EAS 41700/B9025 Satellite Meteorology Fall 2014 Instructor: Prof. Johnny Luo, MR-927, 212-650-8936, [email protected]; Teaching Assistant: Ms. Stephanie DeVries, [email protected]; Time: Monday 15:30 – 18:00; Location: MR107; Office hours: after class or by appointment Class website: http://www.sci.ccny.cuny.edu/~luo/EAS417; Description: Satellites have become an increasingly important tool for studying and monitoring the Earth’s weather and climate. This class will introduce to the students a vibrant, new branch of the Atmospheric Science – Satellite Meteorology. The following subjects will be covered: 1) orbits of meteorological satellites, 2) instruments they carry, 3) fundamentals of atmospheric radiation and remote sensing, 4) meteorological parameters that can be retrieved from satellites, and 5) some selected applications. In addition, we will learn how to use a programming language (e.g., Matlab) to display and analyze satellite data. Prerequisites: Math 203, Physics 208, or by permission of instructor. Pre-knowledge of meteorology (e.g., EAS 309 - Fundamentals of Atmospheric Sciences) is helpful but not required. Textbooks: (Main text) Satellite Meteorology: An Introduction, by Stanley Q. Kidder and Thomas H. Vonder Haar, Academic Press, 466pp (Supplementary text) Remote Sensing of the Lower Atmosphere: An Introduction by G. L. Stephens, Oxford Press, 523pp Grading: Homework sets: 20%; in-class tests (2): 40%; final: 40% Office hours: Right after class or by appointment (x8936) Course Objectives: 1. Describe physical laws governing satellite orbits and list various orbits of the meteorological satellites; 2. Understand fundamentals of atmospheric radiation and remote sensing; 3. Be able to interpret meteorological satellite images including visible, IR and microwave images; 4. Understand satellite retrievals of meteorological parameters especially cloud parameters. Course Outline: (Note: weekly plan may be subject to small changes) Dates Topic Sep 8 Introduction; history of satellite meteorology Sep 15 Satellite orbit & navigation I Satellite Meteorology (Chapter 2) Sep 22 Satellite orbit & navigation II Sep 29 Atmospheric radiation I: EM waves & molecular absorption Satellite Meteorology (Chapter 2) Satellite Meteorology (Chapter 3); Oct 6 Atmospheric radiation II: dielectric material & particle scattering Oct 20 Guest lecture Oct 27 Remote sensing I: extinction, scattering & emission Nov 3 Reading Satellite Meteorology (Chapter 1) Pre-test Remote Sensing of the Lower Atmosphere (Chapters 2-3) Satellite Meteorology (Chapter 3); Remote Sensing of the Lower Atmosphere (Chapters 4-5) Test 1 Remote Sensing of the Lower Atmosphere (Chapters 6-7) Satellite Meteorology Remote sensing II: radar & lidar (Chapter 9); Remote Sensing of the Lower Atmosphere (Chapter 8) Satellite Meteorology (Chapter 4); supplements Nov 10 Meteorological satellites & instrumentation Nov 17 Meteorology 101 Supplement materials Nov 24 Satellite image interpretation Satellite Meteorology (Chapter 5) Dec 1 Retrieval of temperature and moisture Satellite Meteorology (Chapter 6) Test 2 Dec 8 Retrieval of clouds and precipitation Dec 15 Guest lecture Satellite Meteorology (Chapters 8-9); supplements