ATM OCN (Meteorology) 100

INTRODUCTION to ATM OCN 100
WEATHER & CLIMATE

[EXPLORING OUR EARTH'S ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT]

Summer 2002

Lecture #1 scheduled for:

17 JUNE 2002 (M)

Recommended Readings from Moran and Morgan (1997):

Pages 1-16.

NOTE: This lecture continues as Observations of the Earth's Atmosphere

• To distinguish between weather and climate, citing examples of each.
• To identify the present scope of meteorology.
• To describe the role that various models play in scientific investigation.
• To trace the development of meteorology as a science.

Outline:

A. INTRODUCTION & COURSE OBJECTIVES

B. WHAT IS METEOROLOGY?

• Derivation of Key Words - Meteorology, Weather and Climate
• The Present Scope of Meteorology and the Atmospheric Sciences
• Comparisons between weather and climate

C. THE HUMAN FACTOR

The Cost Adaptations

D. GOALS OF METEOROLOGY

• Observation
• Codification
• Explanation
• Prediction
• Adaptation
• Modification

E. CHARACTERISTICS OF METEOROLOGY

• International
• Physical
• Interdisciplinary

F.  MODELS IN METEOROLOGY

• Types of Models
• Role in Meteorology

G. BRIEF HISTORY OF METEOROLOGY AND CLIMATOLOGY

• Ancient - Weather Lore
• Classic Greek Meteorology (Aristotle)
• Renaissance Meteorology
• Meteorology in the Scientific & Industrial Revolutions
• Organized weather observations
• Our concept of storms
• New tools and models

This Lecture continues as Weather Observations

Links to Other References:

• A report on Billion Dollar U.S. Weather Disasters 1980-2001 from National Climate Data Center (NCDC).
• Annual Summaries of Natural Hazards Statistics for the U.S. from National Weather Service Office of Meteorology

On-line information on the  History of Meteorology from the NOAA Library