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Aviation Weather Minor
A Minor in Aviation Weather consists of WX 201, WX 352 and any 3 WX classes. Suugested classes are listed below. Individual course homepages are located on BlackBoard.
WX 201 Meteorology I - (3,1) 3 Credits
A survey course in atmospheric science that includes applications to flight. Included is a systematic development of the following: thermal patterns, atmospheric moisture, horizontal and vertical pressure patterns, clouds, atmospheric circulation, local winds, stability, air masses, fronts, fog, icing, thunderstorms, jet streams and turbulence. Students will study and make use of surface weather observations, surface maps, and constant pressure maps.
Prerequisite: None Required
Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer B
WX 261 Applied Climatology - (3,0) 3 Credits
WX 261 is an in-depth survey of the varied climates of the world, the weather systems that contribute in the aggregate to those climates, and their cumulative influence on aircraft system performance and the National Air Space over very small to global space and time scales. Included are presentations from an historical perspective over geological time frames on the development of past climatic regimes, and their transition to the present era climate as well as the atmospheric atmospheric dynamics involved in the global change process. Aviation-related practices, procedures, and operations dictated by various climatic regimes are discussed.
Prerequisite: WX 201
Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer A
WX 270 Weather Information Systems - (3,0) 3 Credits
An introduction to the various states of weather sensing equipment modernization and the systems that deliver weather information to various users. The development of various sensing devices is explored and the current technology explained.
Prerequisite: WX 201
Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer A
WX 352 Meteorology II - (3,0) 3 Credits
An expansion of Meteorology I, including the following theoretical concepts: hydrostatic instability, baroclinic instability, thermal wind, and kinematic fields. These will be integrated into real-time weather analysis of synoptic patterns involving mid-latitude cyclones, advection, frontal systems, and jet streams. Practical application will be achieved through presentation of current and historical weather data emphasizing common hazards to aviation such as thunderstorms, strong winds, fog, icing, and turbulence. An introduction to weather forecasting concepts will be presented.
Prerequisites: MA 112, PS 103, WX 201
Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer A
WX 353 Thermodynamics of the Atmosphere - (3,0) 3 Credits
A course for those requiring an in-depth examination of the physical processes governing the atmosphere. Includes discussion and quantitative treatment of meteorological conventions, atmospheric state and structure, radiation, heat/energy transfer, boundary layer structure and fluxes, moisture, stability, cloud formation, and precipitation.
Prerequisites: PS 104 (or PS 160), WX 352
Offered: Spring only
WX 363 Thunderstorms - (3,0) 3 Credits
This course provides tools for analyzing and forecasting thunderstorms and their associated hazards. Key characteristics of the thunderstorm and its environment are explored using both case studies and real-time weather data. Students examine atmospheric soundings to determine the likelihood of storm development and the amount of energy available for thunderstorms. Vertical wind shear is analyzed for clues about storm organization and severity. Other information such as weather charts, computer models, satellite imagery, and Doppler radar imagery is used to observe the characteristics of thunderstorms and the weather patterns that favor them. Students gain a basic scientific understanding of thunderstorm behavior as well as practical experience observing and predicting them.
Prerequisite: WX 352
Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer B
WX 364 Weather Information Available to Aircrews - (3,0) 3 Credits
Making use of the Weather Center and the Internet, students collect and study weather data from around the world. Emphasis is placed on decoding information contained in the "remarks" sections of weather observations and on the differences between North American weather charts and those produced in other parts of the world. Students investigate the flying conditions and aviation environment over the seven continents. The proper operation of airborne weather radar is studied. Students identify weather hazards by using ground-based weather radar and satellite imagery. At the Daytona Beach campus, this is the capstone course for the Aviation Weather Minor.
Prerequisites: WX 352
Offered: Fall, Spring
WX 365 Satellite and Radar Weather Interpretation - (3,0) 3 Credits
A practical introduction to meteorological interpretation of satellite and weather radar imagery. This course surveys the basic physics of electromagnetic (EM) radiation and shows how characteristics of the EM spectrum are exploited in passive (satellite) and active (radar) remote sensing to create digital images of geophysical information. The theory of radar signal propagation and precipitation estimation is applied to meteorological interpretation of radar imagery and supplemented with practical analysis of various radar product types. Weather satellite image types including visible, conventional infrared, and water vapor channels and their meteorological applications are examined. Real-time satellite identification of meteorological phenomena will be emphasized, including mountain waves, midlatitude cyclones, fronts, jet streams, troughs, ridges, vorticity, cloud types, fog, precipitation, ordinary and severe thunderstorms, tropical waves and hurricanes. Surface and upper air weather maps will be used to enhance the students' understanding of satellite image signatures.
Prerequisites: WX 352
Offered: Fall, Spring
