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ATMS 391
Computational Problems in Atmospheric Science
Instructor:   Dr. Brian Jewett
Office:   Room 202 Atmospheric Sciences Building
Phone:   333-3957
Email:   bjewett@illinois.edu or
Days/Time:   MWF 12:00-12:50pm
Location:   109 Atmos Sci Bldg
Credit:   3 hours
CRN:   55559
Info:   home page
 
 
 
Examples of data we will work with: 500mb height/vorticity from a Midwest blizzard; a supercell storm simulation; 3D trajectories; video imagery; see stills

OBJECTIVES:  This course is designed to help you develop essential programming skills and apply these skills to a variety of types of computational problems.

PREREQUISITES:  None.  No programming background is required.  You will learn what you need from this course.

TEXT:  Required: Introduction to Programming with Fortran by Ian Chivers and Jane Sleightholme (PDFs free through UI library online; printed version $24.95).
Recommended C text: Programming in ANSI C, Revised Ed. (Stephen Kochan, 1994) is inexpensive / available used online via Barnes and Noble and Amazon.
Recommend Javascript text, An introduction to HTML and JavaScript for scientists and engineers, is also free through UI library.

LANGUAGES:  This course stresses Fortran.  But it will include some elements of:

PROBLEMS:  We will work on computing problems both in (during) and outside (assignments) of class. I will draw from current and forecast weather data as well as model simulation/analysis fields. This is not a modeling class but we will work with data from model experiments including hurricanes and severe storms. We will "learn by doing."

VISUALIZATION:  Our field deals extensively with observational and model information, in the form of 1-, 2-, and 3-D data sets. 
You will learn programming to help you prepare and manipulate data, which we will then visualize with tools like VisIt.

COMPUTING:  If you have a laptop, bring it. If not, you can use classroom PCs.

FAQ:  You don't need to be an Atmospheric Sciences major to take the class. We will draw primarily on Atmos Sci topics as problems with which to learn programming, however.

If you have any questions about the class, feel free to contact me.