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Program Requirements
This Major provides a solid basis for postgraduate study in meteorology, atmospheric physics, or related fields, as well as the necessary preparation for embarking on a professional career as a meteorologist directly after the B.Sc.
The program is jointly administered by the Department of Physics and the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences. Students should consult undergraduate advisers in both departments.
Required Courses (64 credits)
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ATOC 214 Introduction: Physics of the Atmosphere (3 credits)
Overview
Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences : An introduction to physical meteorology designed for students in the physical sciences. Topics include: composition of the atmosphere; heat transfer; the upper atmosphere; atmospheric optics; formation of clouds and precipitation; instability; adiabatic charts.
Terms: Fall 2012
Instructors: Huang, Yi (Fall)
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ATOC 215 Oceans, Weather and Climate (3 credits)
Overview
Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences : Laws of motion, geostrophic wind, gradient wind. General circulation of the atmosphere and oceans, local circulation features. Air-sea interaction, including hurricanes and sea-ice formation, extra-tropical weather systems and fronts, role of the atmosphere and oceans in climate.
Terms: Winter 2013
Instructors: Yau, Man K (Winter)
Winter
3 hours lecture
Prerequisite: ATOC 214
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ATOC 309 Weather Radars and Satellites (3 credits)
Overview
Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences : Basic notions of radiative transfer and applications of satellite and radar data to mesoscale and synoptic-scale systems are discussed. Emphasis will be put on the contribution of remote sensing to atmospheric and oceanic sciences.
Terms: Winter 2013
Instructors: Fabry, Frederic; Szejwach, Gerard (Winter)
Winter
3 hours lecture
Prerequisite: ATOC 215
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ATOC 315 Thermodynamics and Convection (3 credits)
Overview
Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences : Buoyancy, stability, and vertical oscillations. Dry and moist adiabatic processes. Resulting dry and precipitating convective circulations from the small scale to the global scale. Mesoscale precipitation systems from the cell to convective complexes. Severe convection, downbursts, mesocyclones.
Terms: Fall 2012
Instructors: Szejwach, Gerard (Fall)
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ATOC 412 Atmospheric Dynamics (3 credits)
Overview
Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences : Equations of motion in rotating coordinates, elementary applications, circulation and vorticity, the planetary boundary layer, synoptic scale motions, Rossby waves and inertial oscillations.
Terms: Fall 2012
Instructors: Straub, David N (Fall)
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ATOC 540 Synoptic Meteorology 1 (3 credits)
Overview
Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences : Analysis of current meteorological data. Description of a geostrophic, hydrostatic atmosphere. Ageostrophic circulations and hydrostatic instabilities. Kinematic and thermodynamic methods of computing vertical motions. Tropical and extratropical condensation rates. Barotropic and equivalent barotropic atmospheres.
Terms: Fall 2012
Instructors: Atallah, Eyad Hashem (Fall)
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ATOC 541 Synoptic Meteorology 2 (3 credits)
Overview
Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences : Analysis of current meteorological data. Quasi-geostrophic theory, including the omega equation, as it relates to extratropical cyclone and anticyclone development. Frontogenesis and frontal circulations in the lower and upper troposphere. Cumulus convection and its relationship to tropical and extratropical circulations. Diagnostic case study work.
Terms: Winter 2013
Instructors: Atallah, Eyad Hashem (Winter)
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ATOC 546 Current Weather Discussion (1 credit)
Overview
Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences : Half-hour briefing on atmospheric general circulation and current weather around the world using satellite data, radar observations, conventional weather maps, and analyses and forecasts produced by computer techniques.
Terms: Winter 2013
Instructors: Atallah, Eyad Hashem (Winter)
Winter
2 hours
Prerequisite (Undergraduate): ATOC 540 or permission of instructor
Restriction: Graduate students and final-year Honours Atmospheric Science students. Others by special permission.
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MATH 222 Calculus 3 (3 credits)
Overview
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Taylor series, Taylor's theorem in one and several variables. Review of vector geometry. Partial differentiation, directional derivative. Extreme of functions of 2 or 3 variables. Parametric curves and arc length. Polar and spherical coordinates. Multiple integrals.
Terms: Fall 2012, Winter 2013, Summer 2013
Instructors: Jonsson, Wilbur; Rogers, Mathew (Fall) Jonsson, Wilbur; Canzani Garcia, Yaiza (Winter) Cormier, Eric (Summer)
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MATH 223 Linear Algebra (3 credits)
Overview
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Review of matrix algebra, determinants and systems of linear equations. Vector spaces, linear operators and their matrix representations, orthogonality. Eigenvalues and eigenvectors, diagonalization of Hermitian matrices. Applications.
Terms: Fall 2012, Winter 2013
Instructors: El Hajj, Layan; Jonsson, Wilbur (Fall) Jonsson, Wilbur; Wu, Hehui (Winter)
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MATH 314 Advanced Calculus (3 credits)
Overview
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Derivative as a matrix. Chain rule. Implicit functions. Constrained maxima and minima. Jacobians. Multiple integration. Line and surface integrals. Theorems of Green, Stokes and Gauss. Fourier series with applications.
Terms: Fall 2012, Winter 2013, Summer 2013
Instructors: Xu, Jian-Jun (Fall) Jonsson, Wilbur (Winter) Roth, Charles (Summer)
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MATH 315 Ordinary Differential Equations (3 credits)
Overview
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : First order ordinary differential equations including elementary numerical methods. Linear differential equations. Laplace transforms. Series solutions.
Terms: Fall 2012, Winter 2013, Summer 2013
Instructors: Xu, Jian-Jun (Fall) Eremin, Alexey (Winter) Makhmali, Omid (Summer)
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PHYS 230 Dynamics of Simple Systems (3 credits)
Overview
Physics : Translational motion under Newton's laws; forces, momentum, work/energy theorem. Special relativity; Lorentz transforms, relativistic mechanics, mass/energy equivalence. Topics in rotational dynamics. Noninertial frames.
Terms: Fall 2012
Instructors: Guo, Hong (Fall)
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PHYS 232 Heat and Waves (3 credits)
Overview
Physics : The laws of thermodynamics and their consequences. Thermodynamics of P-V-T systems and simple heat engines. Free, driven, and damped harmonic oscillators. Coupled systems and normal modes. Fourier methods. Wave motion and dispersion. The wave equation.
Terms: Winter 2013
Instructors: Ryan, Dominic (Winter)
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PHYS 257 Experimental Methods 1 (3 credits)
Overview
Physics : Introductory laboratory work and data analysis as related to mechanics, optics and thermodynamics. Introduction to computers as they are employed for laboratory work, for data analysis and for numerical computation. Previous experience with computers is an asset, but is not required.
Terms: Fall 2012
Instructors: Warburton, Andreas; Engelberg, Edith M (Fall)
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PHYS 258 Experimental Methods 2 (3 credits)
Overview
Physics : Advanced laboratory work and data analysis as related to mechanics, optics and thermodynamics. Computers will be employed routinely for data analysis and for numerical computation, and, particularly, to facilitate the use of Fourier methods.
Terms: Winter 2013
Instructors: Warburton, Andreas; Engelberg, Edith M (Winter)
Winter
6 hours of laboratory and classroom work
Prerequisite: PHYS 257
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PHYS 331 Topics in Classical Mechanics (3 credits)
Overview
Physics : Forced and damped oscillators, Newtonian mechanics in three dimensions, rotational motion, Lagrangian mechanics, small vibrations, normal modes. Introduction to Hamiltonian mechanics.
Terms: Winter 2013
Instructors: Holder, Gilbert (Winter)
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PHYS 333 Thermal and Statistical Physics (3 credits)
Overview
Physics : Introductory equilibrium statistical mechanics. Quantum states, probabilities, ensemble averages. Entropy, temperature, Boltzmann factor, chemical potential. Photons and phonons. Fermi-Dirac and Bose-Einstein distributions; applications.
Terms: Winter 2013
Instructors: Francois, Paul (Winter)
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PHYS 339 Measurements Laboratory in General Physics (3 credits)
Overview
Physics : Introduction to modern techniques of measurement. The use of computers in performing and analysing experiments. Data reduction, statistical methods, report writing. Extensive use of computers is made in this laboratory; therefore some familiarity with computers and computing is an advantage.
Terms: Winter 2013
Instructors: Cooke, David (Winter)
Winter
6 hours
Prerequisite: PHYS 241 or permission of instructor
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PHYS 340 Majors Electricity and Magnetism (3 credits)
Overview
Physics : The electrostatic field and scalar potential. Dielectric properties of matter. Energy in the electrostatic field. Methods for solving problems in electrostatics. The magnetic field. Induction and inductance. Energy in the magnetic field. Magnetic properties of matter. Maxwell's equations. The dipole approximation.
Terms: Fall 2012
Instructors: Dasgupta, Keshav (Fall)
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PHYS 342 Majors Electromagnetic Waves (3 credits)
Overview
Physics : Maxwell's equations. The wave equation. The electromagnetic wave, reflection, refraction, polarization. Guided waves. Transmission lines and wave guides. Vector potential. Radiation. The elemental dipole; the half-wave dipole; vertical dipole; folded dipoles; Yagi antennas. Accelerating charged particles.
Terms: Winter 2013
Instructors: Hilke, Michael (Winter)
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PHYS 446 Majors Quantum Physics (3 credits)
Overview
Physics : de Broglie waves, Bohr atom. Schroedinger equation, wave functions, observables. One dimensional potentials. Schroedinger equation in three dimensions. Angular momentum, hydrogen atom. Spin, experimental consequences.
Terms: Fall 2012
Instructors: Reisner, Walter (Fall)
Complementary Course (3 credits)
Students select one of the following courses:
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PHYS 432 Physics of Fluids (3 credits)
Overview
Physics : The physical properties of fluids. The kinematics and dynamics of flow. The effects of viscosity and turbulence. Applications of fluid mechanics in biophysics, geophysics and engineering.
Terms: Winter 2013
Instructors: Cline, James M (Winter)
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PHYS 434 Optics (3 credits)
Overview
Physics : Geometrical optics, wave optics, lasers, Fourier transform spectroscopy, holography, optical data processing, stellar interferometry.
Terms: Winter 2013
Instructors: Pereg-Barnea, Tamar (Winter)
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PHYS 439 Majors Laboratory in Modern Physics (3 credits)
Overview
Physics : Advanced level experiments in modern physics stressing quantum effects and some properties of condensed matter.
Terms: Fall 2012
Instructors: Buchinger, Fritz; Siwick, Bradley (Fall)
Faculty of Science—2012-2013 (last updated Dec. 20, 2012) (disclaimer)