Boundary Layer Meteorology (MT37J/MT49E)
- Professor Sue Grimmond (c.s.grimmond@reading.ac.uk)
- Dr Ting Sun (ting.sun@reading.ac.uk)
- Dr Hamidreza Omidvar (h.omidvar@reading.ac.uk)
- Dr Todd Jones (t.r.jones@reading.ac.uk)
The aim is to achieve an in-depth understanding of the boundary layer. By the end of the first half of the module you should be able to:
- describe methods to observe the boundary layer and their limitations
- use models to evaluate processes occurring within the boundary layer
- understand the key features and results of surface layer similarity theory
- analyse and synthesise observations from different instruments
- collaborate with others under field-campaign and/or data analysis conditions
- present results in conference presentation and paper formats
Note
- Term 1 (first half of module): includes lectures, practical sessions, tutorials and student presentations.
- For the first part of the term we will focus on Assignment1.
- Each week you will need to bring to class some completed material related to this.
- Week 1: 4/10/19
For class:
Week1- Lecture: Introduction to the course
Land cover types; Land surface modelling; Energy balance and radiation balance; Role of model parameters;
Albedo;LAI- leaf area index;asmnt1- Activity:
asmnt1and First Plot AmeriFlux network and data availability; Quickstart of GitHub;
python-based data analysis using Jupyter Notebooks
- Week 2: 11/10/19
For class:
Week2- Lecture: Wind related parameters
EC; Fetch; Log law and roughness length; Stability; Aerodynamic resistance
- Activity:
Visit Observatory (unless raining); What sensors measure the variables used to calculate model parameters? Variability of
Albedowith time (e.g.LAIvariations)
- Week 3: 18/10/19
For class:
Week3- Lecture:
sebfluxes Storage heat flux; Surface resistances; Energy balance closure
- Activity:
Aerodynamic related parameters <roughness> Calculation of roughness length z_0 and zero plane displacement d, and aerodynamic resistance r_a
- Lecture:
- Week 4: 25/10/19
For class:
Week4- Lecture:
Penman Monteith equation; Model evaluation
- Activity
Calculation of soil or storage heat flux and surface resistances
- Week 5: 1/11/19
For class:
Week5- Lecture/Activity:
Calculation of sensible and latent heat fluxes
- Week 6: 8/11/19:
no class
- Week 7: 15/11/19
For class:
Week6- Lecture:
Ceilometry and other methods to measure the BL
- Activity:
Data Analysis
Assignment 1 handed in via BB on 19 November 2019 12 noon
- Week 8: 22/11/19
For class:
Week7- Lecture/Activity:
Introduction to SUEWS, SuPy and UMEP (sources areas and footprints, roughness length)
- Week 9: 29/11/19
For class:
Week8- Lecture:
Urban Meteorology
- Activity
Project work
- Week 10: 6/12/19
For class:
Week9- Activity
Project work
- Week 11: 13/12/19
For class:
Week10- Activity:
Present to class on project (5 min) (All complete online feedback); Project work
Assessment ( % of whole year) --------------------------.. list-table:: :header-rows: 1
- Assign.
- Percentage
- Deadline
- Format
asmnt1- 20%
- Tuesday 19 November 2019 12 noon
- Journal style paper
asmnt2- 20%
- Friday 17 January 2020 12 noon
- Journal style paper
Note
- Remainder (60%) is in Term Two. - Submission is electronic via BB except for Python programmes etc which will be done via GitHub. - Each week you will present formative work at the start of class.
The reading list has useful textbooks that will be referred (plus others) to in class. They can be useful for background, typical values and details of methods etc.