ATMS 360 Atmospheric Instrumentation [main page] [assignments]

Week 11 6 April

Continue HW 9, pressure measurements. Evaulate pressure measurements over the weekend.

Preparation:
Read HW9.
Read about the Arduino.

Related Information:

Data sheets for the analog sensor and for the digital sensor.

Week 10 30 March

Continue HW 9, pressure measurements.

Preparation:
Read HW9.
Read about the Arduino.

Related Information:

Data sheets for the analog sensor and for the digital sensor.

Week 9: 16 March

Begin HW 9, pressure measurements.

Preparation:
Read HW9.
Make an account with Tinker Cad.
We will use this to learn how to work with microcontrollers, sensors, and electronics.

Related Information:

Tongan volcano erupts in 2022, scroll down to see the mid level water vapor animation and shock wave.
A pressure disturbance was measured at UNR and other places. Low temporal resolution: higher resolution.

Week 8: 9 March

Continue HW 8, severe storm case-study using meteorological radar.

Friday: Presentations. Turn presentions in to WebCampus.

High resolution radar forecast for the Continental US.

Wednesday:
Finish backtrajectory calculation and discussion.
Sea surface temperature and anomaly for discussion with backtrajectory analysis (compare Chicago and Iceland temperatures differences using Google Earth.)

Monday: Continue with part 2.

Range folding discussion and reason for two scans at the same angle (local backup).

Introduction to Doppler Radar.

Another introduction to Doppler radar. Scroll down to see images.

Radar Doppler velocity interpretation: See slides 36-43.

Week

Week 7: 2 March

Begin HW 8, severe storm case study using meteorological radar.

Introduction to Doppler Radar.

Another introduction to Doppler radar. Scroll down to see images.

Radar Doppler velocity interpretation: See slides 36-43.

Monday: Looked at part 1, introduction, and saw a radar brightband and interesting velocity profile for a storm today in the Eastern US.
Model for precipitation type we looked at in class.

Email me the date, time, and location of the event you want to use.
I'll let you know right away if it is suitable and to make sure no one else is doing the same case study.

Example: Case study of a severe storm with a hook echo and a debris ball.

Week 6: 23 February

Case study of a severe storm with a hook echo and a debris ball (related to Wednesday's discussion).

Wednesday and Friday: Meet in class.

Discuss questions 16-24 of Assignment 7. Start on Assignment 8.

Monday: Meet on Zoom.

Outcome: Z=ND⁶ . Notes in PDF format (and in OneNote format, right click, download, open with OneNote)

1. Continue with assignment: Introduction to meteorological radar and assignment 7.
   a. Class notes from last weeks, parts 1-9 (pdf format) (OneNote format, right click, download, open with OneNote).
   b. Weather radar presentation as powerpoint and as a pdf document for understanding radar and dbZ.
   
   
2. Wednesday: Demonstrations and calculations:
   a. Radar forecast from meteorological model.
   b. Fill the aquarium with enough water to use the ultrasonic cloud generator.
   c. Make 'raindrops' and have them fall into the aquarium. Note sound made and potential for bubble formation to make more sound.
   d. Show the piezo electric sound sensor method of measuring sound droplets. Make a data acquisition system to observe traces created by raindrops hitting the sensor.
   e. Calculate how many cloud droplets (diameter d) it would take to make a single raindrop (diameter D). Talk about the lack of ability for radar to 'see' the cloud droplets.

Week 5: 16 February

Wednesday and Friday: Meet on Zoom due to snow.

Rimed snow flakes from 2/19/2026. How to photograph snow, with examples.

1. Next Assignment: Introduction to meteorological radar and assignment 7.
   a. Preparation: Radar discussion and "under the dome" video.
   b. Example of current data.
   c. UNR Micro Rain Radar (MRR) current measurements. Little Valley current measurements.
   d. Weather radar presentation as powerpoint and as a pdf document for understanding radar and dbZ.
   

Week 4: 9 February

Monday-Friday:

1. Discuss the accuracy and precision stated for the instruments by the manufacturers.
2. Discuss report writing.
3. Use of EndNote and WebOfScience to acquire references and manage them in Word.
4. Here's the reference we discussed in class. It's relevant to our study. Read the related sections and note the paper layout and sections.
5. Bring questions to class.
   
   
6. Next Assignment: Introduction to meteorological radar and assignment 7 (in-class).
   a. Preparation: Radar discussion and "under the dome" video.
   b. Example of current data.
   c. UNR Micro Rain Radar (MRR) current measurements. Little Valley current measurements.
   d. Weather radar presentation as powerpoint and as a pdf document for understanding radar and dbZ.
   

Week 3: 2 February

Friday:

1. Toured the weather stations on the roof of Physics.
2. Continued data analysis for the January 1-17 2026 case study. Bring your laptop or use the lab computers. If using lab computers, be sure email yourself the file or bring a USB drive to class.

• Scatter plots of Ambient vs Sonic wind speed, and wind direction. Finished all graphs.

UNR and other data from the Ambient WS5000 weather station .

Student Preparation for Class: We will continue with assignment 6. Bring questions to class.

Monday and Wednesday:

We will continue data analysis for the January 1-17 2026 case study. Bring your laptop or use the lab computers. If using lab computers, be sure email yourself the file or bring a USB drive to class.

• Time series for wind speed, direction, pressure, and temperature.
• Scatter plots of Ambient vs Sonic wind speed, direction, temperature, and pressure.

UNR and other data from the Ambient WS5000 weather station .

Student Preparation for Class: We will continue with assignment 6. Bring questions to class.

Some of the UNR and Desert Research Institute (DRI) meteorological instruments.

Atmospheric Instruments Textbook: See Appendix A on lab reports
Free through UNR Library: Online textbook for atmospheric instrumentation.

Week 2: 26 January

Monday and Wednesday:

Sonic anemometer measurement discussion. (Whiteboard notes).

Draw and explain U, V, and W wind components, meteorological wind direction and wind speed. (Whiteboard notes).

We will start data analysis on Wednesday. Bring your laptop or use the lab computers. If using lab computers, be sure email yourself the file or bring a USB drive to class.

UNR and other data from the Ambient WS5000 weather station .

Student Preparation for Class: Complete part 1 of assignment 6. Bring questions to class.

We will continue with assignment 6.

Some of the UNR and Desert Research Institute (DRI) meteorological instruments.

Atmospheric Instruments Textbook: See Appendix A on lab reports
Free through UNR Library: Online textbook for atmospheric instrumentation.

Week 1: 19 January

Friday:

Student Preparation for Class: Read assignment 6 and bring questions to class.

Continue with assignment 6.

Some of the UNR and Desert Research Institute (DRI) meteorological instruments.

Wednesday:

Introductions: Name, major, and goals for this class.
Places to learn about what is going on in this class:
Daily Notes (here).
Assignments. Assignments 1-6 have been posted, review them.
Syllabus.
Webcampus.

Related information.

Atmospheric Instruments Textbook:
Free through UNR Library: Online textbook for atmospheric instrumentation.

How to keep a lab notebook to record what you do and help in lab report writing:
a. Make a table of contents at the back.
b. Number the pages so you can add entries to the table of content.
Discussion of lab notebooking from CU.

A free, online Atmospheric Science textbook is available for students new to the field.
Free online Introductory Textbook for Atmospheric Science and local backup.

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