ATM OCN (Meteorology) 100

OBSERVATIONS OF THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE

Summer 1996

Lecture Scheduled for:

17 JUN 1996 (M)

Recommended Readings from Moran and Morgan (1994):

pages 1-13, 18-21; 357-364.

NOTE: This lecture is continued from Introduction to ATM OCN 100 .

Objectives:

• To identify those important weather elements describing the state of the atmosphere.
• To list the various instruments used to measure each weather element.
• To list the usual values and the observed extreme ranges of surface weather elements.

Outline:

A. THE PLANET EARTH & EARTH SYSTEMS

1. Uniqueness of the Planet Earth
2. Components of the Planet Earth System
3. Interactions within the System

B. SURVEY OF THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE

1. Importance of the Earth's planetary atmosphere
2. Overall Dimensions of the Earth's atmosphere
3. Comparison with the other components of the Earth System

C. WEATHER - CLIMATE ELEMENTS

1. The role of Meteorological Observations What we need to Know
2. Observed Surface WEATHER - CLIMATE ELEMENTS
   • PRESSURE
   • TEMPERATURE
   • ATMOSPHERIC HUMIDITY
   • PRECIPITATION
   • CLOUD TYPE, AMOUNT
   • WINDS (SPEED & DIRECTION)

D. THE SURFACE WEATHER STATION

Instruments

Location and Exposure of Weather Instruments

E. THE SURFACE WEATHER MAP

1. The meaning of SYNOPTIC WEATHER ANALYSIS
2. Goal of synoptic weather analysis
3. Requirements for synoptic weather analysis
4. Isopleths
   • ISOBARS
   • ISOTHERMS
5. Historical perspective
6. Interpretation of modern surface weather maps

F. OTHER OBSERVATIONAL TOOLS

1. Radiosondes

2. Weather Radar

3. Weather Satellites

4. Meteorological Rockets

Links to Other References:

The Current Weather Link provides access to many weather maps and other analysis tools that the meteorologist use.

Materials on various weather instruments .

Another site for discussion of analysis techniques and maps can be found on the Internet with the Weather Analysis and Forecasting , a part of "The Electronic Textbook - An On-line Guide to Meteorology" from Univ. of Illinois (UIUC) and CoVIS.

Last revision 16 June 1996

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