Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE EMP2001

 
TITLE Earth's Atmospheric System

 
UM LEVEL 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course

 
MQF LEVEL 5

 
ECTS CREDITS 5

 
DEPARTMENT Environmental Management and Planning

 
DESCRIPTION This study-unit will provide the basic concepts of weather and climate, of the characteristics, structure, and processes of the atmosphere. Students will learn how to understand the weather and its processes. The emphasis will be on developing a broad understanding of the fundamental physical and dynamic processes governing the motions and behavior of the atmosphere, and its interactions with the underlying land and ocean surfaces. This study-unit will also address mesoscale meteorology with respect to regional and local atmospheric phenomena, which include the understanding of storms, fronts, convective clouds and boundary-layer circulations, including topographical effects. Mesoscale systems interact strongly with microscale processes at scales of order of a kilometre or less and with the large-scale global circulation.

Study-unit Aims:

This study-unit aims:

- To provide students with an understanding of basic meteorology;
- To enable students to apply knowledge gained in the analysis of weather conditions, including elements of weather forecasting;
- To provide an overview of applications and techniques encompassing meteorology, including satellite observations, in situ observation and monitoring, data analysis, management and archiving;
- To explain the analysis of regional weather charts and diagrams;
- To demonstrate linkages between various earth systems.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- Explain the fundamental structure, composition, and dynamics of the atmosphere;
- Explain the elements that feed into weather analysis;
- Explain the role of atmospheric science as an integral part of Earth systems science.

2. Skills:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- Use the scientific method in weather analysis;
- Interpret atmospheric phenomena under normal and extreme regimes;
- Use basic tools and data to interpret weather data;
- Assess the relationship between global patterns and local meteorology.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

Barry, R.G. and Chorley, R.J. (2010). Atmosphere, weather and climate. Routledge Taylor and Francis Group. ISBN: 9780415465694.

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Fieldwork, Lectures and Tutorials

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Assessment Due Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Quiz SEM1 Yes 40%
Analysis Task SEM1 Yes 60%

 
LECTURER/S Charles Galdies

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit