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MET 4400: Meteorological Instrumentation and Observations

Course description

This course introduces theory and practice of calibration and operation of basic meteorological sensors, which are used to measure temperature, atmospheric flow, pressure, and moisture. Satellite and remote sensing measurements are also included in this class. The course includes in-class demonstrations and laboratory projects designed to illustrate applications of meteorological instruments through hands-on experiences.

Course Goals and Objectives

The main goal of this course is to introduce students the basic atmospheric measurement methodology and the fundamental physics behind the measurements. Specific topics include barometry, thermometry, hygrometry (atmospheric water), precipitation, anemometry (winds), radiation and visibility and cloud height. The course will focus primarily on in-situ measurement techniques but will also cover some aspects of remote sensing such as satellite and GPS measurements of moisture and radar observations of precipitation for purposes of inter-comparison. The course will focus on the basic physical principles of measurements while providing examples of actual instrumentation. It will cover sources and mitigation of measurement errors and how to represent and analyze both static and dynamic errors. It will discuss how to analyze and interpret the measurement results and characterize the measurement results statistically.

Instructor: Ping Zhu<zhup@fiu.edu>

When: 9:00 AM - 9:50 PM M/W/F

Where: AHC5 357 (MCC)

Prerequisites: PHY 2048 or PHY 2053 or Permission by the instructor.

Grading: Homework and participation(20%), Project (40%), mid-term exam, (20%) and final exam (20%)

Office hours: M/W/F, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM or by appointment at AHC5 234

 

Textbooks

Meteorological Measurement Systems (F. Brock & S. Richardson, Oxford University Press, 2001)

online notes

Other useful sources

1. An Introduction to Meteorological Instrumentation and Measurement (Thomas P. DeFelice, Prentice Hall, New Jersey, 1998) 2. Federal Meteorological Handbook No. 1, by NWS/NOAA, 1995, http://205.156.54.206/oso/oso1/oso12/fmh1/fmh1toc.htm 3. An Introduction to Satellite Imagery Interpretation (Conway, E.D., Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, 242 pp, 1997) 4. http://weather.noaa.gov/radar/radinfo/radinfo.html


Syllabus(weeks approximate)