MT3AFT: Atmospheric Science Fieldtrip

Module code: MT3AFT

Module provider: Meteorology; School of Mathematical, Physical and Computational Sciences

Credits: 20

Level: Level 3 (Honours)

When you'll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Professor Joy Singarayer, email: j.s.singarayer@reading.ac.uk

Module co-convenor: Dr Peter Inness, email: p.m.inness@reading.ac.uk

Additional teaching staff 1: Professor Bob Plant, email: r.s.plant@reading.ac.uk

Additional teaching staff 2: Dr David Ferreira, email: d.g.ferreira@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: No

Last updated: 21 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

The purpose of this module is to provide experience of using the data from meteorological field equipment, theoretical understanding of how the instruments work. The course consists of a series of lectures, practical sessions using various data sources (including the University’s Atmospheric Observatory), and culminating in a 5-6 residential day field trip within the UK. 

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to: 

1. Understand the way in which different instruments work, and how they are used to measure atmospheric properties. 
2. Describe different sources of uncertainty in measurements, and calculate the errors in quantities derived from these data. 
3. Consolidate diverse sources of data at different scales to understand the influence of atmosphere on the meteorology in a specific location. 
4. Plan and conduct field measurement campaigns, working extensively in a team. 

Module content

The module consists of:

• 10 hours of lectures in the first half of the second semester. These cover the theoretical basis for the fieldtrip and typical topics include:
  • Instrumentation and sampling
  • Hill profiling
  • Radiosondes
  • Errors and error propagation
  • Surface energy exchange
• 10 hours of practical class in the first half of the second semester, typical topics include:
  • Data processing in Python
  • Flux & energy balance calculations
  • Tephigram construction
  • Analysing forecast model output
• 5-6 days of residential field trip, during the easter vacation period, typical activities will include:
  • Radiosonde launches
  • Hill profiling
  • Weather forecasting
  • Energy balance
  • Flux profiles

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

• 10 hours of lectures in the first half of the second semester. These cover the theoretical basis of measurements that will be taken fieldtrip. 
• 10 hours of practical class in the first half of the second semester. These will include activities focused around the Atmospheric Observatory, but also using the wider campus, followed by sessions in PC labs processing the collected data. 
• 5-6 days of residential field trip based at a field centre (e.g. FSC Blencathra). The focus will be on being outside taking measurements during this time, but students will also process data and give groups presentations during the field trip. 

Study hours

At least 63 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: /cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Reassessment

Additional costs