Any experimental courses offered by MTEOR can be found at: registrar.iastate.edu/faculty-staff/courses/explistings/
Courses
Courses primarily for undergraduates:
(2-0) Cr. 1. F.
Understanding of atmospheric processes that play a role in creating severe and hazardous weather. Focus on thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, blizzards, ice storms, and temperature extremes. Impacts on lives and property.
(1-0) Cr. 1. Repeatable. F.
Prereq: Credit or concurrent enrollment in MATH 165
Current weather discussions and introduction to synoptic-scale interpretation of meteorology. Application and use of calculus in meteorology. Course restricted to majors. Others with permission of instructor.
(Cross-listed with GEOL). (1-0) Cr. 1. F.
Orientation course for students enrolled in the Earth, Wind and Fire Learning Community. Provides an introduction to Iowa State University and meteorology, geology, and Earth science programs for students enrolled in the department's learning community. Activities include academic and social activities, talks and presentations on academic success, resume writing, and study abroad, as well as research talks by faculty members.
(Cross-listed with GEOL). (1-0) Cr. 1. S.
Spring orientation course for students enrolled in the "Earth, Wind and Fire" Learning Community. Develop and apply quantitative, data-analysis, management, and communication skills on an authentic research project in a team to focus on professionalism and resilience. Introduction to interview strategies and the importance of creating a professional image on social media. Academic and social events, plus two field trips.
(Cross-listed with AGRON, ENV S, GEOL). Cr. 3. F.S.
The climate system of our planet. How nature and our actions alter the existing energy balance leading to climate change. Past climates on our planet. The influence of climate on society and resource availability during the Holocene (~ 11,000 years ago to present) with focus on changes post industrial revolution. Significant climate events that have altered our way of life in the past. Projected changes in future climate and potential impacts on society, environment and resources. Adaption to and mitigation of climate change.
Meets International Perspectives Requirement.
(Cross-listed with AGRON, ENV S, GEOL). (3-0) Cr. 3. S.
Study of the occurrence, history, development, and management of world water resources. Basic hydrologic principles including climate, surface water, groundwater, and water quality. Historical and current perspectives on water policy, use, and the role of water in society and the environment.
Meets International Perspectives Requirement.
Cr. R. F.
Prereq: Credit or concurrent enrollment in PHYS 231
An overview of the atmospheric sciences, the meteorology program at Iowa State, and the major research journals used in the discipline.
(Cross-listed with AGRON). (3-0) Cr. 3. F.S.
Basic concepts in weather and climate, including atmospheric measurements, radiation, stability, precipitation, winds, fronts, forecasting, and severe weather. Applied topics include global warming, ozone depletion, world climates and weather safety.
(3-1) Cr. 3. F.
Prereq: Credit or concurrent enrollment in MTEOR 206; Credit or concurrent enrollment in PHYS 231
An introduction to computer programming using FORTRAN and Python with focus on meteorological applications. Emphasis on basics of good programming techniques and style through extensive practice in top-down design, writing, running, and debugging small programs. Topics include operations and functions, selective execution, repetitive execution, arrays, input/output, file processing, and subprograms. This course is designed for majors.
(Cross-listed with AER E). (0-2) Cr. 1. F.
Engineering aspects of scientific balloon flights. Integration of science mission objectives with engineering requirements. Operations team certification. FAA and FCC regulations, communications, and command systems. Flight path prediction and control.
Cr. 1-4. Repeatable.
Prereq: Permission of Instructor
Independent study for freshman and sophomore students.
Cr. R. Repeatable. F.S.SS.
Prereq: Permission of the Department Cooperative Education Coordinator
Required of all cooperative education students. Students must register for this course prior to commencing the work period.
(1-2) Cr. 2. F.
Prereq: MTEOR 301
Concepts of weather map plotting and analysis. Introduction to forecasting and to the use of real-time UNIDATA computer products.
Cr. 1-2. Repeatable, maximum of 3 credits. F.S.SS.
Prereq: MTEOR 311; Permission of the Department Cooperative Education Coordinator
Supervised practical experience in a professional meteorological agency. Experiences may include providing weather information for radio, TV, utilities, government agencies, construction, or agribusiness.
(Cross-listed with ENSCI, ENV S, GEOL). (3-0) Cr. 3. S.
Prereq: CHEM 163 or CHEM 167 or CHEM 177
Exploration of the origin of Earth’s energy resources and the environmental and climatic impacts of energy acquisition and consumption. Renewable and non-renewable energy resources within an Earth-system context. Various environmentally-relevant topics such as water quality and availability, habitat destruction, greenhouse-gas emissions, and health and safety hazards to wildlife and human communities.
(3-0) Cr. 3. S.
Prereq: MTEOR 341
Cloud and precipitation physics, radar meteorology, and atmospheric radiation.
Cr. 3. Alt. S., offered odd-numbered years.
Prereq: MTEOR 206
The physical interactions between the atmosphere and ocean, and their influence on weather and climate; coupled modes of climate variability and their teleconnections; air-sea feedbacks in the tropics and mid-latitudes. Applied topics include seasonal prediction and climate data analysis.
Cr. R. Repeatable. F.S.SS.
Prereq: Permission of the Department Cooperative Education Coordinator
Required of all cooperative education students. Students must register for this course prior to commencing the work period.
(Dual-listed with MTEOR 502). (Cross-listed with ENSCI, GEOL, NREM). (2-3) Cr. 3. F.
Examination of watersheds as systems, emphasizing the surface components of the hydrologic cycle. Combines qualitative understanding of hydrological processes and uncertainty with quantitative representation. Laboratory emphasizes field investigation and measurement of watershed processes.
(Dual-listed with MTEOR 504). (Cross-listed with AGRON, ENSCI, ENV S). (3-0) Cr. 3. F.S.
Recent changes in global biogeochemical cycles and climate; models of future changes in the climate system; impacts of global change on agriculture, water resources and human health; ethical issues of global environmental change.
(Dual-listed with MTEOR 505). (Cross-listed with AGRON, ENSCI). (3-0) Cr. 3. Alt. S., offered odd-numbered years.
Prereq: MATH 160 or MATH 165
The movement of energy and mass among the soil, vegetation, and atmosphere. The heat and water budget of humans, other animals, plants, and plant communities. Relevance to weather and climate, the effect of climate change on organisms, and remote sensing. Some exposure to computer programming (any language) recommended.
(Cross-listed with AGRON, ENSCI). (3-0) Cr. 3. S.
Prereq: AGRON 206 or MTEOR 206
Distribution and causes of different climates around the world. Effects of climate and climate variations on human activities including society, economy and agriculture. Current issues such as climate change and international efforts to assess and mitigate the consequences of a changing climate. Semester project and in-class presentation required.
Meets International Perspectives Requirement.
(Dual-listed with MTEOR 507). (Cross-listed with AGRON). (3-0) Cr. 3. Alt. S., offered even-numbered years.
Prereq: MATH 166; MTEOR 443
Physical nature and practical consequences of mesoscale atmospheric phenomena. Mesoscale convective systems, fronts, terrain-forced circulations. Observation, analysis, and prediction of mesoscale atmospheric structure.
(Dual-listed with MTEOR 516). (Cross-listed with ENSCI, GEOL). (2-3) Cr. 3. Alt. S., offered odd-numbered years.
Study of the basic principles of hydrologic modeling, including rainfall-runoff analysis, lumped and distributed modeling, conceptual and physical models, parameter estimation and sensitivity analysis, input and validation data, uncertainty analysis, and the use of models in surface water hydrology. A range of common models are applied to study hydrologic topics such as flood forecasting and land use change impacts. Previous experience with Matlab or other programming language is needed.
(1-5) Cr. 3. S.
Prereq: Credit or concurrent enrollment in MTEOR 411
Real-time computer analysis of current weather, with emphasis on small-scale features. Studies of severe weather, lake-effect snow, CSI, cold-air damming.
(2-2) Cr. 3. S.
Prereq: (Credit or concurrent enrollment in MATH 266); PHYS 232
Principles of meteorological sensing and data analysis. Thermometry, barometry, hygrometry, anemometry, precipitation measurements, radiometry, radar, remote sensing, visibility, and cloud height. Calibration and measurement uncertainties. Digital signal processing. Field trip to the National Weather Service. Labs emphasize dataloggers and modern weather stations.
(Dual-listed with MTEOR 535). (3-0) Cr. 3. S.
Prereq: Credit or concurrent enrollment in MTEOR 341
Fundamentals of radar meteorology with emphasis on applications. Topics presented include theory of radar, engineering principles, Doppler radar, polarimetric radar, and applications to remote sensing of clouds and precipitation.
(Dual-listed with MTEOR 540). Cr. 3. Alt. F., offered odd-numbered years.
Prereq: Credit or concurrent enrollment in MTEOR 341
Weather and climate of the tropical atmosphere. Weekly forecast discussions related to the development of tropical cyclones and teleconnection patterns between the tropics and higher latitudes. Topics covered include easterly waves, tropical cyclogenesis (i.e., hurricanes, typhoons, cyclones), equatorial waves, El Niño-Southern oscillation, Madden-Julian oscillation, and monsoons.
(3-0) Cr. 3. S.
Prereq: MTEOR 341
Conservation laws, governing equations, circulation and vorticity. Development of quasi-geostrophic theory.
(Dual-listed with MTEOR 552). (3-0) Cr. 3. Alt. S., offered even-numbered years.
Prereq: MTEOR 301
Developing and working with climate models based on fundamental physical principles that govern the climate systems of the Earth and other planets. Emphasis on coupled, nonlinear-system interactions of physical processes such as circulation dynamics, radiative transfer, and cloud/precipitation physics, starting with fairly simple 0- and 1-dimensional analytical and numerical models based on energy, mass, and momentum conservation. Observational study of seasonally evolving weather patterns that form climates around the world.
(Dual-listed with MTEOR 554). (3-0) Cr. 3. S.
Prereq: MTEOR 443 or MTEOR 543
Planetary boundary layer, linear perturbation theory, atmospheric wave motions, baroclinic and convective instability, mesoscale circulations.
(Dual-listed with MTEOR 568). (Cross-listed with ENSCI, GEOL). Cr. 3. Alt. F., offered even-numbered years.
Prereq: C R P 351; C R P 452; GEOL 452; (NREM 345 or NREM 446)
Introduction to geospatial data collection, analysis, interpretation, and presentation. Geospatial techniques including geographic information systems (GIS), remote sensing (RS), and global positioning systems (GPS). Study of applied geostatistical analysis (e.g., interpolation and spatial regression).
(Dual-listed with MTEOR 589). (Cross-listed with E E, ENSCI, GEOL, NREM). (3-0) Cr. 3. F.
Electromagnetic-radiation principles, active and passive sensors, multispectral and hyperspectral sensors, imaging radar, SAR, thermal imaging, lidar. Examples of applications. Also offered online S.
(Dual-listed with MTEOR 589L). (Cross-listed with E E, GEOL, NREM). (0-3) Cr. 1. F.
Prereq: 489L: E E 489 or GEOL 489 or MTEOR 489 or NREM 489, 589L: E E 589 or GEOL 589 or MTEOR 589 or NREM 589
Processing and analysis of satellite sensor data (optical and radar). Provides practical applications in an environmental context.
Cr. 1-3. Repeatable, maximum of 9 credits.
Prereq: 6 credits in MTEOR; Permission of Instructor
No more than 9 credits in Mteor 490 may be counted toward graduation.
Cr. 1-3. Repeatable, maximum of 9 credits.
Prereq: 6 credits in MTEOR; Permission of Instructor
No more than 9 credits in MTEOR 490 may be counted toward graduation.
Cr. 1-3. Repeatable, maximum of 9 credits.
Prereq: 6 credits in MTEOR; Permission of Instructor
No more than 9 credits in MTEOR 490 may be counted toward graduation.
Cr. 1-3. Repeatable, maximum of 9 credits.
Prereq: 6 credits in MTEOR; Permission of Instructor
No more than 9 credits in MTEOR 490 may be counted toward graduation.
Cr. 1-3. Repeatable, maximum of 9 credits.
Prereq: 6 credits in MTEOR; Permission of Instructor
No more than 9 credits in MTEOR 490 may be counted toward graduation.
Cr. 1-3. Repeatable, maximum of 9 credits.
Prereq: 6 credits in MTEOR; Permission of Instructor
No more than 9 credits in MTEOR 490 may be counted toward graduation.
Cr. 1-3. Repeatable, maximum of 9 credits.
Prereq: 6 credits in MTEOR; Permission of Instructor
No more than 9 credits in MTEOR 490 may be counted toward graduation.
Cr. 1-3. Repeatable, maximum of 9 credits.
Prereq: 6 credits in MTEOR; Permission of Instructor
No more than 9 credits in MTEOR 490 may be counted toward graduation.
Cr. R. F.S.SS.
Prereq: Permission of the Department Cooperative Education Coordinator; Senior classification
Required of all cooperative education students. Students must register for this course prior to commencing each work period.
(2-0) Cr. 2. F.
Prereq: MTEOR 399
Required of all senior meteorology majors. Research projects in collaboration with faculty. Written and oral presentations of results at the end of the semester.
Courses primarily for graduate students, open to qualified undergraduates:
(Dual-listed with MTEOR 402). (Cross-listed with ENSCI, GEOL, NREM). (2-3) Cr. 3. F.
Examination of watersheds as systems, emphasizing the surface components of the hydrologic cycle. Combines qualitative understanding of hydrological processes and uncertainty with quantitative representation. Laboratory emphasizes field investigation and measurement of watershed processes.
(Dual-listed with MTEOR 404). (Cross-listed with AGRON, ENSCI). (3-0) Cr. 3. F.S.
Recent changes in global biogeochemical cycles and climate; models of future changes in the climate system; impacts of global change on agriculture, water resources and human health; ethical issues of global environmental change.
(Dual-listed with MTEOR 405). (Cross-listed with AGRON, ENSCI). (3-0) Cr. 3. Alt. S., offered odd-numbered years.
Prereq: MATH 160 or MATH 165
The movement of energy and mass among the soil, vegetation, and atmosphere. The heat and water budget of humans, other animals, plants, and plant communities. Relevance to weather and climate, the effect of climate change on organisms, and remote sensing. Some exposure to computer programming (any language) recommended.
(Dual-listed with MTEOR 407). (Cross-listed with AGRON). (3-0) Cr. 3. Alt. S., offered even-numbered years.
Prereq: MATH 166; MTEOR 443
Physical nature and practical consequences of mesoscale atmospheric phenomena. Mesoscale convective systems, fronts, terrain-forced circulations. Observation, analysis, and prediction of mesoscale atmospheric structure.
(Dual-listed with MTEOR 516). (Cross-listed with ENSCI, ENSCI, GEOL, MTEOR). (2-3) Cr. 3. Alt. S., offered odd-numbered years.
Study of the basic principles of hydrologic modeling, including rainfall-runoff analysis, lumped and distributed modeling, conceptual and physical models, parameter estimation and sensitivity analysis, input and validation data, uncertainty analysis, and the use of models in surface water hydrology. A range of common models are applied to study hydrologic topics such as flood forecasting and land use change impacts. Previous experience with Matlab or other programming language is needed.
(Cross-listed with AGRON, E E). (3-0) Cr. 3. Alt. S., offered even-numbered years.
Prereq: MATH 265
Microwave remote sensing of Earth's surface and atmosphere using satellite-based or ground-based instruments. Specific examples include remote sensing of atmospheric temperature and water vapor, precipitation, ocean salinity, and soil moisture.
(Dual-listed with MTEOR 435). (3-0) Cr. 3. S.
Prereq: Credit or concurrent enrollment in MTEOR 341
Fundamentals of radar meteorology with emphasis on applications. Topics presented include theory of radar, engineering principles, Doppler radar, polarimetric radar, and applications to remote sensing of clouds and precipitation.
(Dual-listed with MTEOR 440). Cr. 3. Alt. F., offered odd-numbered years.
Prereq: Credit or concurrent enrollment in MTEOR 341
Weather and climate of the tropical atmosphere. Weekly forecast discussions related to the development of tropical cyclones and teleconnection patterns between the tropics and higher latitudes. Topics covered include easterly waves, tropical cyclogenesis (i.e., hurricanes, typhoons, cyclones), equatorial waves, El Niño-Southern oscillation, Madden-Julian oscillation, and monsoons.
(3-0) Cr. 3. Alt. F., offered odd-numbered years.
Prereq: MTEOR 341, MTEOR 342, basic knowledge of dynamic meteorology, or consent of instructor
Basic dynamic equations, moist convection, interaction of convection with large-scale environment, parameterization of convection, and cloud-resolving models.
(Dual-listed with MTEOR 452). (3-0) Cr. 3. Alt. S., offered even-numbered years.
Prereq: MTEOR 301
Developing and working with climate models based on fundamental physical principles that govern the climate systems of the Earth and other planets. Emphasis on coupled, nonlinear-system interactions of physical processes such as circulation dynamics, radiative transfer, and cloud/precipitation physics, starting with fairly simple 0- and 1-dimensional analytical and numerical models based on energy, mass, and momentum conservation. Observational study of seasonally evolving weather patterns that form climates around the world.
(Dual-listed with MTEOR 454). (3-0) Cr. 3. S.
Prereq: MTEOR 443 or MTEOR 543
Planetary boundary layer, linear perturbation theory, atmospheric wave motions, baroclinic and convective instability, mesoscale circulations.
(Dual-listed with MTEOR 468). (Cross-listed with ENSCI, GEOL). Cr. 3. Alt. F., offered even-numbered years.
Prereq: C R P 351; C R P 452; GEOL 452; (NREM 345 or NREM 446)
Introduction to geospatial data collection, analysis, interpretation, and presentation. Geospatial techniques including geographic information systems (GIS), remote sensing (RS), and global positioning systems (GPS). Study of applied geostatistical analysis (e.g., interpolation and spatial regression).
(Dual-listed with MTEOR 489). (Cross-listed with E E, ENSCI, GEOL, NREM). (3-0) Cr. 3. F.
Electromagnetic-radiation principles, active and passive sensors, multispectral and hyperspectral sensors, imaging radar, SAR, thermal imaging, lidar. Examples of applications. Also offered online S.
(Dual-listed with MTEOR 489L). (Cross-listed with E E, GEOL, NREM). (0-3) Cr. 1. F.
Prereq: 489L: E E 489 or GEOL 489 or MTEOR 489 or NREM 489, 589L: E E 589 or GEOL 589 or MTEOR 589 or NREM 589
Processing and analysis of satellite sensor data (optical and radar). Provides practical applications in an environmental context.
Cr. 1-3. Repeatable.
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Topics of current interest.
Cr. 1-3. Repeatable.
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Topics of current interest.
Cr. 1-3. Repeatable.
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Topics of current interest.
Cr. 1-3. Repeatable.
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Topics of current interest.
Cr. 1-3. Repeatable.
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Topics of current interest.
Cr. 1-3. Repeatable.
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Topics of current interest.
Cr. 1-3. Repeatable.
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Topics of current interest.
Cr. 1-3. Repeatable.
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Topics of current interest.
Cr. 1-3. Repeatable.
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Topics of current interest.
Cr. 1-3. Repeatable.
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Topics of current interest.
Cr. 1-3. Repeatable.
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Topics of current interest.
Cr. 1-3. Repeatable.
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Topics of current interest.
Cr. 1-3. Repeatable.
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Topics of current interest.
Cr. 1-3. Repeatable.
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Topics of current interest.
Cr. 1-3. Repeatable.
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Topics of current interest.
Cr. 1-3. Repeatable.
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Topics of current interest.
(Cross-listed with GEOL). Cr. 1. Repeatable. F.S.
Prereq: Senior or graduate classification
Weekly seminar on topics of current research interest. All students seeking a graduate degree must enroll during each semester of residence. Students pursuing a non-thesis option for the M.S. in Earth Science must enroll for one semester.
Offered on a satisfactory-fail basis only.
(Cross-listed with GEOL). (1-0) Cr. 1. Repeatable. F.S.
Prereq: Senior or graduate classification
Weekly seminar on topics of current research interest. All students seeking a graduate degree must enroll during each semester of residence. Students pursuing a non-thesis option for the M.S. in Earth Science must enroll for one semester.
Offered on a satisfactory-fail basis only.
(Cross-listed with GEOL). Cr. R. Repeatable. F.S.
Prereq: Senior or graduate classification
Attendance only. Weekly seminar on topics of current research interest. All students seeking a graduate degree must enroll during each semester of residence. Students pursuing a non-thesis option for the M.S. in Earth Science must enroll for one semester.
Offered on a satisfactory-fail basis only.
Courses for graduate students:
(Cross-listed with AGRON). (3-0) Cr. 3. Alt. F., offered odd-numbered years.
Prereq: MTEOR 443 or equivalent-level course in engineering fluids
Atmospheric boundary-layer structure and dynamics. Diurnal and seasonal variations, turbulent fluxes and turbulence kinetic energy. Measurements and empirical relations for wind and temperature near the ground. Numerical simulation and applications to wind energy.
Cr. arr. Repeatable.