| Unit name | Terrestrial Hydrometeorology |
|---|---|
| Unit code | CENGM0022 |
| Credit points | 10 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Rico-Ramirez |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
N/A |
| Co-requisites |
N/A |
| School/department | School of Civil, Aerospace and Design Engineering |
| Faculty | Faculty of Engineering |
This unit will introduce the atmospheric fluxes that drive the hydrological cycle. Starting from a detailed description of the Earth’s climate, the module will follow atmospheric fluxes of moisture, solar radiation and global circulation patterns through to the resulting vertical fluxes that interact with the land surface and thus drive the hydrological cycle.
The unit aims to enable the student to understand physical processes, and the ways in which those processes are characterised through either direct or proxy measures. These will include: climate, atmospheric circulation, cloud formation, precipitation, evaporation, energy budgets and soil moisture.
At the end of this module, the successful student will be able to:
M4.1 expound the processes in the (atmospheric part of the) water cycle;
M4.2 explain the physics governing atmospheric circulation and describe how this leads to climate and weather;
M4.3 explain and quantitatively describe moisture and energy fluxes at the land-atmosphere interface;
M4.4 explain precipitation formation and observation, and analyse precipitation time series in space and time
The teaching in this unit comprises formal lectures, seminars, tutorials and examples classes.
This unit will be assessed by an exam (70%) and by in-unit coursework assignment (30%). Formative feedback will also be provided throughout the unit from tutorial exercises, to help students prepare for the summative assessments.
Shuttleworth, W.J. (2012) Terrestrial Hydrometeorology, Wiley, 0470659378
Barry, R.G. and Chorley, R.J. (2009) Atmosphere, Weather and Climate, 9th edition, Routledge, 0415465702
