Atmospheric and Hydrologic Sciences (AHS) Undergraduate Course Descriptions
AHS 104. Introduction to Atmospheric Science [Goal 3]
Introductory study of the earth's weather. Topics include atmospheric composition, earth's energy budget, atmospheric motions, clouds and precipitation, climate change, measurement of weather data and interpretation of weather maps. Lab. 3 Cr. F, S, SUM.
AHS 105. The Water Environment [Goal 3]
Hydrology and physical oceanography. The water cycle and water movement on and beneath the Earth's surface: rivers, lakes, and ground water. Environmental significance of floods, droughts, and water resources management. Lab. 3 Cr. F, S, SUM.
AHS 106. Natural Hazards and Human Society [Goal 3, Goal 10]
Interaction of human societies with natural hazards spanning atmospheric, hydrologic and geologic processes is discussed based upon in-depth case studies. Effect of the hazards on human society and the effect of human action on exacerbating the hazards.
3 Cr. F, S.
AHS 109. The Geologic Environment [Goal 3]
The study of the basic concepts of geology and the utilization of these concepts to develop an understanding of the dynamic earth, with individual lab experience. Lab. 3 Cr. F, S, SUM.
AHS 160. Professional Meteorology
Overview of the requirements and career choices for meteorologists. Survey of recent developments, educational demands and student opportunities. 1 Cr. F.
AHS 205. Earth Systems for Teachers
Movement of energy and matter through the earth system. Earth materials, structure, and properties. Water, rock, and elemental cycles. Weather, climate, geologic time, fossils, rocks and minerals, topographic and geologic maps. Physical, computer, and mathematical models of earth processes. Lab. Prereq.: CHEM 210. 5 Cr. S.
AHS 220. Physical Geology Systems [Goal 3]
Earth materials and plate tectonics are used to investigate deeply-buried, plutonic igneous and metamorphic systems and surface systems including sedimentary, fluvial and glacial. Lab. Prereq.: CHEM 210 or high school physics and chemistry. 4 Cr. F.
AHS 230. Introduction to Physical Hydrology [Goal 3]
Basic physical oceanography, elementary principles of hydrodynamics with applications to surface and groundwater hydrology. Lab. Prereq.: MATH 112 or equivalent or permission of the instructor. 4 Cr. F, S.
AHS 260. Introductory Meteorology [Goal 3]
Atmospheric structure and processes, including radiant energy, humidity, clouds, winds, global circulations, weather map interpretation, climate regimes, air pollution and climate change issues, severe weather, calculation of physical processes. Lab. Prereq.: high school physics. Coreq.: MATH 112 or equivalent. 4 Cr. F, S.
AHS 300. Environmental Earth Science
Basic concepts of earth sciences applied to the dispersion of pollutants and the management of earth resources using the economic, political, and values systems of the world. Prereq.: 220. 2 Cr. DEMAND.
AHS 305. Historical Geology
Evolution of the earth with emphasis on biological and physical events of the stratigraphic record. Field work. Lab. Prereq.: 220 or 205. 3 Cr. S.
AHS 307. Field Geology
Field based problem solving of local geological relationships in central Minnesota, as well as several extended field trips to geologically significant areas in the Upper Midwest. Prereq.: 220. 3 Cr. F.
AHS 322. Surficial and Glacial Geology
A survey of the geologic processes responsible for the development of landforms. Glacial geology will be strongly considered. Prereq.: 220. 3 Cr. Even S.
AHS 325. Rocks and Minerals
Physical and chemical properties of minerals, and igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks. Hand-sample identification. Prereq.: 220 or permission of the instructor. 4 Cr. S, ODD.
AHS 332. Physical Hydrogeology
Aquifer characteristics and geologic controls on groundwater occurrence. Groundwater movement; regional groundwater flow; and groundwater interactions with wetlands, lakes and streams. Well hydraulics and water supply, vadose zone processes. Field and Lab. Lab. Prereq.: 220, 230. 4 Cr. F.
AHS 333. Hydrological Instruments
Study and use of commonly used instruments to monitor hydrometeorological variables: precipitation, temperatures, wind, radiation. 2 Cr. F.
AHS 334. Surface Hydrology
Conceptual basis and modeling of hydrologic processes on Earth's surface: precipitation inflitration, evaporation, runoff. Rainfall-runoff transformation at the watershed level. Hydrologic routing of floods. Applications to water resource management and environmental problems. Field trip. Lab. Prereq.: 230, 260, MATH 221, PHYS 234 (coreq.) 4 Cr. F.
AHS 336. Chemical Hydrogeology
Ground-water chemistry, ground-water contamination, and remediation. Principles of aquatic chemistry; chemistry of natural ground waters; water-quality standards; contaminant detection and migration; remediation and treatment techniques; and ground-water risk assessment. Prereq.: 230, CHEM 160 or 210. 3 Cr. S.
AHS 338. River Hydraulics
Open channel flows and basic hydraulics. Flow resistance in rivers from a fluid mechanics perspective. Non-uniform flow and principles of hydraulic routing of floods. Modeling and applications to design. Sediment transport in alluvial channels. Basics of fluvial geomorphology and fluvial hydraulics. Lab. Prereq.: 230, 220, MATH 221, PHYS 234 (coreq.). 4 Cr. S, ALT.
AHS 360. Aviation Meteorology
Atmospheric structure, processes, events, and observations of special significance to aviation, including charts and weather maps, data formats, forecast products, hazards to flight, and jet streams. (Credit for meteorology majors only with prior approval). Lab. Prereq.: 104; PHYS 231 or equivalent. 4 Cr. S.
AHS 364. Meteorological Instruments
Physical principles of measurement with emphasis on meteorological instruments. Sensor types and characteristics, performance standards, sources of errors, exposure. Statistical analysis for data quality control. Lab. Prereq.: 260, PHYS 235. 3 Cr. S.
AHS 365. Atmospheric Thermodynamics
Equation of state for the atmosphere, first and second laws of thermodynamics, Clausius-Clapeyron, equation, thermodynamics of dry and moist air, hydrostatics, thermodynamic diagrams, stability. Prereq.: 260; MATH 221, CHEM 160 or higher, or high school chemistry. Coreq.: PHYS 234. 3 Cr. S.
AHS 375. Atmospheric Dynamics
Atmospheric forces, equations of motion in rotating coordinate system. Geostrophic, gradient, and thermal winds. Circulation and vorticity, friction layer winds. Prereq.: 260; PHYS 234; MATH 321. 3 Cr. S.
AHS 380. Introduction to Forecasting
Instruction in operational weather forecasting. Analysis of weather data, weather maps, and derived fields. Discussion of current weather with application of theoretical concepts to data analysis and forecasting. Prereq.: 260 or permission of instructor. 2 Cr. F, S.
AHS 385. Synoptic Meteorology
Analysis of cold-season mid-latitude weather systems, severe weather triggering mechanisms. Illustration and computation of basic precipitation-producing mechanisms such as warm advection, vorticity advection, application of continuity equation. Lab. Prereq.: 375, 380. 3 Cr. F.
AHS 387. Broadcast Meteorology
Preparation and broadcast of radio and television forecasts through hands-on exercises. Heavy emphasis on creative writing skills and chroma-key techniques. Employment opportunities and their development. Several classes held at Twin-Cities television studios. Permission only. Prereq.: 380. 2 Cr. Even S.
AHS 401. Earth Sciences Field Studies (Topical)
Selected field trips to examine exemplary environments and apply field techniques. Minimum of five days spent at natural areas such as the Grand Canyon and the Florida Keys. Arranged instructional sessions may be required before or after trip. Extra fees. By permission only. Repeated with advisor approval to maximum of 9 Cr. 1-3 Cr. DEMAND.
AHS 432. Ground-Water Modeling
Ground-water modeling from theoretical and practical perspectives. Principles of applied mathematical modeling-analytical, numerical, and stochastic models; modeling of ground-water flow; and contaminant transport. Prereq.: 332, GEOG 216. 2 Cr. F.
AHS 434. Surface Water Modeling
Computer-based modeling and simulations of watershed hydrology and river hydraulics. Numerical analysis applied to hydrologic transport and storage equations used in hydrology software. Modeling of basic hydrology and of river hydraulics. Other software used in surface hydrology. Software limitations and applicability. Lab. Prereq.: 334, 338, MATH 222 2 Cr. F.
AHS 438. Water Resources Management
Scientific, engineering, historical, political, economic, and social aspects of water-resource management, allocation, and conflict. Characterization of water supply and demand. Application of quantitative hydrologic analysis to flooding, drought, water quality, and surface and subsurface basin management. Prereq.: 332, 334. 3 Cr. Odd S.
AHS 451. Senior Research Proposal
Description of the senior research project or study. Examination of procedural steps and tools available at SCSU for completing the research project. Preparation of a proposal for a viable research project or study. Prereq.: permission of instructor. 1 Cr. S.
AHS 452. Senior Research Project
Complete a concentrated study or research project in an area of earth and atmospheric science. Complete written and oral presentations of the results. Prereq.: 451. 2 Cr. F, S, SUM.
AHS 465. Physical Meteorology
Principles of atmospheric physics including radiation laws, radiative transfer, atmospheric aerosols, cloud microphysics, physics of precipitation formation, atmospheric electricity, atmospheric optics. Meterological radar. Prereq.: 365, PHYS 234. 3 Cr. F.
AHS 467. Numerical Weather Prediction
History of numerical prediction, processes to be represented, primitive equations, methods of solution, grid format for data, objective analysis, NAM, GFS and other models, initialization of model, boundary conditions, parameterization. Prereq.: 375. 3 Cr. F.
AHS 468. Radar and Satellite Meteorology
Principles of remote sensing. Weather radar observations; reflection mechanisms; Doppler radar methods and their application in storm detection, analysis, and forecasting; wind profilers. Visible and infrared satellites; global observation of temperature and moisture. Lab. Prereq.: 365 or approval, PHYS 235. 3 Cr. F.
AHS 475. Advanced Atmospheric Dynamics
Theoretical development and motion of mid-latitude synopic systems, quasigeostrophic dynamics, linear perturbation theory and waves, atmospheric instability. Prereq.: 375. 3 Cr. F.
AHS 478. Climate Dynamics
Balance requirements of the climate system, atmospheric and oceanic general circulation, history of earth's climate, causes of climate change, climate modeling with consideration of dynamical systems analysis as well as global coupled models. Prereq.: 465, 475. 3 Cr. S.
AHS 480. Current Weather Analysis I
Analysis and forecasting of current weather on hemispheric, continental, and regional scales. Mandatory participation in forecasting competition. Meets concurrently with either 481 or 482. Prereq.: 380. 1 Cr. F, S.
AHS 481. Current Weather Analysis II
Analysis and forecasting of summer through fall weather on hemispheric, continental, and regional scales. Student-led presentations and participation in forecasting competition required. Prereq.: 480. Coreq.: 385. 1 Cr. F.
AHS 482. Current Weather Analysis III
Analysis and forecasting of winter through spring weather on hemispheric, continental, and regional scales. Student-led presentations and participation in forecasting competition required. Prereq.: 481. 1 Cr. S.
AHS 485. Advanced Synoptic Meteorology
Three dimensional analysis of cold and warm season events, jet stream circulations, frontogenesis. Vertical velocity estimates using isentropic analysis of gridded data. Current topics of synoptic and mesoscale research, possible field trips to regional conferences. Lab. Prereq.: ECE 102. 3 Cr. S.
AHS 486. Mesoscale Meteorology
Methods of observing mesoscale motion systems; waves, turbulence, and convection; theoretical and computer models; analysis and forecasting applications. Prereq.: 385. 3 Cr. S.
Atmospheric and Hydrologic Sciences (AHS) Courses for Advanced Undergraduate and Graduate Students
AHS 420/520. Seminar
Lectures, readings, discussions on selected topics. May be repeated. 1-3 Cr. DEMAND.
AHS 423/523. Sedimentation and Stratigraphy
Sedimentary processes and environments, formation of sedimentary rocks, stratigraphy, and basin analysis. Use of stratigraphic principles to interpret earth history. Lab. Prereq.: 305. 3 Cr. Odd F.
AHS 424/524. Structural Geology and Tectonics
Brittle and ductile deformation. Stress and strain theory. Structural interpretation problems. Development and significance of plate tectonics as a unifying theory for geology. Lab. Prereq.: 220, 305. 4 Cr. DEMAND.
AHS 425/525. Petrography
Principles of optical mineralogy. Thin-section identification of minerals and rocks. Petrogenesis of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks. Prereq.: 325 or permission of the instructor. 3 Cr. DEMAND.
