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General Circulation of the Atmosphere (ATOC90014)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5Off Campus
From 2023 most subjects will be taught on campus only with flexible options limited to a select number of postgraduate programs and individual subjects.
To learn more, visit COVID-19 course and subject delivery.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Semester 1
Overview
| Availability | Semester 1 - Off Campus |
|---|---|
| Fees | Look up fees |
This subject provides an introduction to the large-scale circulation features of the atmosphere and the processes that maintain them. Students will be introduced to a set of mathematical tools that will be used to analyse the transport of energy, momentum and moisture through the atmosphere and to build a conceptual picture for how these transports are achieved by the atmospheric circulation. Topics covered will include:
- Review of the governing equations
- Reynolds decomposition and atmospheric transports
- Atmospheric reanalysis
- The Hadley circulation
- Monsoons
- Midlatitude eddies and jet formation
- The Ferrel Cell
- Isentropic and transformed Eulerian mean circulations
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of this subject, students should be able to:
- Identify the main features of the atmospheric circulation and the processes that contribute to their maintenance;
- Apply mathematical tools to analyse the transports of energy/momentum through the atmosphere;
- Critically engage with the scientific literature regarding the large-scale atmospheric circulation and its possible changes under climate change.
Generic skills
- Exercise critical judgement;
- undertake rigorous and independent thinking;
- adopt a problem-solving approach to new and unfamiliar tasks;
- develop high-level written report and/or oral presentation skills.
Last updated: 12 November 2022
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Recommended background knowledge
Students should have taken an introductory course in dynamical meteorology equivalent to ATOC30004 Dynamical Meteorology and Oceanography and be familiar with partial differential equations.
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 12 November 2022
Assessment
| Description | Timing | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
Assignment
| Week 5 | 15% |
Assignment
| Week 10 | 15% |
Presentation
| Week 12 | 5% |
Report
| Week 12 | 15% |
Exam
| During the examination period | 50% |
Last updated: 12 November 2022
Dates & times
- Semester 1 - Off Campus
Coordinator Josephine Brown Mode of delivery Off Campus Contact hours 48 hours of lectures; 12 weeks of lectures, 2 hours a week. Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 28 February 2022 to 29 May 2022 Last self-enrol date 11 March 2022 Census date 31 March 2022 Last date to withdraw without fail 6 May 2022 Assessment period ends 24 June 2022 Semester 1 contact information
Additional delivery details
This subject is taught through the Victorian Institute of Earth and Planetary Sciences :https://vieps.earthsci.unimelb.edu.au
Last updated: 12 November 2022
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
None.
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 12 November 2022