIPTION OF COURSES
IN ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES
431 ATMOSPHERIC PHYSICS (5) (A)
Energy transfer processes: solar and atmospheric radiation, turbulence and boundary-layer structure, applications.
Prerequisites: 340 or PHYS 224.
441 ATMOSPHERIC MOTIONS I (3) A
The basic equations governing atmospheric motions and their elementary applications; circulation and vorticity; basic dynamics of midlatitude disturbances.
Prerequisite: AMATH 352.
442 ATMOSPHERIC MOTIONS II (5) W
Wave dynamics, numerical prediction, the development of midlatitude synoptic systems, and the general circulation.
Prerequisite: ATM S 441.
451 INSTRUMENTS AND OBSERVATIONS (4) Sp
Principles of operating instruments for measuring basic atmospheric
parameters(e.g., temperature, humidity, aerosol concentration). Concepts of
sensitivity, accuracy, representativeness, and time response. Manipulation of
output data including signal processing, and statistical analysis. Experimental
design and implementation of the design in actual field experiments is included.
Prerequisite: 350.
452 FORECASTING LABORATORY (5) Sp
Basic forecasting techniques. Application of numerical modeling and
statistical approaches. Structure, evolution and forecasting of convective
systems. Radar applications. Diurnal and topographically-forced circulations.
Aviation meteorology. Laboratories include extensive practice in forecasting
and surface map analysis. Prerequisites: 370, 442 and 350.
458 INTRODUCTION TO AIR CHEMISTRY (4) A
Global atmosphere as a chemical system; Physical factors and chemical processes. Natural variabilities and anthropogenic change. Cycling of trace substances. Global issues such as climate change, acidic deposition, influences on biosphere. Offered jointly with CHEM 458.
Prerequisite: Either 358 or CHEM 456.
480 AIR QUALITY MODELING (3) W
Evaluation of air quality models relating air pollution emissions to environmental concentrations. Meteorological dispersion models and various "receptor" models based on chemical "fingerprinting" of sources. Current problems. Offered jointly with CEWA 480.
Prerequisite: CEWA 490 or 458 or permission of instructor.
Courses for Graduates Only
501 FUNDAMENTALS OF PHYSICAL METEOROLOGY (5) A
Fundamentals of hydrostatics, thermodynamics, radiative transfer with
application to planetary atmospheres, cloud physics, and atmospheric chemistry.
502 INTRODUCTION TO SYNOPTIC METEOROLOGY (3) Sp
Overview of weather systems; atmospheric observations and data assimilation.
Elementary manual and computer-aided synoptic analysis techniques.
Interpretation of satellite and ground based observations. Kinematics. Fronts
and frontogenesis; life cycles of extratropical cyclones; related mesoscale
phenomena. Numerical weather prediction; interpretation of forecast products.
505 INTRODUCTION TO FLUID DYNAMICS (4) A
Eulerian equations for mass, motion; Navier-Stokes equation for viscous
fluids, Cartesian tensors, stress, strain relations; Kelvin's theorem, vortex
dynamics; potential flows, flows with high, low Reynolds numbers; boundary
layers, introduction to singular perturbation techniques; water waves; linear
instability theory. Prerequisites: AMATH 403 or permission of instructor.
Offered jointly with AMATH 505, OCEAN 511.
508 GEOCHEMICAL CYCLES (4) Sp
Descriptive, quantitative aspects of earth as biogeochemical system.Study of
equilibria, transport processes, chemical kinetics, biological processes; their
application to carbon, sulfur, nitrogen, phosphorus, other elemental cycles.
Stability of biogeochemical systems; nature of human perturbations of their
dynamics. Prerequisites: CHEM 150, 350, MATH 307, 308. Offered jointly with
GPHYS 508.
509 GEOPHYSICAL FLUID DYNAMICS I (4) W
Dynamics of rotating stratified fluid flow in the atmosphere/ocean and
laboratory analogues. Equations of state, compressibility, Boussinesq
approximation. Geostrophic balance, Rossby number. Poincare, Kelvin, Rossby
waves, geostrophic adjustment. Ekman layers. Continuously stratified dynamics:
inertia gravity waves, potential vorticity, quasigeostrophy. Offered jointly
with OCEAN 512. Prerequisite: ATM S/AMATH 505/OCEAN 511.
510 PHYSICS OF ICE (3) W
Structure of the water molecule. Crystallographic structures of ice. Electrical, optical, thermal, and mechanical properties of ice. Growth of ice from the vapor and liquid phases. Physical properties of snow. Offered jointly with GPHYS 510. (Offered alternate years).
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
511 FORMATION OF SNOW AND ICE MASSES (3) A
Snow and ice climatology. Formation of ice crystals in clouds. Snow metamorphism. Transfer of radiative, sensible, and latent heat at snow and ice surfaces. Remote sensing of snow and ice. Growth and melt of sea ice. Climatic records from ice. Offered jointly with GPHYS 511. (Offered alternate years).
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
512 DYNAMICS OF SNOW AND ICE MASSES (3) Sp
Rheology of snow and ice. Sliding and processes at glacier beds. Thermal regime and motion of seasonal snow, glaciers, and ice sheets. Avalanches and glacier surges. Deformation and drift of sea ice. Response of natural ice masses to change in climate. Offered jointly with GPHYS 512. (Offered alternate years.)
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
513 STRUCTURAL GLACIOLOGY (3) W
Physical and chemical processes of snow and stratigraphy and metamorphism. Interpretation of ice sheet stratigraphy in terms of paleoenvironment. Dynamic metamorphism from ice flow. Structures formed at freezing interfaces. Structure of river, lake and sea ice. Relationship between structures and bulk physical properties. Offered jointly with GPHYS 513. (Offered alternate years.)
Prerequisites: Permission of instructor.
514 ICE AND CLIMATE MODELING (3) A
Principles of global climate modeling. Modeling seasonal cycles of snow cover and sea ice. Ice-sheet mass balance and flow. Solar radiation anomalies due to changes in earth's orbit. Climate/ice-sheet models of Pleistocene ice ages. Offered jointly with GPHYS 514. (Offered alternate years.)
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
520 ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES COLLOQUIUM (1) AWSp
Seminars on current research in advanced topics related to atmospheric sciences; conducted by faculty and visiting scientists/professors. Includes presentations of doctoral dissertations by department graduate students. For Atmospheric Sciences graduate students only. CR/NC
Prerequisite Permission of department.
521 SEMINAR IN ATMOSPHERIC DYNAMICS (*) AWSp
Directed at current research in the subject. For advanced students. CR/NC
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
523 SEMINAR IN CLOUDS AND PRECIPITATION (*) ASp
Directed at current research in the subject. For advanced students. CR/NC
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
524 SEMINAR IN ENERGY TRANSFER AND REMOTE SENSING (*) AWSP
Directed at current research in the subject. For advanced students. CR/NC
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
525 SEMINAR - TOPICS IN ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY (1-3, max. 6) W
Seminar for atmospheric scientists, chemists, and engineers in problems associated with the chemical composition of the atmosphere. Topics range from the natural system to urban pollution and global atmospheric change. Faculty lectures and student participation. Offered jointly with CEWA 525. CR/NC
Prerequisite: ATMS 301 or permission of instructor.
532 ATMOSPHERIC RADIATION: SHORTWAVE (3) A
Principles of radiative transfer in planetary atmospheres with emphasis on single and multiple scattering of visible and infrared radiation. Applications to atmospheric and surface energy balance and remote sensing. Offered jointly with G PHYS 532. (Offered alternate years.)
Prerequisite: PHYS 323 or permission of instructor.
533 ATMOSPHERIC RADIATION: LONGWAVE (3) Sp
Principles of radiative energy exchange in planetary atmospheres with emphasis on emission and absorption of infrared and microwave radiation. Applications to atmospheric and surface energy balance and remote sensing. Offered jointly with GPHYS 533.
Prerequisite: PHYS 225 or permission of instructor.
534 REMOTE SENSING OF THE ATMOSPHERE AND CLIMATE SYSTEM (3) W
Satellite systems for sensing the atmosphere and climate system. Recovery of atmospheric and surface information from satellite radiance measurements. Applications to research. Offered jointly with GPHYS 534. (Offered alternate years.)
Prerequisites: 532 or 533.
535 CLOUD MICROPHYSICS AND DYNAMICS (3) W
Basic concepts of cloud microphysics, water continuity in clouds, cloud dynamics, and cloud models. Offered jointly with GPHYS 535.
Prerequisite: 501 or permission of instructor.
536 MESOSCALE STORM STRUCTURE AND DYNAMICS (3) Sp
Techniques of observing storm structure and dynamics by radar and aircraft, observed structures of precipitating cloud systems, comparison of observed structures with cloud models. (Offered alternate years).
Prerequisite: 535
542 SYNOPTIC AND MESOSCALE DYNAMICS (3) Sp
Quasi-geostrophic theory, baroclinic instability, symmetric instability, tropical disturbances, frontogenesis, orographic disturbances, convective storms.
Prerequisites: 509 or OCEAN 512 and AMATH 402 or equivalents.
545 GENERAL CIRCULATION OF THE ATMOSPHERE (3) A
Requirements of the global angular momentum heat, mass and energy budgets upon atmospheric motions as deduced from observations. Study of the physical processes through which these budgets are satisfied.
Prerequisite: 502, 509, OCEAN 512 or permission of instructor.
547: BOUNDARY LAYER METEOROLOGY (3) W,Sp
Turbulence, turbulent fluxes, averaging. Convection and shear instability. Monin-Obukhov similarity theory, surface roughness. Wind profiles. Organized large eddies. Energy fluxes at ocean and land surfaces, idurnal cycle. convective and stable stratified boundary layers. Cloud-topped boundary layers. Remote sensing. boundary layer modeling and parameterization. (Offered alternate years).
Prerequisite: 505; AMATH 505 or OCEAN 511.
551 ATMOSPHERIC STRUCTURE AND ANALYSIS I: SYNOPTIC SCALE SYSTEMS (4)
A
Extratropical cyclones and cyclogenesis. Jet streams. Upper waves in the westerlies. Diagnosis of vertical motions. Fronts and frontogenesis. (Offered alternative years).
Prerequisite: 502 and 509 or OCEAN 512.
552 OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS (3) W
Review of objective analysis techniques commonly applied to atmospheric problems; examples from the meteorological literature and class projects. Superposed epoch analysis, cross-spectrum analysis, filtering, eigenvector analysis, optimum interpolation techniques.
Prerequisite: FORTRAN programming.
553 ATMOSPHERIC STRUCTURE AND ANALYSIS II: NON-CONVECTIVE MESOSCALE CIRCULATION (3) W
Thermally forced circulation systems, including sea/land breezes and
mountain/valley winds. Topographic deflection, channeling and blocking in
mesoscale flows. Analysis and forecasting of local mesoscale phenomena. (Offered
alternate years.)
555 PLANETARY ATMOSPHERES (3) A
Problems of origin, evolution and structure of planetary atmospheres,
emphasizing elements common to all; roles of radiation, chemistry and dynamical
processes; new results on the atmospheres of Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and solar
system objects in the context of comparative planetology. Offered jointly with
ASTR 555 /GPHYS 555. (Offered alternate years.)
556 PLANETARY SCALE DYNAMICS (3) Sp
Zonally symmetric circulations, planetary waves, equatorial waves, dynamics of the middle atmosphere, trace constituent transport, nonlinear aspects of atmospheric flows. (Offered alternate years.) CR/NC
Prerequisites: 542 or permission of instructor.
558 ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY (3) Sp
Photochemistry of urban, rural, and marine tropospheric air, and of the natural and perturbed ozone in the middle atmosphere. Unity of the chemistries in these apparently different regimes. (Offered alternate years.)
Prerequisites: 458 or 501 or CHEM 457 or permission of instructor.
560ATMOSPHERE/OCEAN INTERACTIONS (3) Sp
Observations and theory of phenomena of the coupled atmosphere-ocean system. El Nino/Southern Oscillation; decadal tropical variability; atmospheric teleconnections; midlatitude atmosphere-ocean variability. Overview of essential ocean and atmospheric dynamics, where appropriate. Offered jointly with OCEAN 560. CR/NC.
Prerequisites: 509/OCEAN 512.
564 ATMOSPHERIC AEROSOL AND MULTIPHASE ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY (3) W
Physics and chemistry of particles and droplets in the atmosphere. Statistics of size distributions, mechanics, optics, and physical chemistry of atmospheric aerosols. Brownian motion, sedimentation, impaction, condensation and hygroscopic growth. (Offered alternate years.)
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
571 ADVANCED PHYSICAL CLIMATOLOGY (3) A
Physical processes that determine the climate of Earth and its past and future changes. Greenhouse effect. Climate modeling. Radiative and dynamical feedback processes. Orbital parameter theory. Critical analysis of climate change predictions. (Offered alternate years.)
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
575 LARGE SCALE DYNAMICS OF THE TROPICAL ATMOSPHERE (3) A
Observations and underlying dynamics of large-scale tropical circulations. Factors that determine regions of large-scale persistent precipitation in the tropics, thermal forcing of atmospheric circulations by these regions, and temporal variability of the forcing and response. (Offered alternate years.) CR/NC
Prerequisites: 509/OCEAN 512 or 542.
581 NUMERICAL MODELING OF ATMOSPHERIC FLOWS I (3) A
Numerical methods for initial value problems of atmospheric science and
fluid dynamics. Finite difference methods, spectral and pseudo-spectral methods,
finite element methods. Stability, accuracy, numerical dispersion and numerical
dissipation. Computer models are constructed to illustrate behavior of each
method. Prerequisites: Familiarity with partial differential equations and
FORTRAN.
582 NUMERICAL MODELING OF ATMOSPHERIC FLOWS II (3) Sp
Topics of current interest including: efficient time differencing, semi-implicit and multiple time step techniques. Semi-Lagrangian schemes. Treatment of poorly resolved gradients. Flux-corrected transport. Positive definite advection schemes. Aliasing error and nonlinear instability. Wave permeable boundary conditions. (Offered alternate years). CR/NC
Prerequisite: 581.
591 SPECIAL TOPICS IN ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES (1-4, max. 9) AWSp
Lecture series on topics of major importance in the atmospheric sciences.
Prerequisite: Permissions of instructor
600 INDEPENDENT STUDY OR RESEARCH (*) CR/NC
700 Master's Thesis (*)
800 Doctoral Dissertation (*)
*variable credit
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