Syllabus for AGRON206-F'99
Introduction to Meteorology http://www.meteor.iastate.edu/~mt206/syl_agron206_f99.html

InstructorTextPhilosophyScheduleGrading
PoliciesPrintingCommunication

Announcements (Information on Final Course Grade as of Saturday December 18,1999)

ClassNet

Credits: 3
Meeting: MWF, 2-3PM
125 Kildee Auditorium

Instructor and Teaching Assistant

S. Elwynn Taylor (setaylor@iastate.edu) -  Paul S. Castleberry (paulca@iastate.edu)
2104C Agronomy - 3134 Agronomy
294 1923 - 294 1321


Office Hours for Paul S. Castleberry

Monday, Wednesday, Friday  9-10 A.M.

  Tuesday 10 A.M. till Noon

 Other hours by appointment


Required Text

Understanding Weather and Climate
1st Edition
Edward Aguado and James E. Burt
1999 by Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458

Students will be required to have "The WeatherCycler," I. Geer, in addition to the course text by Aguado and Burt.

A portion of the course materials are available via Internet.

Course Philosophy

August 23, 1999 through December 13, 1999
Introduction to Meteorology. 3 cr. Elwynn Taylor Basic concepts in meteorology, including atmospheric measurements, radiation, stability, precipitation, winds, fronts, forecasting, and severe weather. Applied topics include global warming, ozone depletion, world climates, and weather safety. The student will gain an understanding of how weather works and develop the ability to apply observations to daily activities.
 

Schedule of Topics
(These are likely to be modified during the semester)
Date Class Period Forecast Assignments  Assignments
(Problem Sets,
Simulations)		 Assignment Due Dates
01_Aug 23 Course Overview

Introduction
 

 Make sure that you can access your student account on WebCT if not, drop me an e-mail at paulca@iastate.edu Click on WebCT Help to learn how to access your account on WebCT and 6 Popular Weather Songs August 24 (WebCT )

August 25 (6 Popular Songs, due in class to be turned in on paper)
02_Aug 25 Chapter 1- Composition and Structure of the Atmosphere   WeatherCycler Activity I August 27 (Due before class on WebCT)
03_Aug 27
Chapter 1 Continued		   WeatherCycler Activity II 

RadSim_pt1 (The question will be posted in class)

 August 30 (Weather Cycler II, due before class on WebCT)

August 30 (RadSim_pt1, due at the beginning of class, to be turned in on paper)
04_Aug 30 Chapter 1 Continued RadSim_pt2 (Click here to access assignment) September 1 (Due at the beginning of class to be turned in on paper)
05_Sept 1 Chapter 2- Solar Radiation and the Seasons WeatherCycler Activity III

WeatherCycler Activity 4

 September 3 (Weather Cycler III, due before class on WebCT)

September 24 (Weather Cycler 4, due before class on WebCT)
 06_Sept 3 Chapter 2 Continued  
Sept 6 University Holiday  
 07_Sept 8 Chapter 3  Energy Balance and Temperature Pressure and Wind Maps (Present and Future) September 10 (Due in class to be turned in on a handout worksheet)
08_Sept 10 Chapter 3 Continued Sample Exam Questions
9_Sept 13 Review for Exam I   MtnSim_humidity (Click here to access assignment) September 17 (Due before class)
10_Sept 15 1st Hour Exam Chapters 1-3 Exam Scores are here
 

 
11_Sept 17 Chapter 4 Atmospheric Moisture MtnSim_adiabat
(Click here to access assignment)		 September 22 (Due before class)
12_Sept 20 Chapter 4 Continued ClassNet Help Page
13_Sept 22 Chapter 4 Continued WeatherCycler Activity 5 October 1 (Weather Cycler 5, due before class on WebCT)
14_Sept 24 Chapter 5- Cloud Development and Forms
15_Sept 27 Chapter 5 Continued WeatherCycler Activity 6 October 8 (Weather Cycler 6, due before class on WebCT)
16_Sept 29 Chapter 5 Continued Chap4_Assign_help Chap4_Assign October 6 (Chap4_Assign, due before 11:59 P.M. on ClassNet)
17_Oct 1 Chapter 6- Precipitation Processes
18_Oct 4 Chapter 6 Continued
19_Oct 6 (Taylor)

19 Oct 6 (Castleberry)

 Chapter 6 Continued
20_Oct 8 Chapter 7- Atmospheric Pressure and Wind
21_Oct 11 Review for Exam II and
Chapter 7 Continued
22_Oct 13 2nd Hour Exam- Chapters 4-7
23_Oct 15 Chapter 8- Atmospheric Circulation and Pressure Distributions
24_Oct 18 Chapter 8 Continued
25_Oct 20 Chapter 8 Continued
26_Oct 22 Chapter 8 Continued
27_Oct 25 Chapter 9- Air Masses and Fronts Chap4_Assign_2 October 29 (Chap4_Assign_2, due before 11:59 P.M. on ClassNet)
28_Oct 27 Chapter 10- Mid-latitude Cyclones
29_Oct 29 Chapter 10 Continued
30_Nov 1 Chapter 11- Lightning, Thunder, and Tornadoes
31_Nov 3 Chapter 11 Continued
32_Nov 5 Chapter 12- Tropical Storms and Hurricanes
33_Nov 8 Review for Exam III
34_Nov 10 3rd Hour Exam- Chapters 8-11
35_Nov 12 Chapter 13- Weather Forecasting and Analysis
36_Nov 15 Chapter 13- Continued
37_Nov 17 Chapter 13 Continued
38_Nov 19 Optional Review Session in 3134 Agronomy Hall (Paul's Office)
Nov 22-26 University Holiday
39_Nov 29 Chapter 14- Human Effects:  Air Pollution and Heat Islands Prob_Set_Nov December 6 (Prob_Set_Nov, due before 11:59 P.M. on ClassNet)
40_Dec 1 Chapter 15- Earth's Climates
41_Dec 3 Chapter 15 Continued
42_Dec 6 Chapter 16- Climate Changes:  Past and Future
43_Dec 8 Chapter 16 Continued
44_Dec 10 Review for Final Exam
Dec 13 Final Exam 12-2, 125 Kildee (Lush Auditorium Final Exam- Chapters 12-16

Grading

Grade Type:

                  Whole Letter Grade (A - F)

 Grade Percentage:

                  17% - Final Exam

                  50% - Mid-Term Exams, 3 exams

                  33% - Applications and forecast exercises

Policies

Unless stated otherwise, all homework must be submitted electronically. Makeup exams will not be given since only the best two of three hour exams will be counted. Please check your e-mail accounts on a regular basis since we may send out announcements regarding class materials, assignments, etc.

Printing

For documentation which is viewable in Netscape, use the Print... option to produce a hardcopy. Select Postscript for the most pleasing output. Be sure to specify "-Fbond" to print on paper without punch holes.  If you exceed your semester print quota ($20), you can pay for additional printing in 197 Durham.

Communication

 You can contact me or Paul by using the following methods of contact:
  1. Electronic mail
  2. Phone
  3. Office visit

Assignments
Assignments using the WeatherCycler and the forecast exercises will be accessed and submitted on WebCT and  ClassNet respectively.  These assignments will be monitored and graded by both utilities. Other in class assignments may be done daily and will be handed in before the end of the class period.