2021 Faculty Courses School of Environment and Society Undergraduate major in Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering
Introduction to Meteorology
- Academic unit or major
- Undergraduate major in Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering
- Instructor(s)
- Manabu Kanda
- Class Format
- Lecture
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 3-4 Mon (M112) / 3-4 Thu (S621)
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- TSE.A315
- Number of credits
- 200
- Course offered
- 2021
- Offered quarter
- 1Q
- Syllabus updated
- Jul 10, 2025
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
The purpose of this class is to learn fundamental meteorology from global to regional scales and its practical use in various science and engineering fields, thereby providing the intellectual basis for tackling global warming and/or urban heat island effects.
Course description and aims
Students will be able to:
(1) Obtain the intellectual basis to examine global climate changes by understanding the mechanism of global wind, heat and water circulations
(2) Obtain the intellectual basis to examine regional climate changes by understanding the mechanism of regional wind, heat and water circulations
Keywords
Wind, temperature and water circulations from global to regional scales: Meteorology over various land surfaces
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
The topics offered are not comprehensive but intended for wide and practical use in interdisciplinary fields. The lecture highlights the mechanism and physical background of interesting meteorological phenomena. Several exercises will contribute to deepen the understanding the physics.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Orientation |
Explain the new system binding video and real lectures, and understand the goal of this class. |
| Class 2 | Global surface temperature - video lecture |
Understand the mechanism of the globe surface temperature with radiative equilibrium and greenhouse gas effect. |
| Class 3 | Global surface temperature - discussion |
surface temperature with radiative equilibrium and greenhouse gas effect. |
| Class 4 | Global atmospheric and water circulation - video lecture |
Understand the mechanism of global atmospheric circulation including the Hadley circulation and the Westerlies with baroclinic instability |
| Class 5 | Global atmospheric and water circulation - discussion |
Understand the mechanism of global water circulation. Where and how much water exist on the globe? How frequently does the existing water exchange? |
| Class 6 | Vertical profile of the atmosphere - video lecture |
Learn the vertical profile of the temperature, pressure and density within the troposphere, and understand the concept of potential temperature. |
| Class 7 | Atmsopheric stability of dry air - discussion |
Understand the atmospheric stability of dry air using adiabatic laps rate and potential temperature gradient. |
| Class 8 | Atmsopheric stability of moist air - video lecture |
Understand the atmospheric stability of moist air using the concepts of latent instability and/or convective instability. |
| Class 9 | Extension of the concept of stability of moist air - discussion |
Learn the life cycle of cumulus cloud, its deformation due to wind shear, and organized squall line |
| Class 10 | Atmospheric boundary layer - video lecture |
The troposphere can be divided into the atmospheric boundary layer below adjacent to the surface and free atmosphere above. Learn the difference of physics between these two layers |
| Class 11 | Extension of the concept of atmospheric boundary layer - discussion |
Learn the extended concept of atmospheric boundary layer; local circulations including see-land breezes and katabatic-anabatic winds, and understand their influence on the regional climate. |
| Class 12 | Surface energy balance - video lecture |
Understand the concept of surface energy balance with relevant land surface parameters. |
| Class 13 | Surface energy balance of various surfaces - discussion |
Understand the characteristics of energy balance over various land surface |
| Class 14 | Presentation of final report |
Present final reports and reviwe the topics learned |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
Nothing
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Nothing
Evaluation methods and criteria
Exercise in Video
Exercise in Lecture
Term-end Subject
Related courses
- nothing
Prerequisites
Nothing