Welcome to the GEOS 120, Weather, webpage for the Fall 2015 semester.
Fall 2015 Lectures: MWF, 1:00 - 1:50 PM. Location: PHSC 130
Syllabus
Required Book: Meteorology Today, 11th Edition, by C. Donald Ahrens and
Robert Henson
The following will list what we actually covered. For a tentative schedule, please see the
syllabus.
Mon., 24 Aug., Review syllabus. Begin Chapter 1: Earth and its atmosphere
Wed., 25 Aug., Continue Chapter 1: weather and climate; climate change.
Fri., 28 Aug., Lecture: specific heat, latent heat
Mon., 31 Aug., Quiz #1. Lecture: latent heat, conduction, convection, advection.
Wed., 2 Sept., Lecture: more on convection vs advection; then electromagnetic radiation.
Fri., 4 Sept., Lecture: Radiation and the greenhouse effect. Finish Chapter 2. Begin Chapter 3.
Mon., 7 Sept., Labor Day. Campus closed.
Wed., 9 Sept., Quiz #2. Homework #1 due. Lecture: Finish Chapter 3 and start Chapter 4.
Fri., 11 Sept., Chapter 4: Atmospheric Humidity (water vapor in the atmosphere)
Mon., 14 Sept., Homework #2 due. Finish Chapter 4 and start Chapter 5: Condensation: Dew, Fog, and Clouds.
Wed., 16 Sept., Quiz #3. Lecture: Continue Chapter 5: clouds
Fri., 18 Sept., Homework #3 due. Continue Chapter 5: cumulus clouds and special clouds. Weather satellites.
Fri., 18 Sept., Census date: no adding or dropping or changing of grade option beyond this date without a serious or compelling reason approved by the instructor, chair, and dean.
Mon., 21 Sept., Exam #1: Chapters 1-4.
Wed., 23 Sept., Return Exam #1. Lecture: Chapters 5 and 6: Stability and cloud formation
Fri., 25 Sept., Handout special assignment on stability. Lecture: Chapter 6.
Mon., 28 Sept., Quiz. Lecture: Chapter 6.
Wed., 30 Sept., Quiz. Lecture: Finish Chapter 6. Start Chapter 7: Precipitation.
Fri., 2 Oct., Special assignment on stability due. Continue Chapter 7.
Mon., 5 Oct., Quiz. Lecture: Complete Chapter 7 (Hail) and begin Chapter 8: Air Pressure and winds: Pressure gradients & PGFs.
Wed., 7 Oct., Lecture: Chapter 8: Air Pressure and winds. Introduce Coriolis.
Fri., 9 Oct., Quiz #6 on Chapter 8. Lecture: Complete Chapter 8: Coriolis, geostrophic flow, effects of friction.
Mon., 12 Oct., Homework due.
Wed., 14 Oct., Exam #2 on Chapters 5-8.
Fri., 16 Oct., Chapter 9: Wind and small scale systems
Mon., 19 Oct., Quiz on Chapter 9. Lecture: continue Chapter 9.
Wed., 21 Oct., Lecture: complete Chapter 9. Begin Chapter 10: Global Wind Systems.
Fri., 23 Oct., Continue Chapter 10; Air-sea interaction;
Mon., 26 Oct., Ekman spiral; El Nino; La Nina; Begin Chapter 11: Air Masses and fronts.
Wed., 28 Oct., Lecture: Complete Chapter 11. Start Chapter 12: Mid-latitude cyclones.
Fri., 30 Oct., Lecture: Continue Chapter 12
Mon., 2 Nov., Homework on 11 & 12 due. Lecture: Conclude Chapter 12 and begin Chapter 13: Weather Forecasting.
Wed., 4 Nov., Quiz on Chapter 12. Conclude Chapter 13 and Begin Chapter 14: Thunderstorms
Fri., 6 Nov., Lecture: continue Chapter 14: Thunderstorms.
Mon., 9 Nov., Lecture: finish Chapter 14 (Supercells) and start Chapter 15: Tornadoes
Wed., 11 Nov., Veterans Day. Campus closed.
Fri., 13 Nov., Lecture: Complete Chapters 14 and 15: tornadoes; lightning; flash floods.
Mon., 16 Nov., Begin Chapter 16: Hurricanes
Wed., 18 Nov., Chapter 17: Global Climate (and local climates) and begin Chapter 18: Earth's Changing Climate
Fri., 20 Nov., Exam #3: Chapters 9-13.
Mon., 23 Nov., Thanksgiving holiday. No classes.
Wed., 25 Nov., Thanksgiving holiday. No classes.
Fri., 27 Nov., Thanksgiving holiday. No classes.
Mon., 30 Nov., Continue Chapter 18: Earth's Changing Climate: factors influence global climate. PETM video.
Wed., 2 Dec., Continue Chapter 18.
Fri., 4 Dec., Complete Chapter 18 and begin Chapter 19: Air Pollution
Mon., 7 Dec., Continue Chapter 19: Air Pollution
Wed., 9 Dec., Continue Chapter 19: stratospheric ozone and tropospheric pollutants.
Fri., 11 Dec., Complete Chapter 19: factors that effect dispersion of air pollutants; acid rain.
Wed., 16 Dec., Comprehensive Final Exam: 2:00 - 3:50 PM
Dr. Mayor's page
CSU Chico Atmospheric Lidar Research Group