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Major Atmospheric Science (61 credits)

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Offered by: Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences     Degree: Bachelor of Science

Program Requirements

Required Courses (46 credits)

  • ATOC 214 Introduction: Physics of the Atmosphere (3 credits)

    Offered by: Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences : An introduction to physical meteorology designed for students in the physical sciences. Topics include: composition of the atmosphere; heat transfer; the upper atmosphere; atmospheric optics; formation of clouds and precipitation; instability; adiabatic charts.

    Terms: Fall 2011

    Instructors: Szejwach, Gerard (Fall)

    • Fall

    • 3 hours lecture

    • Prerequisite: CEGEP Physics, or the combination of PHYS 131 and PHYS 142, or permission of instructor.

  • ATOC 215 Oceans, Weather and Climate (3 credits)

    Offered by: Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences : Laws of motion, geostrophic wind, gradient wind. General circulation of the atmosphere and oceans, local circulation features. Air-sea interaction, including hurricanes and sea-ice formation, extra-tropical weather systems and fronts, role of the atmosphere and oceans in climate.

    Terms: Winter 2012

    Instructors: Son, Seok-Woo (Winter)

    • Winter

    • 3 hours lecture

    • Prerequisite: ATOC 214

  • ATOC 309 Weather Radars and Satellites (3 credits)

    Offered by: Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences : Basic notions of radiative transfer and applications of satellite and radar data to mesoscale and synoptic-scale systems are discussed. Emphasis will be put on the contribution of remote sensing to atmospheric and oceanic sciences.

    Terms: Winter 2012

    Instructors: Fabry, Frederic; Szejwach, Gerard (Winter)

    • Winter

    • 3 hours lecture

    • Prerequisite: ATOC 215

  • ATOC 315 Thermodynamics and Convection (3 credits)

    Offered by: Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences : Buoyancy, stability, and vertical oscillations. Dry and moist adiabatic processes. Resulting dry and precipitating convective circulations from the small scale to the global scale. Mesoscale precipitation systems from the cell to convective complexes. Severe convection, downbursts, mesocyclones.

    Terms: Fall 2011

    Instructors: Atallah, Eyad Hashem (Fall)

  • ATOC 412 Atmospheric Dynamics (3 credits)

    Offered by: Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences : Equations of motion in rotating coordinates, elementary applications, circulation and vorticity, the planetary boundary layer, synoptic scale motions, Rossby waves and inertial oscillations.

    Terms: Fall 2011

    Instructors: Straub, David N (Fall)

  • ATOC 540 Synoptic Meteorology 1 (3 credits)

    Offered by: Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences : Analysis of current meteorological data. Description of a geostrophic, hydrostatic atmosphere. Ageostrophic circulations and hydrostatic instabilities. Kinematic and thermodynamic methods of computing vertical motions. Tropical and extratropical condensation rates. Barotropic and equivalent barotropic atmospheres.

    Terms: Fall 2011

    Instructors: Atallah, Eyad Hashem (Fall)

    • Fall

    • 2 hours lecture; 2 hours laboratory

    • Prerequisite (Undergraduate): MATH 314, MATH 315, or permission of instructor

  • ATOC 541 Synoptic Meteorology 2 (3 credits)

    Offered by: Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences : Analysis of current meteorological data. Quasi-geostrophic theory, including the omega equation, as it relates to extratropical cyclone and anticyclone development. Frontogenesis and frontal circulations in the lower and upper troposphere. Cumulus convection and its relationship to tropical and extratropical circulations. Diagnostic case study work.

    Terms: Winter 2012

    Instructors: Atallah, Eyad Hashem (Winter)

    • Winter

    • 2 hours lecture; 2 hours laboratory

    • Prerequisite (Undergraduate): ATOC 412 and ATOC 540 or permission of instructor.

  • ATOC 546 Current Weather Discussion (1 credit)

    Offered by: Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences : Half-hour briefing on atmospheric general circulation and current weather around the world using satellite data, radar observations, conventional weather maps, and analyses and forecasts produced by computer techniques.

    Terms: Winter 2012

    Instructors: Atallah, Eyad Hashem (Winter)

    • Winter

    • 2 hours

    • Prerequisite (Undergraduate): ATOC 540 or permission of instructor

    • Restriction: Graduate students and final-year Honours Atmospheric Science students. Others by special permission.

  • COMP 208 Computers in Engineering (3 credits)

    Offered by: Computer Science (Faculty of Engineering)

    Overview

    Computer Science (Sci) : Introduction to computer systems. Concepts and structures for high level programming. Elements of structured programming using FORTRAN 90 and C. Numerical algorithms such as root finding, numerical integration and differential equations. Non-numerical algorithms for sorting and searching.

    Terms: Fall 2011, Winter 2012

    Instructors: Friedman, Nathan; Ranj Bar, Amin (Fall) Pomerantz, Daniel; Friedman, Nathan (Winter)

    • 3 hours

    • Prerequisite: differential and integral calculus.

    • Corequisite: linear algebra: determinants, vectors, matrix operations.

    • Restrictions: COMP 202 and COMP 208 cannot both be taken for credit. COMP 202 is intended as a general introductory course, while COMP 208 is intended for students interested in scientific computations. Credits for either of these courses will not count towards the 60-credit Major in Computer Science. COMP 208 cannot be taken for credit with or after COMP 250.

  • MATH 222 Calculus 3 (3 credits)

    Offered by: Mathematics and Statistics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Taylor series, Taylor's theorem in one and several variables. Review of vector geometry. Partial differentiation, directional derivative. Extreme of functions of 2 or 3 variables. Parametric curves and arc length. Polar and spherical coordinates. Multiple integrals.

    Terms: Fall 2011, Winter 2012, Summer 2012

    Instructors: Loveys, James G; Rogers, Mathew (Fall) Loveys, James G (Winter) Fraiman, Nicolás (Summer)

  • MATH 223 Linear Algebra (3 credits)

    Offered by: Mathematics and Statistics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Review of matrix algebra, determinants and systems of linear equations. Vector spaces, linear operators and their matrix representations, orthogonality. Eigenvalues and eigenvectors, diagonalization of Hermitian matrices. Applications.

    Terms: Fall 2011, Winter 2012

    Instructors: Jonsson, Wilbur (Fall) Jonsson, Wilbur (Winter)

    • Fall and Winter

    • Prerequisite: MATH 133 or equivalent

    • Restriction: Not open to students in Mathematics programs nor to students who have taken or are taking MATH 236, MATH 247 or MATH 251. It is open to students in Faculty Programs

  • MATH 314 Advanced Calculus (3 credits)

    Offered by: Mathematics and Statistics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Derivative as a matrix. Chain rule. Implicit functions. Constrained maxima and minima. Jacobians. Multiple integration. Line and surface integrals. Theorems of Green, Stokes and Gauss.

    Terms: Fall 2011, Winter 2012, Summer 2012

    Instructors: Jonsson, Wilbur (Fall) Klemes, Ivo (Winter) Roth, Charles (Summer)

  • MATH 315 Ordinary Differential Equations (3 credits)

    Offered by: Mathematics and Statistics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : First order ordinary differential equations including elementary numerical methods. Linear differential equations. Laplace transforms. Series solutions.

    Terms: Fall 2011, Winter 2012, Summer 2012

    Instructors: Xu, Jian-Jun (Fall) Xu, Jian-Jun (Winter) Eswarathasan, Suresh (Summer)

    • Prerequisite: MATH 222.

    • Corequisite: MATH 133.

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken or are taking MATH 325.

  • PHYS 230 Dynamics of Simple Systems (3 credits)

    Offered by: Physics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Physics : Translational motion under Newton's laws; forces, momentum, work/energy theorem. Special relativity; Lorentz transforms, relativistic mechanics, mass/energy equivalence. Topics in rotational dynamics. Noninertial frames.

    Terms: Fall 2011

    Instructors: Webb, Tracy (Fall)

    • Fall

    • 3 hours lectures

    • Prerequisite: CEGEP Physics or PHYS 131.

    • Corequisite: MATH 222

    • Restriction: Not open to students taking or having passed PHYS 251

  • PHYS 232 Heat and Waves (3 credits)

    Offered by: Physics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Physics : The laws of thermodynamics and their consequences. Thermodynamics of P-V-T systems and simple heat engines. Free, driven, and damped harmonic oscillators. Coupled systems and normal modes. Fourier methods. Wave motion and dispersion. The wave equation.

    Terms: Winter 2012

    Instructors: Ryan, Dominic (Winter)

    • Winter

    • 3 hours lectures

    • Prerequisites: CEGEP Physics or PHYS 142, and CEGEP chemistry or CHEM 120, and PHYS 230.

    • Restriction: Not open to students taking or having passed PHYS 253

  • PHYS 257 Experimental Methods 1 (3 credits)

    Offered by: Physics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Physics : Introductory laboratory work and data analysis as related to mechanics, optics and thermodynamics. Introduction to computers as they are employed for laboratory work, for data analysis and for numerical computation. Previous experience with computers is an asset, but is not required.

    Terms: Fall 2011

    Instructors: Siwick, Bradley; Engelberg, Edith M (Fall)

    • Fall

    • 6 hours of laboratory and classroom work

    • Corequisite: PHYS 230 or PHYS 251

Complementary Courses (15 credits)

3-6 credits to satisfy a statistics requirement.
Students usually take MATH 203 or both MATH 323 and MATH 324.

  • MATH 203 Principles of Statistics 1 (3 credits)

    Offered by: Mathematics and Statistics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Examples of statistical data and the use of graphical means to summarize the data. Basic distributions arising in the natural and behavioural sciences. The logical meaning of a test of significance and a confidence interval. Tests of significance and confidence intervals in the one and two sample setting (means, variances and proportions).

    Terms: Fall 2011, Winter 2012, Summer 2012

    Instructors: Khalili Mahmoudabadi, Abbas; Genest, Christian (Fall) Wolfson, David B (Winter) Hundemer, Axel W (Summer)

    • No calculus prerequisites

    • Restriction: This course is intended for students in all disciplines. For extensive course restrictions covering statistics courses see Section 3.6.1 of the Arts and of the Science sections of the calendar regarding course overlaps.

    • You may not be able to receive credit for this course and other statistic courses. Be sure to check the Course Overlap section under Faculty Degree Requirements in the Arts or Science section of the Calendar. Students should consult for information regarding transfer credits for this course.

  • MATH 323 Probability (3 credits)

    Offered by: Mathematics and Statistics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Sample space, events, conditional probability, independence of events, Bayes' Theorem. Basic combinatorial probability, random variables, discrete and continuous univariate and multivariate distributions. Independence of random variables. Inequalities, weak law of large numbers, central limit theorem.

    Terms: Fall 2011, Winter 2012, Summer 2012

    Instructors: Anderson, William J (Fall) Wolfson, David B (Winter) Kelome, Djivede (Summer)

    • Prerequisites: MATH 141 or equivalent.

    • Restriction: Intended for students in Science, Engineering and related disciplines, who have had differential and integral calculus

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken or are taking MATH 356

  • MATH 324 Statistics (3 credits)

    Offered by: Mathematics and Statistics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Sampling distributions, point and interval estimation, hypothesis testing, analysis of variance, contingency tables, nonparametric inference, regression, Bayesian inference.

    Terms: Fall 2011, Winter 2012

    Instructors: Steele, Russell (Fall) Anderson, William J (Winter)

    • Fall and Winter

    • Prerequisite: MATH 323 or equivalent

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken or are taking MATH 357

    • You may not be able to receive credit for this course and other statistic courses. Be sure to check the Course Overlap section under Faculty Degree Requirements in the Arts or Science section of the Calendar.

3 credits selected from:

  • PHYS 333 Thermal and Statistical Physics (3 credits)

    Offered by: Physics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Physics : Introductory equilibrium statistical mechanics. Quantum states, probabilities, ensemble averages. Entropy, temperature, Boltzmann factor, chemical potential. Photons and phonons. Fermi-Dirac and Bose-Einstein distributions; applications.

    Terms: Winter 2012

    Instructors: Francois, Paul (Winter)

    • Winter

    • 3 hours lectures

    • Prerequisite: PHYS 232

    • Restriction: Not open to students taking or having passed PHYS 362

  • PHYS 340 Majors Electricity and Magnetism (3 credits)

    Offered by: Physics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Physics : The electrostatic field and scalar potential. Dielectric properties of matter. Energy in the electrostatic field. Methods for solving problems in electrostatics. The magnetic field. Induction and inductance. Energy in the magnetic field. Magnetic properties of matter. Maxwell's equations. The dipole approximation.

    Terms: Fall 2011

    Instructors: Dasgupta, Keshav (Fall)

6-9 credits ordinarily selected from the courses below:
* Students may take either ATOC 419 or CHEM 419
** Students may take either PHYS 432 or MATH 555

  • ATOC 419 Advances in Chemistry of Atmosphere (3 credits) *

    Offered by: Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences : Selected areas of atmospheric chemistry from field and laboratory to theoretical modelling are examined. The principles of atmospheric reactions (gas, liquid and heterogeneous phases in aerosols and clouds) and issues related to chemical global change will be explored.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2011-2012 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2011-2012 academic year.

  • ATOC 515 Turbulence in Atmosphere and Oceans (3 credits)

    Offered by: Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences : Application of statistical and semi-empirical methods to the study of geophysical turbulence. Reynolds' equations, dimensional analysis, and similarity. The surface and planetary boundary layers. Oceanic mixed layer. Theories of isotropic two- and three- dimensional turbulence: energy and enstrophy inertial ranges. Beta turbulence.

    Terms: Winter 2012

    Instructors: Bartello, Peter (Winter)

    • Winter

    • 3 hours lecture

    • Prerequisite (Undergraduate): MATH 314, MATH 315, a previous course in fluid dynamics (such as ATOC 512), or permission of instructor

  • ATOC 521 Cloud Physics (3 credits)

    Offered by: Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences : Review of dry and moist atmospheric thermodynamics concepts. Atmospheric aerosols, nucleation of water and ice. Formation and growth of cloud droplets and ice crystals. Initiation of precipitation. Severe storms and hail. Weather modification. Numerical cloud models.

    Terms: Fall 2011

    Instructors: Yau, Man K (Fall)

    • 3 hours

    • Prerequisites (Undergraduates): ATOC 315, MATH 314, and MATH 315, or permission of instructor.

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken ATOC 621.

  • ATOC 525 Atmospheric Radiation (3 credits)

    Offered by: Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences : Solar and terrestrial radiation. Interactions of molecules, aerosols, clouds, and precipitation with radiation of various wavelengths. Radiative transfer through the clear and cloudy atmosphere. Radiation budgets. Satellite and ground-based measurements. Climate implications.

    Terms: Winter 2012

    Instructors: Huang, Yi (Winter)

  • CHEM 419 Advances in Chemistry of Atmosphere (3 credits) *

    Offered by: Chemistry (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Chemistry : Selected areas of atmospheric chemistry from field and laboratory to theoretical modelling are examined. The principles of atmospheric reactions (gas, liquid and heterogeneous phases in aerosols and clouds) and issues related to chemical global change will be explored.

    Terms: Winter 2012

    Instructors: Ariya, Parisa A (Winter)

  • GEOG 322 Environmental Hydrology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Geography (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Geography : Quantitative, experimental study of the principles governing the movement of water at or near the Earth's surface and how the research relates to the chemistry and biology of ecosystems.

    Terms: Winter 2012

    Instructors: Lehner, Bernhard; Mehdi, Bano B (Winter)

    • Winter

    • 3 hours

    • Prerequisite: GEOG 203 or equivalent

  • GEOG 372 Running Water Environments (3 credits)

    Offered by: Geography (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Geography : The course focuses on the physical habitat conditions found in streams, rivers, estuaries and deltas. Based on the laws governing flow of water and sediment transport, it emphasizes differences among these environments, in terms of channel form, flow patterns, substrate composition and mode of evolution. Flooding, damming, channelisation, forestry impacts.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2011-2012 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2011-2012 academic year.

  • MATH 317 Numerical Analysis (3 credits)

    Offered by: Mathematics and Statistics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Error analysis. Numerical solutions of equations by iteration. Interpolation. Numerical differentiation and integration. Introduction to numerical solutions of differential equations.

    Terms: Fall 2011

    Instructors: Bartello, Peter (Fall)

  • MATH 319 Introduction to Partial Differential Equations (3 credits)

    Offered by: Mathematics and Statistics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : First order equations, geometric theory; second order equations, classification; Laplace, wave and heat equations, Sturm-Liouville theory, Fourier series, boundary and initial value problems.

    Terms: Winter 2012

    Instructors: Tsogtgerel, Gantumur (Winter)

  • MATH 423 Regression and Analysis of Variance (3 credits)

    Offered by: Mathematics and Statistics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Least-squares estimators and their properties. Analysis of variance. Linear models with general covariance. Multivariate normal and chi-squared distributions; quadratic forms. General linear hypothesis: F-test and t-test. Prediction and confidence intervals. Transformations and residual plot. Balanced designs.

    Terms: Fall 2011

    Instructors: Khalili Mahmoudabadi, Abbas (Fall)

  • MATH 555 Fluid Dynamics (4 credits) **

    Offered by: Mathematics and Statistics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Kinematics. Dynamics of general fluids. Inviscid fluids, Navier-Stokes equations. Exact solutions of Navier-Stokes equations. Low and high Reynolds number flow.

    Terms: Fall 2011

    Instructors: Bartello, Peter (Fall)

  • PHYS 241 Signal Processing (3 credits)

    Offered by: Physics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Physics : Linear circuit elements, resonance, network theorems, diodes, transistors, amplifiers, feedback, integrated circuits.

    Terms: Winter 2012

    Instructors: Sutton, Mark (Winter)

    • Winter

    • 2 hours lectures; 3 hours laboratory alternate weeks

    • Prerequisite: CEGEP physics or PHYS 142.

  • PHYS 331 Topics in Classical Mechanics (3 credits)

    Offered by: Physics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Physics : Forced and damped oscillators, Newtonian mechanics in three dimensions, rotational motion, Lagrangian mechanics, small vibrations, normal modes. Introduction to Hamiltonian mechanics.

    Terms: Winter 2012

    Instructors: Gervais, Guillaume (Winter)

  • PHYS 340 Majors Electricity and Magnetism (3 credits)

    Offered by: Physics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Physics : The electrostatic field and scalar potential. Dielectric properties of matter. Energy in the electrostatic field. Methods for solving problems in electrostatics. The magnetic field. Induction and inductance. Energy in the magnetic field. Magnetic properties of matter. Maxwell's equations. The dipole approximation.

    Terms: Fall 2011

    Instructors: Dasgupta, Keshav (Fall)

  • PHYS 342 Majors Electromagnetic Waves (3 credits)

    Offered by: Physics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Physics : Maxwell's equations. The wave equation. The electromagnetic wave, reflection, refraction, polarization. Guided waves. Transmission lines and wave guides. Vector potential. Radiation. The elemental dipole; the half-wave dipole; vertical dipole; folded dipoles; Yagi antennas. Accelerating charged particles.

    Terms: Winter 2012

    Instructors: Hilke, Michael (Winter)

  • PHYS 432 Physics of Fluids (3 credits) **

    Offered by: Physics (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Physics : The physical properties of fluids. The kinematics and dynamics of flow. The effects of viscosity and turbulence. Applications of fluid mechanics in biophysics, geophysics and engineering.

    Terms: Winter 2012

    Instructors: Cline, James M (Winter)

Faculty of Science—2011-2012 (last updated Jan. 26, 2012) (disclaimer)
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