Atmospheric Sciences 321—Physical Climatology

Instructor:                    Prof. Marcia Baker

326 ATG: Tel 685-3799

baker@ess.washington.edu

Office hours:                by appointment

Class schedule: MWF 11:30 – 12:20 room 310c ATG

Course Goals:

To gain scientific understanding of the physical and chemical processes that determine Earth’s climate, and to understand why the climate is changing.

Course Prerequisites:

This is a course for science majors and assumes a working knowledge of thermodynamics and calculus as well as some background in atmospheric sciences (e.g., ATMS 301 or the equivalent). 

Required Textbook:

Global Physical Climatology, by D. L. Hartmann, Academic Press 1994.

Student Responsibilities:

Students will be asked in class to summarize previous class discussions, readings from the textbook and supplementary articles given out by the instructor. Students are encouraged to bring up questions based on assigned and outside reading as well as topics covered in lectures.

Homework assignments will be given out weekly and will be due on Fridays.  There will be unannounced spot quizzes approximately once every two weeks, one Midterm Examination and one Final Examination.

Grading Policy:

No credit will be given for late homework or missed quizzes or examinations.  Except in cases of family or other emergencies.  Usually only one problem on the homework (not identified previously) will be graded in detail and the other problems more superficially. Course grade will be determined as follows:

Participation in class discussions:  20%

Homework:                                      20%

Spot quizzes:                                   20%

Midterm:                                          20%

Final:                                        20%