Geography 622.02: Microclimatological Field Methods and Data Analysis

When: M-W-F 0430P-0618P

Where: Derby Hall 0140

Instructor: Dr. Jason E. Box

Email: box.11 @ osu.edu

Telephone: 247-6877

Office: 1148 Derby Hall

Office hours: 3-4 PM, M & W or by appointment

Course Description and Goals: This course is designed to apply knowledge gained in 622.01 (Boundary Layer Meteorology), and experience the ‘real-world’ of instrumented field observations. Development of useful data products from the original data is an important goal. Small-scale (micro) meteorological instrumentation, experimental design, electronics, computer-aided data analysis, and logistics techniques are taught from a practical and introductory perspective.

Course Expectations: Exercise and improve attention to detail. Participate in course discussion and field logistics (25% of grade). Develop computer programming skills. Develop and maintain a highly detailed and well organized ‘field book’ (15% of grade). This course includes outdoor experiments to develop/exercise skills in field data acquisition. A final report evaluates results from a surface energy budget study. Course projects require writing IDL programs to plot and analyze data.

Books: 1 x 'Rite in the Rain' #393 Spiral Horizontal Notebook, or equivalent, available from the OSU bookstore for ~$6. It looks like this. No text book is required, however, Arya (2001) from 622.01 and Oke (1987) are very useful. Useful textbooks are listed at end of this document.

Field Experiments: Three field experiments are planned; 1) instrument calibration; 2) radiation balance, and 3) surface energy budget. Our field site is either the roof of Denny hall or the OSU airport.

Grading           10% 622.01 review

15% class participation

30% course projects

15% field book

20% final report

10% final presentation

Late assignments are accepted with a valid excuse.

Prerequisites: 622.01 or equivalent microclimatology course, thermodynamics.

Attendance is critical to your success in this course.

Class Participation is a significant fraction of your grade and involves:

• asking questions
• engaging in the logistics of field experiments
• taking turns in leadership roles

Useful Text Books (key texts in italics)

• Arya, S. P. S., 1988: Micrometeorology, Academic Press, 307 pp., ISBN 0-12-059354-8
• an accessible advanced undergrad introduction to the subject, mostly focusing on surface layer.
• micrometeorology
• Brutsaert, W.,  1988: Evaporation into the Atmosphere, ISBN 90-277-1247-6
• an excellent reference for boundary layer physics related to the processes of surface water vapor exchanges.
• micrometeorology
• Garratt, J. R., 1992: The Atmospheric Boundary Layer. Cambridge University Press, 316 pp., ISBN 0521467454
• Contains a list of other relevant books at the end of the first chapter, including historically important texts.
• Micrometeorology
• Geiger, R.,  2003: The Climate Near the Ground, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.; 6th edition (July, 2003), 600 pp. ISBN 0742518574
• Kaimal, J. C. , J. J. Finnigan, 1994: Atmospheric Boundary Layer Flows: Their Structure and Measurement, Oxford University Press, 304 pp., ISBN 0195062396
• micrometeorology
• Monteith J. L., Unsworth, M.H., 1990: Principles of Environmental Physics, Edward Arnold Publisher, 2nd Ed., 291 pp., ASIN: 0713129816
• Munn, R. E., 1966: Descriptive Micrometeorology, Academic Press, ISBN 1124119973
• Oke, T.R., 1987: Boundary Layer Climates, 2nd Ed., Methuen, London, 435 pp, ISBN 0-415-04319-0
• microclimatology
• Sorbjan, Z., 1989: Structure of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer. Prentice-Hall, 317 pp., ISBN 0138535574
• micrometeorology
• Stull, R. B., 1988: An Introduction to Boundary Layer Meteorology, Kluwer Publishers, 666 pp., ISBN 9027727686
• idiosyncratic discussion of physics, but nice discussion of the methods, observational and computational tools used in boundary layer meteorology
• micrometeorology

Schedule: See: http://geog-www.sbs.ohio-state.edu/courses/G622.02/schedule.htm