GEOG 531  GLOBAL AND REGIONAL CLIMATOLOGY ( 3 units)

SPRING 2009  12:30 – 1:45 pm  Tue & Thu / Integrated Learning Center (ILC) room 129

 SPRING 2009  CLASS SCHEDULE

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

The goal of this advanced course in climatology is to provide a detailed description, understanding, and analysis of the global and regional weather patterns and atmospheric circulation processes that produce differences in climates throughout the world. 

 In addition to a general overview of global atmospheric processes and regional climatic patterns, the course will emphasize the earth's problem climates and those climatically sensitive zones that are most susceptible to floods, droughts, and other climatic extremes. The course will emphasize the interaction between global and regional climates and the linkages between global atmospheric changes and regional climatic responses as they are manifested in synoptic-scale features and processes in different parts of the world.  Online data resources will provide the basis for an up-to-date technical analysis of regional weather and climate patterns.

 Prerequisites  an introductory meteorology or climatology course: ATMO/GEOG 171, GEOG 230 or equivalent; those who have taken GEOG 430/530 will be especially well prepared to take full advantage of this course.

 COURSE OBJECTIVES:         

    (1)     to provide an in-depth treatment of the causes of regional weather and climatic patterns and processes in terms of synoptic atmospheric circulation patterns

   (2)     to examine and analyze regional examples of processes driven by the energy and moisture fluxes at the global scale

   (3)     to provide the climatic basis for a critical evaluation of some of the most urgent regional climate‑related extreme-events facing us today; especially floods and droughts

   (4)     to provide a sound climate-based foundation for the analysis of climatic environments of the past and/or future and a physical basis for the interpretation of climates in different parts of the world using modeling and/or paleoenvironmental techniques

INSTRUCTOR: 

Katie Hirschboeck, Associate Professor of Climatology, Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research
Office: 208 West Stadium  (go up the stairs at Gate 15 to second level and turn left)
Phone:  621-6466    E-mail:  katie@LTRR.arizona.edu
Office Hours:  Wed 1:30 – 3:00 pm (tentative) / or by appointment arranged via email

TEXTBOOK / READINGS: 

Bridgman, H.A.  & Oliver, J.E. The Global Climate System – Patterns, Processes, and Teleconnections. Cambridge University Press 

 Additional Readings & Useful References:

 Selected recent articles in Monthly Weather Review, Journal of Climate, and related scientific journals will be identified by both instructor and students and assigned throughout the semester. 

 Trewartha, Glenn T. (1981)  The Earth's Problem Climates, 2nd edition.  University of Wisconsin Press, 372 pp.  (This classic and unique text provides a thorough treatment of the atmospheric patterns and processes that are distinctive to each continent – inspired the Bridgman & Oliver text – some lectures based in part on this text.) 

 Selected chapters in World Survey of Climatology, volumes 1 through 15, H.E. Landsberg, editor‑ in‑chief, Elsevier Publishing Company. [QC 981.W67]  Permanently located in the Science Reference Collection.

 World Atlas, any recent  edition - for reference as we discuss the weather and climate on each continent.

GRADING CRITERIA   Grade will be based on a assignments and exams distributed as follows: 

 OTHER COURSE GUIDELINES & POLICIES

 Academic Integrity: A synopsis of the University of Arizona's Code of Academic Integrity can be found at: http://dos.web.arizona.edu/uapolicies/cai1.html   You are responsible for knowing it, understanding it, and adhering to it.