Course Syllabus

Recall the composition of gases in the troposphere

Describe the normal air temperature and pressure profile in the troposphere, at the tropopause, and the lower stratosphere

In the international standard atmosphere (ISA) recall:

• Sea level temperature and pressure

• Temperature lapse rate in the troposphere

Recall the three states of water and the process involved in a change of state.

Define the following terms:

• saturated air, relative humidity, dew-point temperature

• evaporation, condensation, freezing, deposition, sublimation

Understand the process of heat exchange through incoming solar radiation and outgoing terrestrial radiation

Describe the way the sun’s energy is redistributed within the atmosphere through the following processes:

• Conduction, advection, convection, radiation and latent heat

Describe the role of latent heat in the change of state of water between a solid, liquid and vapour

Describe the method of measuring surface air temperature, and understand how temperatures throughout a locality may vary.

Define the following terms:

• isotherm, temperature inversion

List factors that influence the diurnal variation of surface air temperature.

Define the following terms:

• isobar, pressure gradient

Recall the density of dry air at sea level in the international standard atmosphere

Recall the pressure lapse rate near sea level.

Understand the effect that temperature, pressure and humidity have on air density, and how this affects aircraft performance.

Define the following terms:

• adiabatic process

• dry and saturated adiabatic lapse rates

Describe the behaviour of a rising parcel of air under various conditions of stability.

On an aerological diagram, identify:

• stable, unstable, neutral and conditionally unstable areas

• surface radiation inversions and subsidence inversions

Describe the basic characteristics of the main cloud types

Recall which of the main cloud types belong to the low, middle and high levels.

Recall the boundary heights used between the low, middle and high cloud levels in Australia.

Describe the basic cloud formation processes.

State the standard height for measuring surface wind.

Describe the relationship between pressure and wind and apply Buys Ballot’s law to approximate the location of high and low pressure systems for large-scale flow.

Define:

• squalls and gusts

• backing and veering

Describe the effect of surface friction on wind direction and speed when comparing winds above and below the friction layer.

Describe the characteristics of the Coriolis force.

Describe the process for the formation of:

• sea-breezes and land breezes

• katabatic and anabatic winds

• a Föhn wind

• mountain waves

Recall the lifecycle of an ordinary thunderstorm cell.

State the conditions necessary for thunderstorm development.

Describe the hazards to aviation associated with thunderstorm activity and microbursts.

State the conditions favourable to the development of:

• radiation fog

• advection fog

Describe the conditions favourable for the formation of the following structural airframe icing types:

• clear ice, rime ice, and mixed ice

• hoar frost

Identify the following features depicted on a mean sea level weather chart:

• high and low pressure systems

• troughs, ridges, cols

• warm, cold, occluded and stationary fronts

Indicate the change in wind direction, temperature and pressure following the passage of a front.

With respect to tropical cyclones, recall:

• the cyclone season for the southern hemisphere

• the requirements for cyclone development in terms of

  • latitude; and

  • water temperature

• the associated wind speeds

• the life cycle

Decode the following products:

• METAR/SPECI

• TAF