ATMO 305: Spring 2019
Meteorological Instrumentation & Observation
Course Description
ATMO 305 is designed to provide students with the history, operation, and use of meteorological instruments that monitor the atmosphere. The emphasis is on practical applications and understanding the challenges of accurate atmospheric observation. The instructor will provide hands-on experience with instrumentation where possible. This course is a required class for students majoring in Atmospheric Sciences at the Univ. of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. It is the only Writing Intensive (WI) course in the ATMO department, and as such, it has a focus on learning through laboratory reports, data analysis, and scientific writing.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this course, students will be able to...
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Describe the methods for meteorological measurement
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Describe uncertainties inherent in meteorological observation
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Create graphics to display scientific data
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Write concise reports to describe scientific experiments
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Plan an experiment, using knowledge of experimental design and logistics
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Present experimental results in written and oral form
Link to Download the Course Syllabus
Resources:
Meteorological Measurement Systems, by Fred V. Brock and Scott J. Richardson, Oxford University Press, 2001.
Instructor’s Handbook on Meteorological Instrumentation, by Fred V. Brock (Editor) and Carol E. Nicholaidas (Assistant Editor), NCAR/TN-237+IA, 1984.
Federal Meteorological Handbook No. 1 (FMH-1), by OFCM, 1995.
This page will be updated throughout the Spring 2019 semester as the course progresses.
Course resources (Lecture slides, Assignments etc.) can be found on Laulima.
Week 1: Jan 7-11 Syllabus, Lab Report Writing & Rubric
Week 2: Jan 14-18 Instrumentation Fundamentals & Temperature, Thermometer Lab
Week 3: Jan 21-25 Temperature & Creative Writing Lab
Week 4: Jan 28-Feb 1 Pressure, Peer Review, Barometer Lab
Week 5: Feb 4-8 Pressure, Moisture, Plotting Lab
Week 6: Feb 11-15 Atmospheric Moisture, Humidity Lab
Week 7: Feb 18-22 Lab Writing, Finding Sources, Peer Review Lab
Week 8: Feb 25-Mar 1 Wind, Wind Lab
Week 9: Mar 4-8 Water cycle and Cloud Probes
Week 10: Mar 11-15 Midterm, Writing with the Reader in Mind Lab
Week 11: Mar 18-22 - Spring Break!
Week 12: Mar 25-29 Rain Gauges, Project Proposals
Week 13: Apr 1-5 Measuring Rainfall
Week 14: Apr 8-12 Radar, Project Outline
Week 15: Apr 15-19 Field Campaign Design
Week 16: Apr 22-26 First Drafts Due, Peer Review
Week 17: Apr 29-May 3 Final Project Presentations