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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 2010
Instructors: Atallah, Eyad Hashem; Gyakum, John Richard (Fall)
- Fall
- 3 hours lecture
- Prerequisite: CEGEP Physics
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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 2011
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 2011
Instructors: Fabry, Frederic; Szejwach, Gerard (Winter)
- Winter
- 3 hours lecture
- Prerequisite: ATOC 215
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ATOC 315 Water in the Atmosphere (3 credits)
Overview
Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences : Global distribution of water in the atmosphere. Moist processes. Global and mesoscale precipitation systems. Quantitative forecasting of precipitation. Extreme precipitation events. Large-scale influences. Precipitation modification.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Son, Seok-Woo (Fall)
- Fall
- 3 hours lecture
- Prerequisite: ATOC 214
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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 2010
Instructors: Straub, David N (Fall)
- Fall
- Prerequisites: MATH 314, MATH 315.
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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 2010
Instructors: Atallah, Eyad Hashem (Fall)
- Fall
- 2 hours lecture; 2 hours laboratory
- Prerequisite (Undergraduate): Permission of instructor
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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 2011
Instructors: Atallah, Eyad Hashem (Winter)
- Winter
- 2 hours lecture; 2 hours laboratory
- Prerequisite (Undergraduate): ATOC 412 and ATOC 540 or permission of instructor.
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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 2011
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 2010, Winter 2011, Summer 2011
Instructors: Jonsson, Wilbur; Sancho, Neville G F (Fall) Jonsson, Wilbur (Winter)
- Prerequisite: MATH 141. Familiarity with vector geometry or Corequisite: MATH 133
- Restriction: Not open to students who have taken CEGEP course 201-303 or MATH 150, MATH 151 or MATH 227
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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 2010, Winter 2011
Instructors: Loveys, James G; Huang, Hongnian (Fall) Loveys, James G (Winter)
- Fall and Winter
- Prerequisite: MATH 133 or equivalent
- Restriction: Not open to students in Mathematics programs nor to students who have taken or are taking MATH 236, MATH 247 or MATH 251. It is open to students in Faculty Programs
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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.
Terms: Fall 2010, Winter 2011, Summer 2011
Instructors: Jonsson, Wilbur (Fall) Jonsson, Wilbur (Winter) Roth, Charles (Summer)
- Prerequisites: MATH 133, MATH 222
- Restriction: Not open to students who have taken or are taking MATH 248
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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 2010, Winter 2011, Summer 2011
Instructors: Sancho, Neville G F (Fall) Xu, Jian-Jun (Winter)
- Prerequisite: MATH 222.
- Corequisite: MATH 133.
- Restriction: Not open to students who have taken or are taking MATH 325.
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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 2010
Instructors: Guo, Hong (Fall)
- Fall
- 3 hours lectures
- Prerequisite: CEGEP Physics or PHYS 131.
- Corequisite: MATH 222
- Restriction: Not open to students taking or having passed PHYS 251
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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 2011
Instructors: Ryan, Dominic (Winter)
- Winter
- 3 hours lectures
- Prerequisites: CEGEP Physics or PHYS 142, and CEGEP chemistry or CHEM 120, and PHYS 230.
- Restriction: Not open to students taking or having passed PHYS 253
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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 2010
Instructors: Siwick, Bradley (Fall)
- Fall
- 6 hours of laboratory and classroom work
- Corequisite: PHYS 230 or PHYS 251
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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 2011
Instructors: Ryan, Dominic; 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 2011
Instructors: Gervais, Guillaume (Winter)
- Winter
- 3 hours lectures
- Prerequisite: PHYS 230
- Corequisite: MATH 315
- Restriction: Not open to students having passed PHYS 451 or PHYS 351
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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 2011
Instructors: Harris, Richard (Winter)
- Winter
- 3 hours lectures
- Prerequisite: PHYS 232
- Restriction: Not open to students taking or having passed PHYS 362
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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 2011
Instructors: Hilke, Michael (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 2010
Instructors: Rutledge, Robert (Fall)
- Fall
- 3 hours lectures
- Prerequisites: CEGEP physics or PHYS 142, MATH 222
- Corequisite: MATH 314
- Restriction: Not open to students who have passed PHYS 242 or PHYS 350
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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 2011
Instructors: Hilke, Michael (Winter)
- Winter
- 3 hours lectures
- Prerequisites: PHYS 340 or PHYS 242, Mathematics MATH 314, MATH 315
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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 2010
Instructors: Reisner, Walter (Fall)
- Fall
- 3 hours lectures
- Prerequisite: PHYS 230 and PHYS 232, or PHYS 251
- Restriction: Not open to students taking or having taken PHYS 357 or PHYS 457
Complementary Course (3 credits)
Students select one of the following courses:
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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 2011
Instructors: Sutton, Mark (Winter)
- Winter
- 3 hours lectures
- Prerequisite: PHYS 342 or PHYS 352, or permission of the instructor
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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 2010
Instructors: Buchinger, Fritz; Barrette, Jean (Fall)
- Fall
- 6 hours
- Prerequisite: PHYS 339.
- Corequisite: PHYS 446
- Restriction: Not open to students with credit in PHYS 359 except with permission of instructor
Faculty of Science—2010-2011 (last updated Jan. 19, 2011) (disclaimer)