GEO2310 – Meteorology
Course description
Schedule, syllabus and examination date
Course content
The course provides a broad-based introduction to meteorology, with an emphasis on understanding physics and mathematically describing the processes in the atmosphere. There will be an introduction to radiation transfer in the atmosphere, and cloud and precipitation formation. In addition, the atmosphere’s large-scale movements will be described and related to weather systems such as depressions and anticyclones. A short presentation of the atmosphere’s boundary layers will also be given. The main features of the Earth’s climate variations and climate changes will be discussed.
Learning outcome
When you have taken this course, you will have
- knowledge about the static stability in the atmosphere, and its relevance to convection and clouds
- insight into how short- and long-wave radiation interacts with the atmosphere, and the relevance of this for optical phenomena, the greenhouse effect and remote sensing
- insight into the theory of cloud formation in the atmosphere and the process of precipitation
- a mathematical and physical understanding of the concepts geostrophic wind, thermal wind, and how wind strength decreases near the ground through friction
- insight into how natural and anthropogenic drivers affect the Earth’s climate
Admission to the course
Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.
Special admission requirements
In addition to fulfilling the Higher Education Entrance Qualification, applicants have to meet the following special admission requirements:
- Mathematics R1 (or Mathematics S1 and S2) + R2
And in addition one of these:
- Physics (1+2)
- Chemistry (1+2)
- Biology (1+2)
- Information technology (1+2)
- Geosciences (1+2)
- Technology and theories of research (1+2)
The special admission requirements may also be covered by equivalent studies from Norwegian upper secondary school or by other equivalent studies (in Norwegian).
Formal prerequisite knowledge
The course includes a compulsory field course and excursions. A health-and-safety course for safety in the field must be passed before you can go on these:
Recommended previous knowledge
Overlapping courses
- 10 credits overlap with GEF2200 – Atmospheric physics (continued).
- 9 credits overlap with GF121.
Teaching
Lectures and colloquia/groups, 4 hours per week.
There are 2-4 compulsory exercises during the course, accompanied by compulsory assignments, which must be approved prior to the final examination.
A compulsory 3-day field course. A field report must be written and approved before taking the final examination.
Attendance at the first lecture is compulsory. Students who fail to meet are considered to have withdrawn from the course unless they have previously given notice to the Student administration (studieinfo@geo.uio.no).
We reserve the right to change the teaching form and examination of the course in semesters where 5 or fewer students have been admitted.
As the teaching involves laboratory and/or fieldwork, you should consider taking out a separate travel and personal risk insurance. Read about your insurance cover as a student.
General information about excursions at the Department of Geosciences
Cost of taking the course
Participation in the excursion is mandatory. The excursion has a fee of NOK 150 per day.
Examination
2-4 compulsory assignments and a field report must be approved before sitting the written examination for the course.
An oral midterm examination counts 30% towards the final grade.
A final written examination counts 70% towards the final grade.
All the component parts have to be passed separately in order to pass the course.
Mandatory assignments are valid for 5 semesters starting from the semester they were approved the first time.
It is possible to take the exam up to 3 times. If you withdraw from the exam after the deadline or during the exam, this will be counted as an examination attempt.
It will also be counted as 1 of the 3 attempts to sit the exam for this course if you sit the exam for one of the following courses:
Examination support material
Language of examination
You may write your examination paper in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
Resit an examination
Students who can document a valid reason for absence from the regular examination are offered a postponed examination at the beginning of the next semester.
Re-scheduled examinations are not offered to students who withdraw during, or did not pass the original examination.
More about examinations at UiO
- Use of sources and citations
- Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
- Withdrawal from an exam
- Illness at exams / postponed exams
- Explanation of grades and appeals
- Resitting an exam
- Cheating/attempted cheating
You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.