LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course provides the basic knowledge of the behaviour of Earth's atmosphere and the ability to analyse the main meteorological phenomena, with particular reference to the role of water in the atmosphere and the dynamics of the planetary boundary layer.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the course, students will be able to understand and distinguish the main meteorological phenomena that affect, at mid-latitudes, the dynamics of the atmospheric boundary layer and the formation of stratiform and convective precipitation.

TEACHING METHODS

The course consists of approximately 50 hours of lessons in which some laboratory experiments and practical examples of numerical simulation of weather prediction will be also presented. At the end of the course there will be a visit at the Meteo-Hydrological Functional Center of Civil Protection of the Liguria Region.

Working students and students with SLD, disability or other special educational needs are advised to contact the teacher at the beginning of the course to agree on teaching and examination methods that, in compliance with the teaching objectives, take into account individual learning modalities

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Structure of the atmosphere. Energy balance of the Earth. Role of water in the atmosphere. Stability of atmospheric layers. Cloud microphysics and liquid and solid precipitation. International classification of the clouds. Dynamics of the atmosphere. Atmospheric circulation patterns. Extratropical cyclones. Numerical weather prediction models.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

• Notes of the course
• C. D. Ahrens (2007). Essentials of meteorology. Thomson Brooks/Cole.
• M. L. Salby (1996). Fundamentals of atmospheric physics. Academic Press.
• J. R. Holton (2004). An introduction to dynamic meteorology. Academic Press.
• J. M. Wallace and P. V. Hoobs (2006). Atmospheric science. Academic Press.