Welcome to the ERTH 170, Atmospheric Science, public webpage for the Spring 2025 semester.
I will try to update this page every few days during the semester.

A midlatitude cyclone passes over Northern California on December 14, 2024.

Spring 2025 Lectures: MWF, 1:00 - 1:50 PM.

Required book: Meteorology Today 13th edition by C. Donald Ahrens and Robert Henson.

Weds., 22 Jan., First day of the semester. Review the syllabus and begin Chapter 1.
Fri., 24 Jan., Importance of weather, weather vs climate, Earth in the solar system, Composition of the Atmosphere.
Mon., 27 Jan., Greenhouse gases and greenhouse effect, Keeling curve, ozone and ozone hole, particulate matter and clouds.
Weds., 29 Jan., Mean vertical structure of the atmosphere: temperature, pressure, and density profiles. Weather stations and radiosondes.
Fri., 31 Feb., Quiz #1 on Chapter 1. Soundings, Doppler weather radar, geosynchronous versus polar orbiting weather satellites.
Mon., 3 Feb., Airborne weather observations. Then begin Chapter 2: Forms of energy, first law of thermodynamics.
Weds., 5 Feb., Potential and kinetic energy, temperature, Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution, "heat", heat capacity and specific heat capacity.
Fri., 7 Feb., Quiz #2. Then, fluxes and begin energy transfer: conduction, convection, enthalpies of vaporization, fusion, and sublimation.
Mon., 10 Feb., Examples of atmospheric convection (shallow and deep, dry and moist) and advection. Then, begin Radiation: waves and photos.
Weds., 12 Feb., Continue with radiation: "blackbodies" and Planck functions, Stefan-Boltzmann and Wein's Law. Solar and terrestrial emission spectra.
Fri., 14 Feb., Quiz #3. Then, selective absorbers (greenhouse gases), the "greenhouse effect" and real greenhouses.
Mon., 17 Feb., Complete Chapter 2 (Earth's energy budget), and begin Chapter 3: Seasonal and Daily Temperatures. Release special assignment #1.
Weds., 19 Feb., Annual and diurnal cycles of temperature. Also, why air tends to flow downhill at night.
Fri., 21 Feb., Quiz #4. Complete Chapter 3. Drainage flows, cool pools, thermal belts, and the surface energy budget. Introduce Chapter 4: Humidity
Mon., 24 Feb.,
Weds., 26 Feb.,
Fri., 28 Feb., Quiz #5.
Mon., 3 Mar.,
Weds., 5 Mar., Exam on Chapters 1 - 4.
Fri., 7 Mar.,
Mon., 10 Mar.,
Weds., 12 Mar.,
Fri., 14 Mar.,
Mon., 17 Mar., Spring break. No classes.
Weds., 19 Mar., Spring break. No classes.
Fri., 21 Mar., Spring break. No classes.
Mon., 24 Mar.,
Weds., 26 Mar.,
Fri., 28 Mar.,
Mon., 31 Mar., César Chávez Day (observed)
Weds., 2 Apr.,
Fri., 4 Apr.,
Mon., 7 Apr.,
Weds., 9 Apr.,
Fri., 11 Apr.,
Mon., 14 Apr.,
Weds., 16 Apr.,
Fri., 18 Apr.,
Mon., 21 Apr.,
Weds., 23 Apr.,
Fri., 25 Apr.,
Mon., 28 Apr.,
Weds., 30 Apr.,
Fri., 2 May,
Mon., 5 May,
Weds., 7 May,
Fri., 9 May,
Weds., 14 May, Final comprehensive exam.

Dr. Mayor's page

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