OVERVIEW

The teaching unit explores atmospheric dynamics and the physical processes driving weather and climate. It examines the impacts of climate change at the global and local scale, equipping students with tools to analyze and interpret atmospheric and climate data.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

This teaching unit aims to provide students with an in-depth understanding of the fundamental principles of atmospheric circulation that govern weather and climate on Earth. Students will gain the analytical tools necessary to understand the mathematical formulations and parameterizations employed in numerical weather and climate prediction models, and to evaluate the sources of uncertainty inherent in forecasting atmospheric conditions. The teaching unit will also address the impacts of climate change on environmental risk, with particular emphasis on changes in the intensity and frequency of extreme events such as floods, droughts, windstorms, and heatwaves.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The teaching unit describes the basics of atmospheric and climate dynamics, and the key processes that affect weather and climate on the Earth, with focus on mid-latitudes. Additionally, numerical weather prediction will be introduced and its application to meteorological forecast and climate prediction will be discussed.

During classes, students will learn the general concepts of atmospheric and climate dynamics and will become able to use the simplified equations of atmospheric circulation to calculate the atmospheric motions at the global and local scale. Students will learn how to analyse climate projections and their uncertainties, according to IPCC projections, with focus on high-impact extreme events.

PREREQUISITES

There are no specific requirements

TEACHING METHODS

The teaching unit consists of 40 hours of lessons. Students will be asked to develop some tutorials during lectures under the teacher's supervision. Few simple assignments will be given to students to encourage self-study and self-regulation skills.

Students with valid certifications for Specific Learning Disorders (SLDs), disabilities or other educational needs are invited to contact the teacher and the School's contact person for disability at the beginning of teaching to agree on possible teaching arrangements that, while respecting the teaching objectives, take into account individual learning patterns. Contacts of the School's disability contact person can be found at the following link Comitato di Ateneo per l’inclusione delle studentesse e degli studenti con disabilità o con DSA | UniGe | Università di Genova

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

This Teaching Unit (TU) introduces the physics and dynamics of the Earth's atmosphere. It provides the mathematical and physical foundations of atmospheric circulation, thermodynamic profiles, radiative transfer, and wind dynamics. The course also explores operational Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) systems, chaos theory, and the impact of climate change on natural risks through the study of IPCC projections and climate models.

The TU is organized into 10 lectures of 4 hours each (40 hours total), covering the following topics:

1. Atmospheric Structure: Introduction to atmospheric physics. Atmospheric composition: permanent, variable, and trace gases. Vertical thermal structure of the atmosphere. Composition-based classification.
2. Atmospheric Pressure: The hydrostatic balance equation. Vertical profiles of pressure and density. Land/sea breeze circulation model (local thermal winds). Principles of atmospheric pressure measurement (aneroid barometers).
3. Geopotential & Standard Atmosphere: Terrestrial gravitational potential and geopotential height. The ICAO Standard Atmosphere model. Reduction of pressure to sea level. The hypsometric equation.
4. Upper-Air Observations & Radiosoundings: Atmospheric radiosoundings: technology, launch procedures, and vertical profile measurements.
5. Radiation & Energy Balance: The Earth's energy balance. Solar and terrestrial radiation spectra. Sun-Earth energy balance. The physical greenhouse effect. Variability of solar radiation. Global energy balance of the Earth-atmosphere system. Radiation measurements, instrumentation, and satellite observations.
6. Kinematics:  Kinematics of atmospheric flows: natural coordinate system and the concept of vorticity, divergence and deformation.
7. Dynamics & Forces in Rotating Systems:  Real forces (pressure gradient, gravity, friction) and apparent forces (Coriolis force). Navier-Stokes equations for rotating atmospheres. Concept and derivation of the Geostrophic Wind: Applications and examples. Gradient wind. Cyclostrophic wind. Introduction to the Atmospheric Boundary Layer (ABL) and turbulent flows.
8. Global Circulation: Global atmospheric circulation: one-cell (Hadley) and three-cell (Hadley, Ferrel, Polar) models. Wind measurements: sensors, anemometers, and weather stations.
9. Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP): the Global Telecommunication System (GTS). Historical evolution of NWP: Global Circulation Models (GCM) and Limited Area Models (LAM). Governing equations and physical parameterizations in NWP. Chaos theory and the Ensemble Prediction System (EPS).
10. Climate Change: Climate change: Earth System Modelling (ESM), Regional Climate Modelling (RCM), CMIP initiatives. IPCC assessment reports, Kyoto Protocol, and Paris Agreement.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Stull R. (2017). Practical Meteorology. https://www.eoas.ubc.ca/books/Practical_Meteorology/

Lecture notes

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

Students may refer to the following link: https://corsi.unige.it/en/corsi/11921/students-timetable

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The course assessment relies exclusively on a single oral examination. The interview aims to verify the student's understanding of the course contents through three main questions.

• The first question will address a topic chosen directly by the student. Note: The preparation of slides or digital presentations is not required nor allowed for any part of the exam, including the chosen topic.

• The subsequent two questions will cover other parts of the syllabus.

During the examination, students may utilize the whiteboard/blackboard to facilitate their exposition (e.g., for diagrams, formulas, or outlines). Each question is graded on a scale of 0 to 10 points, for a maximum final score of 30/30.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The oral exam is designed to assess not only the student's memorization of the course material but also their critical understanding. Specifically, students will be evaluated on their capacity to structure a logical argument, define key concepts precisely, and use the blackboard effectively to illustrate complex points. Active problem-solving skills and the ability to link theoretical concepts to practical examples will be highly valued.

Grading Scale Guidelines:

• Excellent (27-30/30): Deep and comprehensive understanding of the topics, excellent analytical skills, precise use of terminology, and fluent exposition.

• Good/Satisfactory (22-26/30): Good knowledge of the core concepts, correct understanding, and clear exposition, despite minor gaps or hesitations.

• Sufficient (18-21/30): Minimal knowledge of the syllabus, basic understanding of the main topics, and acceptable exposition.

• Fail (Below 18): Insufficient knowledge, significant misunderstandings, or inability to address the questions.

FURTHER INFORMATION

For any additional information not included in the unit description, contact the professor