UBC ATSC 303 - Methods in Atmospheric Science

Course Content

Week
Theme
Monday
Wednesday
Friday
1
Introduction
Lecture: Instrument systems overview
Lecture: Circuits
Lecture on Short Circuits & Proper use of Multimeters
& Lab: Circuits
2
Temperature
Lecture: Thermometry
& Guest Lecture by Mariette Kulin on ECCC Jobs
Lecture & Demo: Thermometers
Lecture & Lab: Build and use Thermocouples
3
Data Acquisition
Lecture: Data Acquisition
Lecture & Demo: Data Loggers
Lecture & Lab: Program CR1000 data logger
4
Instrument Response
Lecture: Static Response
Lecture: Dynamic Response
Demo & Lab: Calibration.  Response time.
5
Pressure
Lecture: Barometry
Midterm Exam #1
Demo & Lab: barometers
6
Humidity
Lecture: Hygrometry
Demo: Humidity
Lab: hygrometers & psychrometers

   Spring Break
Spring Break
Spring Break
7
Precipitation
Lecture: Precipitation
Lecture & Demo: Rain gauges
Lecture & Lab: precipitation
8
Wind Speed & Direction
Lecture: Anemometry
Lecture & Demo: Anemometers
Field trip to UBC wind tunnel
Lab: wind measurement
9
Radiation
Lecture: Solar & terrestrial radiation
Midterm Exam #2
Lecture: Radiation (continued).  Also if time: Intro to air pollutants. 
Lab: radiometers
10
Air Pollutants, Upper-Air
Lecture: "Air Pollutants and How to Measure Them".  Guest lecture (via zoom) by Davi Monticelli.  
Lecture: Upper-air Soundings
.
Lecture Upper-air sounding principles.
Lab: Field trip to UBC lawn for windsond launches.
11 Visibility, Clouds & Microcontrollers

Lecture: Visibility & clouds  . • Demo: drones


Guest Lecture by Dr. Rosie Howard on Running Field Programs (e.g., for the 2010 Winter Olympics)

Lecture: Visibility & clouds (continued)
 Demo: Using microcontrollers as data loggers for pollutants and wind.
Lab: programming the Arduino microcontroller.

12
Eddy-correlation, Fluxes, and TKE
Lecture: Fast-response sensors to measure turbulence. Turbulence kinetic energy (TKE).
Lecture: Fluxes, Eddy-correlation method, and Bowen-ratio method
Demo & Lab: Fast-response flux sensors.
13
Field-program Planning
How to plan a field program. Guest speakers: Lynn Engel (running winter field programs in N. Canada), 
(last class day)
.
.

(final exam will be scheduled by UBC)


For a detailed calendar of lectures, demos, labs, and tours, go to the Learning Goals under the Home tab.