AIMS AND CONTENT

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course focuses on the study of atmospheric phenomena and their influence on everyday life (just think to the global warming). In this case the Student will be able to:

•      know and describe the main meteorological phenomena;
•      select the correct study methods to solve specific problems;
•      interpret the analytical results deriving from the use of meteorological instruments;
•      critically evaluate the data collected during monitoring activities in order to correctly predict meteorological forecasts;
•      produce scientific and / or professional reports;
•      correctly interpret the "meteorological" signals that the environment around us sends us;
•      evaluate the meteorological information received objectively and critically.

TEACHING METHODS

The course consists of classroom lectures, seminars held by staff of the ARPAL Weather Center, and lecture-visit at the Meteo-Hydrological Center of the Liguria Region (CMIRL).

Exam test: oral.

If the students so wish, at the end of the course, before the oral examination they will have the opportunity to carry out a written test to verify the knowledge acquired during the course: this test will then be corrected and discussed with the teachers (the written test, for the students of the current academic year only, is completely optional and free).

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Force of Coriolis. Ekman's Spiral. Atmosphere. Solar constant. Albedo. Thermal balance. Radiative budget. Air temperature. Balance of the heat of the ocean. Atmospheric pressure. Humidity in the air. Clouds. Rainfall. Fog and mist, smog.

Examples of meteorological and/or climatological applications in the fields of wind engineering and wind enegy, realized through experimental and numerical techniques. The forced and convective lifting mechanisms of the air parcel. Reversible adiabatic processes, and irreversible and reversible pseudoadiabatic processe in the atmosphere. The potential temperature and the dry adiabatic lapse rate (DALR). The equivalent potential temperature and the saturated adiabatic lapse rate (SALR).

The environmental lapse rate. Radiosondaggi. The concept of static stability in the atmosphere based on the local method. The atmosphere in stable conditions, the frequency of Brunt-Vaisala, the lenticular clouds and gravity waves. The atmosphere in unstable conditions. Thermodynamic diagrams of the atmosphere. Determination of the lifting condensation level (LCL) and the level of free convection (LFC).

The temporal indices (CAPE, Whiting, Lifted Index). Determination of the convective condensation level (CCL), Stau and föhn, thermal inversions. The process of homogeneous nucleation in the clouds. Definition and role of condensation nuclei for the formation of cloud droplets. The heterogeneous nucleation and the effect of the solute. The growth processes of raindrops in hot clouds: condensation and collision-coalescence growth. Experiment in creating a cloud in the bottle. The Bergeron process in the cold clouds and the formation of snowflakes. Precipitation types: rain, frozen rain, sleet, snow, hail. The international classification of clouds. The cloud atlas of the WMO and their international coding.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

During the year, the PowerPoint of the lectures and various didactic material with character and Meteorological themes will be uploaded in the AulaWeb .

Recommended books:

• Francesco Fantauzzo (1976), Dalla brezza all'uragano (meteorologia moderna) ;
• Mario Giuliacci, Andrea Giuliacci, Paolo Corazzon (2010), Manuale di meteorologia .
• Stefano Gallino (2015), Il Meteo per la vela - Manuale per la regata e la crociera

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

MARCO CAPELLO (President)

MASSIMO VERDOYA (President)

EGIDIO ARMADILLO

MASSIMILIANO BURLANDO

GABRIELE FERRETTI

LESSONS

LESSONS START

For lessons and timetables, please go to http://www.distav.unige.it/ccsambnat/orariolezioni

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Exam: oral.

If the students so wish, at the end of the course, before the oral examination they will have the opportunity to carry out a written test to verify the knowledge acquired during the course: this test will then be corrected and discussed with the teachers (the written test, for the students of the current academic year only, is completely optional and free).

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The oral exam will focus mainly on the topics covered during the lessons and during the seminars/study visit at the ARPAL Weather Center, and will have the purpose of assessing whether the student has reached an adequate level of knowledge and has acquired the ability to link all the theoretical information by applying it to situations real (weather forecast). The property of language and the knowledge of the correct scientific and technical terminology will also be evaluated.

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION

We recommend to follow the lessons.