| Code | Faculty |
|---|---|
| 02240070 | Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences |
| Credits | Duration |
|---|---|
| Duration of study: 1 year | Total credits: 135 |
Renewal of registration
In calculating marks, General Regulation G.12.2 applies.
Apart from the prescribed coursework, a research project is an integral part of the study.
In addition to the requirements of General Regulations G.1.3 and G.62 an appropriate bachelor's degree is a prerequisite: a candidate with an average of less than 60% in the major subjects in the final year of the bachelor’s degree will only be admitted with the approval of the Dean on the recommendation of the head of department. Additional conditions may be prescribed by the head of department.
Appropriate honours modules from the other disciplines in the Department or Faculty may be taken on approval by the Honours coordinator or Head of Department.
Minimum credits: 135
Module content:
Initial atmospheric state, observation network, data assimilation, initialization, parameterisation, post-processing. Ensemble methods, probability forecasting, forecast verification. Global circulation models, limited-area and mesoscale models, variable resolution models, dispersion models. Seamless prediction. Practical applications.
Module content:
Atmospheric oscillations: Linear perturbation theory (shallow water gravity waves, inertia gravity waves, Rossby waves). Baroclinic instability. Two-layer model. Energetics of Baroclinic waves. Zonally averaged circulation. Angular momentum budget. Lorenz energy cycle. Programming in metereology.
Module content:
An overview of the weather and climate of the tropics and the mid-latitudes. Air masses. Instability and cloud formation. Weather systems of the tropics and mid-latitudes. Analysis of weather systems by utilising remote sensed data.
Module content:
Introduction to the philosophy of scientific research. Hypothesis testing. Reporting of scientific research. Identification of an appropriate research project. Compilation of a research proposal. Literature survey. Acquisition and manipulation of information. Introduction to innovative strategy and research management. Preparation of a research report (or paper). Presentation of research findings.
Module content:
Basic principles and characteristics of the weather radar. The influence of the atmosphere on the propogation of electro-magnetic waves. Weather radar equation. The influence of attenuation on observations. The measurement of precipation with a radar. Doppler Radar. Convective storm analysis with radar.
Module content:
Overview of the basic principles of satellite imagery. Types of meteorological satellites. Basic principles of radiation. The different images available, their resolution and the advantages and limitations of each image. Image interpretation.
Module content:
Fundamentals of seasonal forecasting. The El Niño/Southern Oscillation. Empirical orthogonal functions. Canonical correlation analysis. Empirical forecast models practical. Sea-surface temperature models. Fully coupled and two-tiered general circulation modelling. Dynamical and empherical downscaling techniques. Significance testing using Monte Carlo techniques. Modelling pitfalls. User application forecasting. Projections of decadal and multi dacadal climate anomalies.
Module content:
Introduction to, and the importance of the boundary layer. Structure of the boundary layer. Transfer of heat (molecular and turbulent). Impacts of the turbulent nature of the boundary layer on the dynamics of atmospheric motions. Closure and boundary layer parameterisation. Applications to air pollution dispersion.
Module content:
Scaling and interpretation of equations of motion for mesoscale processes. The role of stability and other trigger actions on initial cloud formation and the evolution of clouds. Shallow and deep convective processes. Tropical and mid-latitude cloud generation processes and characteristics. Cloud splitting. Parameterisation of radiation and heat in atmospheric models. Microphysics parameterisations in numerical models.
Module content:
An introduction to mesoscale meteorology. Surface mesoscale features, instability, severe storm classification and thunderstorms, flooding and flash flooding events.
Module content:
A module on an aspect or aspects of meteorology not covered in the existing options with special emphasis in Cloud microphysics and Basic concepts of numberical modelling.
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