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Meteorological Institute

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Courses

Winter Semester 2022/23

Prof. Dr. Nedjeljka Žagar

Lecture

  • Dynamic Meteorology, 63-831 (Part II, 4 SWS, 5CP; M.Sc. Meteorology, Module TM)

Contents: The course teaches atmospheric dynamics by systematically introducing equations and concepts of increasing complexity and their use for understanding outputs of complex weather and climate models. Students learn to interpret atmospheric phenomena in observations and numerical models in terms of concepts and simplified models that describe scales and dynamical regimes of interest and can be solved mathematically. These solutions provide physical understanding of processes otherwise difficult to grasp.

Learning objectives: Understanding of the dynamic fundamentals of the atmospheric part of the climate system

Seminar

  • Seminar in Atmospheric Dynamics and Forecasting, 63-888 (2 SWS, M.Sc. Meteorology, Module TM)

Dr. Richard Blender

Lecture

  • Statistics in meteorology, 63-820 (Part I, 2 SWS, 1CP, B.Sc. Meteorologie, in Module KS Physics of Climate and Statistics), with Prof. Dr. Jinsong von Storch (Part II)

Contents: The introduction to Meteorological Statistics covers the most important statistical methods and their application to the analysis of meteorological data. Topics are: the most important distributons with emphasis on meteorology and climatology, the Central Limit Theorem, descriptive statistics, extreme value statistics, Autoregressive processes, and multivariate statistics.

Learning objectives: Goals are to become familiar with the statistical perspective and to be able to apply fundamental methods in a Bachelor or Master thesis, understanding of the most important probability distributions, conducting a simple statistical analysis, testing a hypothesis (t-test), calculation of correlations, trends and frequency spectra, creation of an autoregressive model, and the application of multivariate statistics.

Exercises

  • Exercises for  Meteorological Statistics, 63-820a (Part I; 2 SWS, 1CP; B.Sc. Meteorologiy, in Module KS Physics of Climate and Statistics), with Prof. Dr. Jinsong von Storch (Part II)

Contents and Learning objectives: The exercises are closely related to the lecture and should also help to understand statistical reasing via applications. The exercises use the software packages R and matlab.


Dr. Frank Lunkeit

Exercises

  • Exercises for Dynamic Meteorology, 63-831a (2 SWS, 3CP, M.Sc. Meteorologie)

Contents and Learning objectives: Excercises closely follow the lecture Dynamic Meteorology (63-831)

 

Dr. Sergiy Vasylkevych 

Lecture + Exercises

  • Geophysical Wavelab, 63-861 (4 SWS im M.Sc. Meteorologie) with Prof. Dr. Nedjeljka Žagar    

Contents: The course provides introductory theoretical and modelling training in atmosphere and ocean dynamics. Lectures on wave motions are supplemented by a hierarchy of numerical labs using in-house numerical prediction models. The students receive an overview of basic wave concepts important for the atmospheric and ocean circulation, gain hands-on experience in analyzing specific phenomena, such as the Rossby and inertia-gravity waves in the midlatitudes and in the tropics, geostrophic adjustment, barotropic instability, impact of orography on the flow, as well as practical skills in designing numerical experiments and describing their results in a written form.

 

Summer Semester 2023

Prof. Dr. Nedjeljka Žagar

Lecture

  • Dynamic Meteorology, 63-822 (Part I, 4 SWS, 5CP; B.Sc. Meteorology, Module TM)

    Contents: The course teaches atmospheric dynamics by systematically introducing equations and concepts of increasing complexity and their use for understanding outputs of complex weather and climate models. Students learn to interpret atmospheric phenomena in observations and numerical models in terms of concepts and simplified models that describe scales and dynamical regimes of interest and can be solved mathematically. These solutions provide physical understanding of processes otherwise difficult to grasp.

    Learning objectives: Understanding of the dynamic fundamentals of the atmospheric part of the climate system.

  • Deepening meteorologocal knowledge: Numerical Prediction of Atmosphere and Ocean, 63-887 (4 SWS, 5CP, Msc., with Dr. Nuno Serra; Prof. Dr. Detlef Stammer; Dr. Sergiy Vasylkevych)

  • Seminar in Atmospheric Dynamics and Forecasting, 63-888 (2 SWS, 2CP, Meteorology, Module TM, with Dr. Richard Blender, see below)

 

Dr. Richard Blender

Seminar

  • Seminar in Atmospheric Dynamics and Forecasting 63-888 (2 SWS, 2CP, Meteorology, Module TM, mit Prof. Dr. Nedjeljka Žagar)

Contents: In the seminar, MSc and PhD students should report on their current research results. The students should give a scientific lecture in English of about 30 minutes and then answer the results in the discussion part. The lecture is primarily but not exclusively aimed at students from the working group. The main result and the progress should be presented in a concise form. The language is English.

Learning objectives: The seminar should help to improve the presentation style and to be able to classify one's own research work. In particular, the discussion should help to critically assess one's own point of view. In particular, the aim is to address listeners who have a dynamic research focus but do not work in the same field. The seminar should be used to prepare for the defense of the MSc thesis or the disputation. 

 

Dr. Frank Lunkeit

Lecture

  • Meteorological Modelling II, 63-864 (Teil C: C. Basics of numerical modelling: Dicretization and numerics, 2SWS, 2CP, M.Sc. Meteorology)

Contents: This part (C) of Meteorologische Modellierung (63-864) imparts the basics of numerical modeling and knowledge of the discretization of equations that are typical for meteorological applications. The evolution equation, the one-dimensional linear and non-linear advection, the one-dimensional diffusion as well as the one-dimensional linear and non-linear transport equation are treated. Different methods for the numerical treatment of these equations are learned and their properties in terms of consistency, convergence and stability are explained.

Learning objectives: Become familiar with the basics of numerical modelling of the atmospheric circulation.

Exercises

  • Exercises for Dynamical Meteorology,63-822a (2SWS, 3CP, B.Sc. Meteorology)

              Contents and Learning objectives: The exercises closely follow the lecture Dynamical Meteorology (63-822)

  • Exercises for Meteorological Modelling II, 63-864a (2SWS, 3CP M.Sc. Meteorology)

               Contents und Learning objectives: The exercises closely follow the lecture meteorological modelling II (Part C, 63-864)

Dr. Sergiy Vasylkevych 

Lecture + Exercises

  • Deepening meteorological knowledge: Data Analysis in Atmosphere and Ocean using Python, 63-877 (4SWS, 6CP, MSc.)

Contents and Learning objectives: The course provides an introduction to data analysis and is aimed at students planning a career in meteorology, oceanography or climate science. The course emphasizes the hands-on approach aimed at solving the most common data analysis tasks encountered in weather and climate studies. Python is used throughout as the numeric tool of choice. To make the course self-contained, a short introduction to Python is given. Students will learn about different techniques and tools used to analyze, interpret and visualize atmospheric and oceanic measurements and to output numerical models.

 

Summer Semester 2022

Prof. Dr. Nedjeljka Žagar + Dr. Richard Blender

Lecture

  • Dynamic Meteorology, 63-822 (Part I, 4 SWS, 5CP; B.Sc. Meteorology, Module TM)

    Contents: This module contains an introduction to the basics of dynamic meteorology. The lecture begins with the fundamental equations of motion on the rotating earth and the thermodynamics of the stratified atmosphere. The scale analysis approximates these equations for the synoptic scale and introduces the vertical pressure coordinate system. The vorticity equation and its approximations are another focus of the lecture. The quasi-geostrophic approximation is introduced together with the approximation of the potential vorticity as the most important basis of large-scale dynamic meteorology and used to describe Rossby waves. The propagation of waves is treated by linearization and wave approaches with the dispersion relation as the central context. The barotropic atmosphere and gravity waves are described using the shallow water model. The properties of the baroclinic instability are derived within the framework of the baroclinic quasi-geostrophic two-layer model. The lecture emphasizes the understanding of important concepts of geophysical fluid dynamics, in particular the role of approximations in modeling and mechanisms such as wave propagation and instabilities.

    Learning objectives: The students have understood the fundamental equations of atmospheric dynamics such as momentum equation, continuity equation, first law and can apply them. The most important approximations such as hydrostasis and geostrophy can be classified and described using key figures. The vorticity equation and the mechanisms involved are known, as are the main properties of the vertical pressure coordinate system and the geopotential. The geostrophy and the associated model ideas such as layer thickness and thermal wind have been understood. The quasi-geostrophic approximation with the omega equation and the trend equation has been understood and the most important wave types such as Rossby waves and gravity waves can be described and their propagation can be derived using the dispersion relation. The causes of baroclinic instability and their essential properties and dependencies are well known. Simple derivations and concrete sample calculations have been carried out. Overall, the students have developed a solid understanding of large-scale atmospheric dynamics and can assess the central role of models and approximations.

  • Deepening meteorological knowledge: Numerical Prediction of Atmosphere and Ocean, 63-887 (4 SWS, 5CP, Msc., mit Dr. Nuno Serra; Prof. Dr. Detlef Stammer; Dr. Sergiy Vasylkevych)

  • Seminar in Atmospheric Dynamics and Forecasting, 63-888 (2 SWS, 2CP, Meteorology, Module TM, with Dr. Richard Blender

 

Dr. Richard Blender

Lecture

  • Dynamic Meteorology 63-822 - Part I, 4 SWS, 5CP; B.Sc. Meteorology, Module TM, with Prof. Dr. Nedjeljka Žagar).

Seminar

  • Seminar in Atmospheric Dynamics and Forecasting 63-888 (2 SWS, 2CP, Meteorologie, Modul TM, mit Prof. Dr. Nedjeljka Žagar)

Contents: In the seminar, MSc and PhD students should report on their current research results. The students should give a scientific lecture in English of about 30 minutes and then answer the results in the discussion part. The lecture is primarily but not exclusively aimed at students from the working group. The main result and the progress should be presented in a concise form. The language is English.

Learning objectives: The seminar should help to improve the presentation style and to be able to classify one's own research work. In particular, the discussion should help to critically assess one's own point of view. In particular, the aim is to address listeners who have a dynamic research focus but do not work in the same field. The seminar should be used to prepare for the defense of the MSc thesis or the disputation.  

Dr. Frank Lunkeit

Lecture

  • Meteorological Modelling II, 63-864 (Teil C: C. Basics of numerical Modelling: Discretization und Numerics, 2SWS, 2CP, M.Sc. Meteorology)

Contents: This part (C) of Meteorologische Modellierung (63-864) imparts the basics of numerical modeling and knowledge of the discretization of equations that are typical for meteorological applications. The evolution equation, the one-dimensional linear and non-linear advection, the one-dimensional diffusion as well as the one-dimensional linear and non-linear transport equation are treated. Different methods for the numerical treatment of these equations are learned and their properties in terms of consistency, convergence and stability are explained.

Learning objectives: Become familiar with the basics of numerical modelling of the atmospheric circulation

Exercises

  • Exercises for Introduction to Dynamic Meteorology,63-822a (2SWS, 3CP, B.Sc. Meteorologie)

              Contents and Learning objectives: Exercises follow the lecture Introduction to Dynamic Meteorology (63-822)

  • Exercises for Meteorological Modelling II, 63-864a (2SWS, 3CP M.Sc. Meteorologie)

               Contents and Learning objectives: Exercises follow the lecture Meteorological Modelling II (Teil C, 63-864)

 

Dr. Sergiy Vasylkevych 

Lecture + Exercises

  • Deepening meteorological knowledge: Data Analysis in Atmosphere and Ocean using Python, 63-877 (4SWS, 6CP, MSc.)

Contents and Learning objectives: The course provides an introduction to data analysis and is aimed at students planning a career in meteorology, oceanography or climate science. The course emphasizes the hands-on approach aimed at solving the most common data analysis tasks encountered in weather and climate studies. Python is used throughout as the numeric tool of choice. To make the course self-contained, a short introduction to Python is given. Students will learn about different techniques and tools used to analyze, interpret and visualize atmospheric and oceanic measurements and to output numerical models.