University of Silesia
Faculty of Earth Sciences
Course title:
Climatology and Meteorology
Department of Climatology
Hours of lectures: 30
ECTS credits: 5
Year/semester: I/2
Hours of classes/laboratory: 30
Code: 04-GF-S1-005A
Learning outcomes:
Basic knowledge about the meteorology and climatology and the most important scientific
problems within these disciplines. Knowledge of the methods and technics of the data
gathering and ability to do meteorological measurements and use meteorological data for
climatological analysis. Understanding basic meteorological process in the Earth atmosphere.
Ability to describe the climate diversity over the Earth and knowledge of the basic climatic
zones. Ability to perform climatological analysis on the basis of meteorological data.
Course description:
Lecture:
Meteorology and climatology – similarities and dissimilarities. World Meteorological
Organization. Brief history of meteorological investigations. The methods of
meteorological measurements: meteorological stations, aerological stations, satellite and
radar monitoring, detection of lightning. The structure of the atmosphere and atmospheric
constituents. Global radiation balance. Water in the atmosphere: atmospheric humidity.
Clouds and cloudiness. Precipitation and other atmospheric phenomenon. The categories
of the meteors. International meteorological symbols. Air temperature: altitudinal
changes, lapse rate – dry and wet lapse rate. Aerological diagram. Stratification of the
atmosphere (vertical changes of the temperature). Atmospheric stability. Atmospheric
pressure and wind. Dynamic of the atmosphere and wind direction. Vertical changes of
the air pressure, baric centres. Geostrophic wind and its forces. Surface wind. Cyclonic
and antycyclonic air movement. Atmospheric circulation, air masses, atmospheric fronts
and cloudiness structure at the front surface. Types of atmospheric circulation. Synoptic
chart. Maps of baric topography. Meteorological forecast. Scale of climate investigations:
macroclimate, mesoclimate, microclimate. Regional climatology: climatic zones of the
Earth according to Köppen Classification. Vertical Climatic zones in the Carpathians.
Extreme climatic phenomenon. Long-term climate change.
Class/laboratory:
Meteorological garden. The sources of the meteorological and climatological data. The
homogeneity of the chronological series. Statistical methods for climatological analysis.
Graphical presentation of the results of climatological data analysis. Measurement
instruments, measurement methods and methods of a compilation of the data from
measurements of radiation, evaporation, air humidity, precipitation, cloudiness, air
temperature, ground temperature, air pressure. Notation of the weather phenomenon. Selected
problems of synoptic climatology. Climate classifications.
University of Silesia
Faculty of Earth Sciences
Examination method:
Lecture: a test
Class/laboratory: a test and continuous assessment form lab reports