University Catalog 2024-2025

Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences

Graduate programs are offered in Atmospheric Science, Earth Science, and Marine Science. Within marine sciences the subdisciplines include: biological, chemical, geological and physical oceanography.

Master's Degree Requirements

The M.S. degree requires a minimum of 30 credit hours. Specific course requirements are determined by the advisory committee of each student. However, MEA 601 Seminar is required of all thesis M.S. students no later than the third semester in residence. Marine science students are required to take core courses in two of the three subdisciplines other than their own.

Doctoral Degree Requirements

Specific courses are determined by the student's advisory committee. Registration in seminar, MEA 801, is required of all Ph.D. students no later than the fourth semester in residence. Marine science students are required to take core courses in all three subdisciplines other than their own; this requirement may be fulfilled at the M.S. level.

Student Financial Support

Research and teaching assistantships are available.

Other Relevant Information

Students are assigned initial advisors upon admission. It is the student's responsibility to secure the consent of a faculty member to serve as the permanent advisor who will chair or co-chair the advisory committee.

Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences Program Website

Admission Requirements

A Bachelor's degree with research experience or a Master's degree is required for entry into the Ph.D. program. A Bachelor's degree in a science, mathematics or engineering is required for entry into the M.S. program in Atmospheric science, Earth Science, and Biological, Chemical, Geological or Physical Oceanography. Undergraduate field camp is required of all students in the M.S. program in earth science; this requirement may be fulfilled before or after admission.  An M.S. degree with a non-thesis option for students is available and admission to this option must be requested at the time of application.

Applicant Information

  • Delivery Method: On-Campus
  • Entrance Exam: None
  • Interview Required: None

Admission Deadlines

  • Fall: June 25 (US); March 1 (Intl)
  • Spring: November 25 (US); July 15 (Intl)

Faculty

Lecturers

  • Viney Pal Aneja
  • DelWayne R. Bohnenstiehl
  • Jason Cordeira
  • Adam Curry
  • Nicholas Dygert
  • David B. Eggleston
  • David Paul Genereux
  • Timothy Glotfelty
  • Peter Jeurgen Harries
  • Ruoying He
  • David Kimmel
  • Gary M. Lackmann
  • Elana L. Leithold
  • Jay Frederick Levine
  • Jing-pu Liu
  • David A. McConnell
  • Kay McMonigal
  • Nicholas Meskhidze
  • Helena Mitasova
  • Lewis Andrew Owen
  • Matthew David Parker
  • John Peters
  • Markus Dirk Jan Petters
  • Zhen Qu
  • Walter A. Robinson
  • William J. Showers
  • Lian Xie
  • Sandra E. Yuter
  • Anantha Aiyyer
  • Paul Kevin Byrne
  • Christopher Lee Osburn
  • Astrid Schnetzer
  • Karl William Wegmann
  • Carli Arendt
  • Stuart Bishop
  • Magdalena Alyssa Ellis Curry
  • Catherine Van Wie Davis
  • Lily Hughes
  • Ethan Gordon Hyland
  • Sarah Larson
  • Ryan William Paerl
  • Andres Camilo Rey Sanchez
  • Arianna Soldati
  • Otis B. Brown
  • Curtis Congreve
  • Brian K. Eder
  • Elisabeth Streit Falk
  • Kenneth E. Kunkel
  • Roberto Javier Mera
  • Carrie J. Thomas
  • Joseph Brendan Zambon
  • Fredrick Semazzi
  • Charles Ernest Knowles
  • Satya Pal Singh Arya
  • Jerry M. Davis
  • David John DeMaster
  • John Crothers Fountain
  • James Patrick Hibbard
  • Thomas Sawyer Hopkins
  • Leonard J. Pietrafesa
  • Sethu Raman
  • Allen J. Riordan
  • Dale A Russell
  • Ping-Tung Shaw
  • Edward F. Stoddard
  • Donna Lee Wolcott
  • Thomas G. Wolcott
  • William Howard Battye
  • Geoffrey Weszely Bell
  • Scott Anthony Braun
  • Michael Brennan
  • Subrahmanyam Bulusu
  • Brian A. Colle
  • Jeffrey Cunningham
  • Johannes Michael Leopold Dahl
  • Kathie Dello
  • David R. Easterling
  • Scott Howard Ensign
  • Troy Gilmore
  • Peter Hamilton
  • Russel S. Harmon
  • Barron Halton Henderson
  • Nam-Young Kang
  • David E. Kingsmill
  • Branko Kosovic
  • Emlyn Howard Koster
  • Benjamin Kravitz
  • Nicole Deneault LaDue
  • Romuald Lipcius
  • Huiqing Liu
  • David Mechem
  • Siddhartha Mitra
  • Maria Janeth Molina
  • Andrew Newell
  • Lester Perry
  • Sharon Phillips
  • Brandon Puckett
  • S. Trivikrama Rao
  • Joseph Rudek
  • Blake Schaeffer
  • Jenni Stanley
  • Robert Christopher Tacker
  • Susan White
  • Shaocai Yu
  • Yang Zhang
  • Yin San Zhang
  • Xiangdong Zhang

Courses

MEA 507  Discipline-based Education Research in the Geosciences  (3 credit hours)  

This course will prepare students to explain the conditions necessary for learning to occur in college geoscience classes; plan lessons that address geoscience literacy standards and incorporate activities that feature multiple levels of Bloom's taxonomy; describe how they would determine if student work meets defined learning goals; create effective geoscience learning environments for lecture and lab settings; analyze the teaching of others using validated instruments; and design a geoscience teaching and learning research project.

Typically offered in Spring only

This course is offered alternate odd years

MEA 510  Air Pollution Meteorology  (3 credit hours)  

Wind structure in atmospheric surface layer and planetary boundary layer; temperature structure and stability; mixed layer and inversions; turbulence intensity and scale; meteorological factors affecting dispersion of pollutants; diffusion theories and models; diffusion and transport experiments; plume rise, fumigation and trapping; removal processes; effects of buildings and hills; effects of local winds.

Prerequisite: MAE 308 or MEA 455 or MEA 700

Typically offered in Spring only

MEA 511  Introduction to Meteorological Remote Sensing  (3 credit hours)  

Meteorological remote sensing data sets used in operational forecast and research applications. Sensor physical principles. Emphasis is on understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the different types of observational data so that the student can judge adequacy of purpose for their applications.

Typically offered in Fall only

MEA 514  Advanced Physical Meteorology  (3 credit hours)  

Fundamental laws and concepts of thermodynamics and electromagnetic radiative transfer considered in an atmospheric context. Application of these principles to a number of meteorological problems, including radiative climate models, the global energy balance, atmospheric aerosols, lidar/radar backscatter and remotely sensed temperature fields.

Prerequisite: MEA 412, MEA 421

Typically offered in Fall only

MEA 515/MEA 415  Climate Dynamics  (3 credit hours)  

A comprehensive look at climate integrated across terrestrial, marine, and atmospheric perspectives. Topics include an in-depth look at climate proxies, drivers of future, current and past climate change, climate monitoring approaches, and climate model projections. Students will be exposed to the quantitative aspects (chemistry, physics, theory, observations, models) scientists use to place constraints on climate conditions over broad spatial and temporal scales. MEA 415 is open to upper-level undergraduate science majors interested in learning more about Earth's climate systems and the dynamics within. MEA 515 is open to all graduate students with the expectation of an additional climate assessment course project relevant to the student's own research discipline. Students cannot receive credit for both MEA 415 and MEA 515.

Prerequisite: MA 121 or MA 131 or MA 141 and CH 101 or CH 103 and PY 201 or PY 205 or PY 211

Typically offered in Fall only

This course is offered alternate even years

MEA 516  Climate Risk Analysis  (3 credit hours)  

Prepares students to analyze climate data for decision making under uncertainties in climate conditions and projections. Diverse observational and model generated climate data sets are considered. For observed data, the assumptions and statistical methods used to assess trends are explored and critically analyzed. Subsequent course work focuses on spatial analyses of climate-related anomalies and trends and on ensemble predictions, including their application to climate sensitive systems. Students become proficient in the visualization of climate information. This course requires permission from the instructor to join.

Prerequisites: MEA 517 (or equivalent), ST 305 (or equivalent) or MA 141 (or equivalent)

Typically offered in Spring only

MEA 517  Fundamentals of Climate Change Science  (3 credit hours)  

This course will present the basic science of climate change, including chemical and physical systems and processes. The students will be introduced to how the climate system works and the role of greenhouse gases in the climate system. Students will learn about climatological data, climate models and how predictions/projections are made. Emphasis will be placed upon relating predicted/projected changes to manifestations such as sea level rise and changes in the distribution and character of precipitation. Topics include the primary climate components, ocean-atmospheric teleconnections, decadal and multi-decadal climate indices, natural and anthropogenic climate variability, and climate model projections.

Prerequisite: Graduate standing

Typically offered in Fall only

MEA 518  Adaptation to Climate Change  (3 credit hours)  

Climate Adaptation investigates the technological, economic, communication, scientific and legal challenges inherent to adaptation to climate change. This course provides practical hands-on experience for professionals in developing adaptation strategies in climate sensitive sectors. Content draws heavily on case studies in international development, infrastructure, health, energy, and transportation sectors.

Prerequisites: MEA 517 or permission from instructor

Typically offered in Spring only

MEA 519  Barriers to Climate Change Literacy  (3 credit hours)  

Investigates the discipline-based geoscience education lenses of the cognitive, affective, and behavioral barriers to climate literacy and the practical interventions for addressing them. Critically analyzes key aspects of climate science, common misconceptions, mental models, cultural influences, and risk perceptions about climate change. Students engage with the public and design projects for overcoming barriers to climate change literacy. The course features relevant readings, classroom discussions, student peer-review, and summative and formative course feedback though course assignments and exams. Minimum of 50% seats reserved for Climate Change and Society Certificate program students.

Prerequisite: Graduate standing

Typically offered in Fall only

MEA 525/MEA 425  Introduction to Atmospheric Chemistry  (3 credit hours)  

The course covers history, regulations, sources, physics, and chemistry of major air pollutants and factors affecting their transport and fate. Emphasis is placed on atmospheric chemistry and physics underlying five major air pollutant problems including urban outdoor air pollution, indoor air pollution, acid deposition, stratospheric ozone reduction, and global climate change. Credit will not be allowed for MEA 425 and MEA 525.

Prerequisite: MA 141, CH 201, (PY 205, PY 211 or MEA 320)

Typically offered in Spring only

This course is offered every third semester

MEA 540  Principles of Physical Oceanography  (3 credit hours)  

Introduction to principles and practice of physical oceanography. The equation of state of seawater; energy transfer to the ocean by thermal, radiative and mechanical processes; the heat budget; oceanic boundary conditions; geographical distributionof oceanic properties; observational methods; conservation equations; simple waves and tides; physical oceanography of North Carolina coastal zone. Application of Fourier analysis techniques to interpretation of low-frequency motions in ocean and atmosphere. Review of Fourier method. Filtering of tidal signals. Spectral estimates and calculation of current ellipses. Identification of coherent motions and their empirical orthogonal modes. Data from field experiments used in lectures and homeworkassignments. Credit is not allowed for both MEA 460 and MEA 540

Prerequisite: MA 231 and PY 212

Typically offered in Fall only

MEA 549/MEA 449  Principles of Biological Oceanography  (3 credit hours)  

Environmental dependencies, biological productivity, and trophic relationships in plankton, nekton and benthos; Sampling methods and experimental design; Human impacts on marine systems.Credit is not allowed for both MEA 449 and MEA(ZO)549.

Typically offered in Fall only

MEA 553  Estuarine Biogeochemistry  (3 credit hours)  

Biogeochemical cycles of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in coastal rivers and estuaries with selected topics on the origin, physics, and chemistry of estuarine waters and sediments. Emphasis is placed on organic matter and nutrient cycling in estuaries within the context of anthropogenic effects and climate change.

Typically offered in Spring only

This course is offered alternate even years

MEA 554/MEA 454  Marine Physical-Biological Interactions  (3 credit hours)  

Space-time relationships between physics and biology; influence of Reynolds Number on aquatic life style; aspects of physical and biological mathematical modeling; influence of biology on physical phenomena; influence of static physical/chemical properties on biology; influence of dynamic physical phenomena (turbulence, waves and advection) on biology within the water column and its boundaries. Credit is not allowed for both MEA454 and 554

Prerequisite: MEA 460 and MEA/ZO 449

Typically offered in Spring only

This course is offered alternate even years

MEA 562  Marine Sediment Transport  (3 credit hours)  

Quantitative study of sediment transportation in the marine environment including introduction to fluid mechanics and sediment transportation theory. Processes and products of sediment transportation in specific marine environments from estuaries todeep sea and the interpretation of sediment transport processes from sedimentary structures. Credit not allowed for both MEA 411 and MEA 562

Prerequisite: MEA 101 or MEA 200, MA 241, PY 201 or PY 205

Typically offered in Fall only

MEA 568/MEA 468  Aquatic Microbiology  (3 credit hours)  

Aquatic microbes are key drivers of biogeochemistry on Earth. They also influence the 'health' of valuable ecosystems, e.g. estuaries, coasts, lakes, as well as, larger organisms (e.g. shellfish, humans). In this course, multiple facets of aquatic microbiology will be covered, including (not limited to): population diversity, spatial and temporal dynamics, sampling methodologies, metabolisms, and their environmental and societal importance. A primary goal for this course is for students to be exposed to key paradigms and current challenges within the field of aquatic microbiology, but also a general perspective on how aquatic microbes thrive in nature. Although largely a classroom-based course, select class periods will be devoted to hands-on activities and/or measurements providing students with methodological experience or in-depth exposure to key topics.

Prerequisite: BIO 183

Typically offered in Fall only

MEA 570  Geological Oceanography  (3 credit hours)  

A comprehensive overview of the geological aspects of oceanography. Topics include: a) marine geophysics and the evolution of ocean basins, b) sedimentological processes and the formation of marine deposits, c) marine geochemistry and authigenic sedimentation, d) paleoceanography and the interpretation of marine stratigraphy.

Typically offered in Spring only

This course is offered alternate odd years

MEA 573/MEA 473  Principles of Chemical Oceanography  (3 credit hours)  

Chemical processes controlling the composition of oceans, including discussions of chemical equilibria, biological cycling of nutrients and use of chemical tracers in marine environment; consideration of origin and chemical history of oceans. Creditis not allowed for both MEA 473 and MEA 573

Prerequisite: CH 201 or CH 203

Typically offered in Spring only

MEA 574  Advanced Igneous Petrology  (3 credit hours)  

Physicochemical principles related to igneous petrogenesis. General principles and specific problems including origin, differentiation and emplacement of magmas and the possible relationships of igneous processes to global tectonics.

Prerequisite: MEA 440

Typically offered in Spring only

This course is offered alternate years

MEA 577  Electron Microprobe Analysis of Geologic Material  (2 credit hours)  

Theory of quantitative analysis of geologic material by electron beam application; laboratory operation of electron microprobe to acquire chemical composition and x-ray images of geologic material.

Prerequisite: MEA 410

Typically offered in Fall only

This course is offered alternate even years

MEA 579  Principles of Air Quality Engineering  (3 credit hours)  

Introduction to: risk assessment, health effects, and regulation of air pollutants; air pollution statistics; estimation of emissions; air quality meteorology; dispersion modeling for non-reactive pollutants; chemistry and models for tropospheric ozone formation; aqueous-phase chemistry, including the "acid rain" problem; integrated assessment of air quality problems; and the fundamentals and practical aspects of commonly used air quality models. Credit is allowed only for one of CE/MEA 479 or CE/MEA 579

Prerequisite: CE 373,CE 282; or CHE 311(CHE Majors); or MEA 421(MEA Majors), Corequisite: ST 370; ST 380(MEA Majors)

Typically offered in Spring only

MEA 580  Air Quality Modeling and Forecasting  (4 credit hours)  

Topics include numerical solutions to ODEs/PDEs, atmospheric chemistry, cloud and aerosol microphysics, emission modeling, meteorological modeling, and model design, applications, and evaluation. It is targeted for students who would like to learn about air quality modeling and who are prospective air quality model users.

Prerequisite: CSC 112, MEA 425/525, CE 479/579

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

MEA 581/CE 581  Fluid Mechanics in Natural Environments  (3 credit hours)  

Free surface flows of water and air occurring in natural fluid systems and influencing environmental transport and mixing. Review of fundamental principles of fluids, covering the scales relevant to both engineering and geo-physical applications. Topics and examples include waves, instability, stratification, turbulent boundary layers, jets and plumes, and open channel flows. Cannot receive credit for both CE 581 and MEA 581.

Prerequisite: CE 282 or MEA 463 or permission of instructor

Typically offered in Fall only

MEA 582/GIS 582  Geospatial Modeling  (3 credit hours)  

The course provides foundations in methods for GIS-based surface analysis and modeling. The topics include proximity analysis with cost surfaces and least cost paths, multivariate spatial interpolation and 3D surface visualization. Special focus is on terrain modeling, geomorphometry, solar irradiation, visibility, and watershed analysis. Students are also introduced to the basic concepts of landscape process modeling with GIS and to the principles of open source GIS. Introductory level knowledge of GIS or surveying/ geomatics principles is required.

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

MEA 584/GIS 584  Mapping and Analysis Using UAS  (3 credit hours)  

The course provides an overview of UAS mapping technology and its rules and regulations. The principles of UAS data collection are explained along with optional hands-on practice with in flight planning and execution. The main focus is on processing imagery collected from UAS using structure from motion techniques and deriving orthophoto mosaics and ultra-high resolution digital elevation models of land surface, vegetation and structures. More advanced topics include multi-temporal 3D data analysis, fusion with lidar data and 3D visualization.

Prerequisite: GIS 510 or GIS/MEA 582 or Permission of Instructor

Typically offered in Summer only

MEA 585  Physical Hydrogeology  (3 credit hours)  

Physical aspects of groundwater flow in geological media. Saturated and unsaturated flow, Darcy's equation, heterogeneity and anisotropy, storage properties of geological materials, effective stress, governing equations for steady and unsteady flow, recharge, groundwater exchange with surface water, groundwater flow to well,s estimation of hydraulic properties of aquifers.

Prerequisite: MEA 101, MEA 110, MA 241, and PY 201 or PY 205

Typically offered in Spring only

This course is offered alternate years

MEA 591  Special Topics in Marine Science  (1-6 credit hours)  

Opportunity for advanced undergraduate and graduate students to study timely special problem areas in Marine Science and Engineering

Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer

MEA 592  Special Topics in Earth Sciences  (1-6 credit hours)  

Special topics in earth sciences, provided to groups or to individuals.

Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer

MEA 593  Special Topics in Atmospheric Science  (1-6 credit hours)  

Special topics in atmospheric science, provided to groups or to individuals.

Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer

MEA 599  Regional Geology of North America  (1-6 credit hours)  

Field study of classic geologic localities and geomorphic processes not indigenous to North Carolina. Typical areas: New England and adjacent Canada, northern Mexico and southwestern United States and Pacific Northwest. Representative subjects include Canadian Shield, Precambrian mineral deposits, San Andreas fault, desert geomorphology, Grand Canyon stratigraphy, modern and ancient reefs and glaciated volcanoes. Mineral, rock and fossil collecting. Required student reports.

Prerequisite: MEA 101 or MEA 120, Senior standing

Typically offered in Fall only

MEA 601  Seminar  (1 credit hours)  

Presentation by each student of one seminar on his/her current research.

Prerequisite: Graduate standing

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

MEA 611  Special Topics in Marine Sciences  (1-6 credit hours)  

Special topics in earth sciences, provided to groups or to individuals.

Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer

MEA 612  Special Topics in Earth Sciences  (1-6 credit hours)  

Special topics in atmospheric science, provided to groups or to individuals.

Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer

MEA 613  Special Topics Atmospheric Sciences  (1-6 credit hours)  

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

MEA 630  Independent Study  (3 credit hours)  

Capstone project for the Climate Change and Society program. Students will carry out research in collaboration with an on-campus or off-campus partner in a climate-related sector. Students will address a real-world climate adaptation problem or issue and will prepare a written report describing the outcome of their research.

Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer

MEA 685  Master's Supervised Teaching  (1-3 credit hours)  

Teaching experience under the mentorship of faculty who assist the student in planning for the teaching assignment, observe and provide feedback to the student during the teaching assignment, and evaluate the student upon completion of the assignment.

Prerequisite: Master's student

Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer

MEA 690  Master's Examination  (1-9 credit hours)  

For students in non thesis master's programs who have completed all other requirements of the degree except preparing for and taking the final master's exam.

Prerequisite: Master's student

Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer

MEA 693  Master's Supervised Research  (1-9 credit hours)  

Instruction in research and research under the mentorship of a member of the Graduate Faculty.

Prerequisite: Master's student

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

MEA 695  Master's Thesis Research  (1-9 credit hours)  

Thesis Research

Prerequisite: Master's Student

Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer

MEA 696  Summer Thesis Research  (1 credit hours)  

For graduate students whose programs of work specify no formal course work during a summer session and who will be devoting full time to thesis research.

Prerequisite: Master's student

Typically offered in Summer only

MEA 699  Master's Thesis Preparation  (1-9 credit hours)  

For students who have completed all credit hour requirements and full-time enrollment for the master's degree and are writing and defending their thesis. Credits Arranged

Prerequisite: Master's student

Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer

MEA 700  Environmental Fluid Mechanics  (3 credit hours)  

Basic concepts and laws governing motion of atmosphere and oceans developed from first principles, including approximations valid for environmental flows, kinematics, dynamics and thermodynamics of fluid flows as well as introduction to environmental turbulence. Credit is not allowed for both MEA 463 and MEA 700

Prerequisite: MA 241, PY 208

Typically offered in Fall only

MEA 703  Atmospheric Aerosols  (3 credit hours)  

An understanding of aerosols as primary air pollutants, indoor versus outdoor pollution, transformation processes, prediction of atmospheric concentrations, scavenging of aerosols, transport of air pollutants on a regional scale, discussion of national experiments to characterize and study impact of urban-industrial pollution, tropospheric aerosol and weather, stratospheric aerosol, effect of aerosols on atmospheric warming and cooling and air-quality models.

Prerequisite: (CH 201 or CH 203) and (PY 205 or PY 211), Corequisite: MEA 412

Typically offered in Spring only

This course is offered alternate years

MEA 705  Dynamic Meteorology  (3 credit hours)  

Brief review of classical and physical hydrodynamics; scale analysis of dynamic equations; atmospheric instabilities; dynamics of tropical convections; perturbation theory and approximations for atmospheric wave motions.

Prerequisite: MEA 422

Typically offered in Spring only

MEA 707  Planetary Boundary Layer  (3 credit hours)  

Review of basic equations and concepts of planetary boundary layers. The closure problem and semi-empirical theories of turbulence, buoyancy effects on mean flow and turbulence, instrumentation and observational platforms for PBL experiments, observed characteristics of atmospheric boundary layers, numerical and physical modeling of PBL and its parameterization in large-scale atmospheric circulation models.

Prerequisite: MEA 455 or MEA 721

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

This course is offered alternate years

MEA 708  Atmospheric Turbulence  (3 credit hours)  

Statistical description of turbulence, including probability, correlation and spectrum functions. Statistical theory of homogeneous turbulence, spectral dynamics and Kolmogorov's local similarity hypotheses. Effects of shear, thermal stratification and earth's rotation. Observed structure and scales of turbulence in PBL and free atmosphere. Higher-order closure models and large eddy simulations of atmospheric turbulence.

Prerequisite: MAE 550 or MEA 700 or MEA 707

Typically offered in Spring only

This course is offered alternate years

MEA 710  Atmospheric Dispersion  (3 credit hours)  

Lagrangian vs. Eulerian descriptions of turbulence and diffusion. Statistical theories of absolute and relative diffusion from continuous and instantaneous releases. Effects of shear, thermal stratification and earth's rotation on atmospheric dispersion. Lagrangian similarity theories of diffusion in the surface layer and mixed layer. Random walk, Monte Carlo and large eddy simulations of atmospheric dispersion. Urban and regional dispersion models.

Prerequisite: MAE 550 or MEA 700 or MEA 510

Typically offered in Fall only

This course is offered alternate years

MEA 712  Mesoscale Modeling  (3 credit hours)  

Modeling mesoscale weather phenomena including midlatitude cyclones, mesoscale convective complexes and squall lines. Application of finite difference, spectral and implicit methods and coordinate transforms to these problems. Utilization of explicit representations of moist processes. Development of parameterizations of convective clouds, planetary boundary layer and moist processes.

Prerequisite: MEA 705

Typically offered in Fall only

This course is offered alternate years

MEA 713  Mesoscale Dynamics  (3 credit hours)  

Inertia-gravity waves. Mechanical and thermally forced waves. Generation, circulation and maintenance of mesoscale convective storms and systems. Symmetric instability. Wave-CISK, quasi-geostrophic and semi-geostrophic fronts and fronto-genesis. Meso-B/Y frontogenesis. Lee and coastal cyclogenesis.

Prerequisite: MEA 700 and MEA 705

Typically offered in Fall only

This course is offered alternate years

MEA 714  Atmospheric Convection  (3 credit hours)  

Structure, physics and dynamics of convective clouds and cloud systems; fundamental equations for modeling convection; microphysical parameterization schemes; influence of instabilities on convective cloud systems; severe thunderstorms dynamics; tornadogenesis theories; mesoscale convective systems; upscale feedback effects of convection; cumulus parameterization schemes.

Prerequisite: MEA 412, MEA 700, MEA 705

Typically offered in Fall only

This course is offered alternate odd years

MEA 715  Dynamics of Mesoscale Precipitation System  (3 credit hours)  

Frontogenesis theory; inertial and conditional symmetric instability; mesoscale gravity waves and wave-CISK; conveyor belts; seeder-feeder processes and precipitation generating cells; classification and dynamics of precipitation band types.

Prerequisite: MEA 444

Typically offered in Fall only

This course is offered alternate even years

MEA 716  Numerical Weather Prediction  (3 credit hours)  

Parameterization of physical processes in atmospheric modeling, including numerous hands-on experiments to allow evaluation and analysis of process representation in models. Emphasis on experimental design: Using numerical models as a tool with which to test scientific hypotheses. Investigation of data assimilation and ensemble prediction techniques. Journal discussion and student presentations are featured prominently. A semester project allows students to apply knowledge to thesis projects, and synthesize class concepts. Some comfort level with Linux computing environment, shell scripting, and programming languages such as FORTRAN required.

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

Offered in Even Years

MEA 717  Advanced Weather Analysis  (3 credit hours)  

Evolution of physical and dynamic structure of synoptic and sesoscale storm systems occurring in middle and high latitudes. Recent advances in understanding these storm systems through intensive field experiments and computer modeling. Introduction to contemporary analysis techniques through laboratory exercises shedding light on storm structure, dynamics and scale interaction.

Prerequisite: MEA 444, MEA 705

Typically offered in Fall only

This course is offered alternate years

MEA 719  Climate Modeling  (3 credit hours)  

Climate system. Fundamental equations and time scales. Atmosphere, ocean, biosphere, cryosphere, lithosphere and hydrosphere subsystems. Computational numerical methods. Physical processes; atmosphere-ocean coupling, role of radiation, clouds and land surface processes. Climate anomalies due to changes in atmospheric composition, boundary conditions and extra-terrestrial forcing. Model validation, climate change detection, past climates and future climate scenarios.

Prerequisite: MEA 705

Typically offered in Fall only

This course is offered alternate years

MEA 721  Air-Sea Interaction  (3 credit hours)  

Review of basic equations and concepts of turbulent transfer in geophysical flows, air-sea interaction processes and their importance to man's activities, theory and observation of wind-generated ocean surface waves, turbulent transfers in planetaryboundary layer of marine atmosphere, oceanic mixed layer, development of thermocline and inversion.

Prerequisite: MEA 422 or MEA 560

Typically offered in Spring only

This course is offered alternate years

MEA 735  Fourier Analysis of Geophysical Data  (3 credit hours)  

Application of Fourier analysis to interpretation of low-frequency motions in ocean and atmosphere. Review of Fourier method. Filtering of tidal signals. Spectral estimates and calculation of current ellipses. Identification of coherent motions and their empirical orthogonal modes. Data from field experiments used in lectures and homework assignments.

Prerequisite: MA 341 and ST 511

Typically offered in Spring only

This course is offered alternate years

MEA 741  Synpotic Physical Oceanography  (3 credit hours)  

Basic discussion of the techniques and terminology of synoptic physical oceanography; focus on water characteristics and their relationship to currents in the individual oceans; a systematic quantitative description of the character of ocean waters and their movements.

Prerequisite: MEA 560

Typically offered in Spring only

This course is offered alternate years

MEA 743  Ocean Circulation  (3 credit hours)  

Basic study of mechanics of ocean circulation with emphasis on various simple models of circulation systems.

Prerequisite: MEA 700 or PY 411

Typically offered in Fall only

MEA 744  Dynamics of Shelf Circulation  (3 credit hours)  

Description and models of dynamic processes on the shelf, including seiches and tides in gulfs, propagation of tides and storm surges, wind-induced coastal upwelling, continental shelf waves and coastally trapped waves. Steady circulation driven by winds, river plumes and density forcing, formation of shelf-break fronts; and influence from deep-ocean currents.

Prerequisite: MEA 700

Typically offered in Fall only

This course is offered alternate years

MEA 752  Marine Plankton Ecology  (3 credit hours)  

Examination of worldwide relationships between physical-chemical environment and planktonic organisms. Organism descriptions; effects of light, temperature, salinity, density, water motion and chemical constituents on organisms; interactions among different organisms emphasizing competition and predation; community structure, distribution and succession; and mathematics models of distribution, production and interaction.

Prerequisite: BCH 451 and MA 121 and ZO 419

Typically offered in Fall only

This course is offered alternate years

MEA 759  Organic Geochemistry  (3 credit hours)  

Sources and fates of organic material in the geochemical environment. Microbial transformations of organic compounds. The use of biomarkers to study depositional environments. Petroleum, natural gas and coal formation. Extraterrestrial organic geochemistry.

Typically offered in Fall only

This course is offered alternate years

MEA 760  Biogeochemistry  (3 credit hours)  

Processes involved in the biogeochemical cycling of C, N, S and related biogenic elements. Stable isotopic and other geochemical signatures of biological processes. Introduction to modeling chemical distributions in sediments. The impact of biogeochemical processes on atmospheric chemistry.

Typically offered in Fall only

This course is offered alternate years

MEA 762  Marine Geochemistry  (3 credit hours)  

Detailed examination of chemical processes occurring in marine environment. Chemical evolution of the oceans, continental and submarine weathering, particle scavenging of reactive elements from water, column, formation of biogenic and metaliiferousdeposits, sediment diagenesis and marine geochronology.

Prerequisite: CH 331, MEA 560

Typically offered in Spring only

This course is offered alternate years

MEA 763  Isotope Geochemistry  (3 credit hours)  

This class offers an interdisciplinary introduction to the principles of isotope chemistry and its application to geological, atmospheric, and biological systems. Key topics include: isotope systematics; isotope measurements and analyses; common radiogenic (U, Ar, Pb, Sr, C, Be) and stable (H, O, C, N, S) isotope systems; applications to geochronology, paleobiology, paleoclimatology, environmental tracking, archeology, and more. This course is aimed at graduate students interested in using isotopes as a tool for examining the natural world.

Restriction: Graduate Standing or Permission of the Instructor

Typically offered in Fall only

This course is offered alternate years

MEA 779  Advanced Air Quality  (3 credit hours)  

Local, regional and global scale chemical interactions, transport and behavior of trace gases (sulfur carbon, nitrogen, hydrocarbon, and photo-chemical oxidants) in the atmosphere. covers three primary elements of air quality: anthropogenic and natural emissions of trace gases; interactions of the pollutants in the atmosphere; and monitoring and sampling of gaseous and particulate pollutants.

Prerequisite: (CH 201 or CH 203) and MEA(CE) 479

Typically offered in Spring only

MEA 785  Chemical Hydrogeology  (3 credit hours)  

Quantitative analysis of hydrological, geological, and geochemical factors controlling the transport and fate of organic and inorganic chemicals in groundwater. Acid-base, precipitation-dissolution, weathering, redox, complexation, sorption, and gas exchange reactions. Advection, diffusion, and dispersion in porous media, analytical solutions to the advection-dispersion equation. Non-aqueous-phase (organic) liquids.

Prerequisite: (CH 201 or CH 203) and (MEA 585 or CE 584)

Typically offered in Spring only

This course is offered alternate years

MEA 788  Advanced Structural Geology  (3 credit hours)  

Principles of rock mechanics and their application in solving geologic problems; finite strain analysis of deformed rocks; advanced techniques of structural analysis; petrofabrics; development of various geologic structures. Emphasis upon application of principles and techniques in the field.

Prerequisite: MEA 451

Typically offered in Fall only

This course is offered alternate years

MEA 789  Topics In Appalachian Geology  (3 credit hours)  

Examination of geology of areas within Appalachian orogenic belt. Lectures, discussions, reading and review of current literature and consideration of ideas concerning geological evolution of region. Required field trips.

Prerequisite: MEA 440, 450 and 451

Typically offered in Fall only

This course is offered alternate years

MEA 790  Geotectonics  (3 credit hours)  

In-depth examination of current ideas in plate tectonic theory. Plate tectonic controls on orogeny, orogenic belts, magmatism and metallogeny.

Prerequisite: MEA 440, 450, 451

Typically offered in Fall only

This course is offered alternate years

MEA 791  Advanced Special Topics in Marine Science  (1-6 credit hours)  

Opportunity for advanced undergraduate and graduate students to study timely special problem areas in Marine Science and Engineering

Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer

MEA 792  Advanced Special Topics in Earth Sciences  (1-6 credit hours)  

Special topics in earth sciences, provided to groups or to individuals.

Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer

MEA 793  Advanced Special Topics in Atmospheric Science  (1-6 credit hours)  

Special topics in atmospheric science, provided to groups or to individuals.

Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer

MEA 796  Exploration And Engineering Geophysics  (3 credit hours)  

Geophysical methods as applies to exploring the earth's mineral and energy resources and to investigating subsurface geological structure and physical properties. Principles, measurements, analyses, and interpretations of gravity, magnetic, electric, electromagnetic, seismic methods. Required research paper.

Prerequisite: MEA 470 or PY 208

Typically offered in Spring only

MEA 801  Seminar  (1 credit hours)  

Presentation by each student of one seminar on his/her current research.

Prerequisite: Graduate standing

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

MEA 810  Special Topics  (1-6 credit hours)  

Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer

MEA 811  Special Topics in Marine Sciences  (1-6 credit hours)  

Special topics in earth sciences, provided to groups or to individuals.

Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer

MEA 812  Special Topics in Earth Sciences  (1-6 credit hours)  

Special topics in atmospheric science, provided to groups or to individuals.

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

MEA 813  Special Topics in Atmospheric Sciences  (1-6 credit hours)  

Special topics in earth sciences, provided to groups or to individuals.

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

MEA 885  Doctoral Supervised Teaching  (1-3 credit hours)  

Teaching experience under the mentorship of faculty who assist the student in planing for the teaching assignment, observe and provide feedback to the student during the teaching assignment, and evaluate the student upon completion of the assignment.

Prerequisite: Doctoral student

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

MEA 893  Doctoral Supervised Research  (1-9 credit hours)  

Instruction in research and research under the mentorship of a member of the Graduate Faculty.

Prerequisite: Doctoral student

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

MEA 895  Doctoral Dissertation Research  (1-9 credit hours)  

Dissertation Research

Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer

MEA 896  Summer Dissertation Research  (1 credit hours)  

For graduate students whose programs of work specify no formal course work during a summer session and who will be devoting full time to thesis research.

Prerequisite: Doctoral student

Typically offered in Summer only

MEA 899  Doctoral Dissertation Preparation  (1-9 credit hours)  

For students who have completed all credit hour requirements, full-time enrollment, preliminary examination, and residency requirements for the doctoral degree, and are writing and defending their dissertations.

Prerequisite: Doctoral student

Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer