GEF9530 – The General Circulation of the Atmosphere
Course description
Course content
This course will give a broad overview about the general circulation of the atmosphere, including the tropospheric and stratospheric circulation. The lecture will cover the transport of climate and ozone relevant gases, which are important for the chemical composition and for the radiative budget of the atmosphere. Future climate and ozone changes affecting the general circulation of the atmosphere will be highlighted.
Learning outcome
After finishing this course, candidates will obtain a fundamental knowledge of the General Circulation of the Atmosphere, in particular the:
- Tropospheric Circulation,
- Brewer Dobson Circulation
- Stratospheric Ozone distribution
- Dynamics and chemistry of key trace gases
- Climate change and the Ozone Hole
Admission
PhD candidates from the University of Oslo should apply for classes and register for examinations through Studentweb.
If a course has limited intake capacity, priority will be given to PhD candidates who follow an individual education plan where this particular course is included. Some national researchers’ schools may have specific rules for ranking applicants for courses with limited intake capacity.
PhD candidates who have been admitted to another higher education institution must apply for a position as a visiting student within a given deadline.
The course admits a maximum of 20 students. If the number of applicants exceeds the course capacity, applicants will be ranked in the following order:
- PhD candidates at the Geosciences Department and Master students in Geosciences, in the Meteorology and Oceanography programme option
- Other PhD students and visiting PhD students, and Master students in Geosciences, other programme options
- Master’s level exchange students and other master’s level students at the MN Faculty
- New single course students on master’s level
Admission will be decided by drawing lots for applicants who are ranked equally.
Prerequisites
Formal prerequisite knowledge
GEF1100 – The Climate System (discontinued) or equivalent.
Recommended previous knowledge
GEF4500 – Atmosphere-Ocean Dynamics (discontinued) (GEF3500 from fall 2015)
Overlapping courses
- 10 credits overlap with GEF4530 – The General Circulation of the Atmosphere (continued)
- 10 credits overlap with GEO4962 – The General Circulation of the Atmosphere
- 10 credits overlap with GEO9962 – The General Circulation of the Atmosphere
Teaching
Teaching consists of 3 hours lecture per week. Candidates are expected to participate actively in discussions. A written topic summary and presentations by the candidates will be part of the course. These must be approved in order for the candidate to take the final exam. Approved assignments are valid for 2 years if the final exam is retaken.
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 Studies administration, email address: studieinfo@geo.uio.no
Candidates must attend at least 80% of the lectures in order to take the final exam.
Examination
An exercise and a written topic summary (both mandatory) must be approved in order for the student to take the final exam. Students must attend at least 80% of the lectures and practicals in order to take the final exam.
Form of exam: Oral presentation (counts 50%) and final oral exam (counts 50%).
Examination support material
No examination support material is allowed.
Language of examination
The examination text is given in English, and you submit your response in English.
In this course any written exam questions or assignment questions may be available in English only.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a pass/fail scale. Read more about the grading system.
Explanations and appeals
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.
Withdrawal from an examination
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 one of the three attempts to sit the exam for this course, if you sit the exam for one of the following courses: GEF4530 – The General Circulation of the Atmosphere (continued), GEO4962 – The General Circulation of the Atmosphere, GEO9962 – The General Circulation of the Atmosphere
Special examination arrangements
Application form, deadline and requirements for special examination arrangements.