Course Syllabus
Course Aim
To provide an understanding of the physical properties of the atmosphere and how they affect the weather, with an emphasis on the factors affecting aviation.
Prerequisites
Nil.
Relationship to Standards
Forms part of the Basic Instructional Package for Meteorological Technicians (BIP-MT) as described in WMO 1083 – Manual on the Implementation of Education and Training Standards in Meteorology and Hydrology.
Conforms to the WMO Implementation Guidance of Aeronautical Meteorological Observer Competency Standards.
Accredited by the Bureau of Meteorology.
Summary of Content
The Atmosphere
Moisture in the Atmosphere
Heat Exchange Processes
Air Temperature
Air Density and Pressure
Atmospheric Stability
Clouds
Wind
Thunderstorms and other Hazards
Major Weather Systems and Patterns
Aerodrome Weather Reports and Forecasts
Assessment Method
Online examination.
Note: The course assessment is available only to enrolled users.
Assessment Criteria
The Atmosphere
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
Moisture in the Atmosphere
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
Heat Exchange Processes
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
Air Temperature
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.
Air Density and Pressure
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.
Atmospheric Stability
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
Clouds
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.
Wind
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
Thunderstorms and other Hazards
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
Major Weather Systems and Patterns
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
Aerodrome Weather Reports and Forecasts
Decode the following products:
METAR/SPECI
TAF