G 470/570:

Micrometeorology

Fall 2005
 

Individual Project

  

 

Objective

To undertake a research project to investigate a micrometeorologucal process. The study can involve: measurements; utilize existing data; a computer model; development of a model; or a literature review.

This is an exercise that depends largely on your own initiative, to chose and formulate a suitable topic, to design a feasible experiment or model, to collect and analyze data, to interpret the results and to present the results in a written report and in a classroom presentation.

Each student will be given the opportunity to study a particular topic of micrometeorology in depth, and convey the material and experience to the rest of the class.

Possible Topics include:

  1. Radiation balance over different surfaces and its controls
  2. The influence of surface geometry (buildings, vegetation, slope) on the radiation balance
  3. Variability of soil heat flux for different soils and moisture conditions
  4. Evaporation from a suburban lawn or from a forest floor, using mini lysimeters
  5. Determine the momentum flux and the roughness length over a forest canopy, using a 3-D sonic
  6. Spectral analysis of turbulence data
  7. Model the development of the daytime mixed layer (using a computer model) dependent on measured surface heat fluxes.
  8. Analysis of a mean wind and temperature profile to obtain momentum and heat fluxes.
  9. The energy balance at a forest floor.

These are suggestions of general topics that need to be refined in discussion with the instructor, to identify a specific question to investigate and a method to pursue. Obviously, the project you choose will be constrained by logistics, instrument availability, and time.

Data

Obtain data for 2003 from MMSF here

Proposal (due before October 15!)

As in all research projects, a formal proposal will need to be submitted. Each proposal should contain:

Title: informing the reader about the content/objective of the project (note that this may be changed for the final project report).
Objectives: What are the aims of the project? What is the specific question that should be addressed?
Rationale: Why study this?
Methods: What methods will be used to achieve the objectives? What equipment and resources will be needed and how are they going to be deployed (where, when, how many, how long)?

This may refer to:

  • data collection
  • data analysis
  • modeling
  • literature

Final Report

The final report should contain:

Title: informing the reader about the content/objective of the project (note that this may be from that of the proposal).
Abstract: approx. 100-200 words, containing a summary of the objectives, methods and results
Objectives: See proposal. May be revised and expanded, to reflect your experience during the project.
Rationale: See proposal
Methods: See proposal. May be revised and expanded, to reflect your experience during the project.
Results: "The answer" to the question posed in the objectives, supported by data graphs etc.
Discussion and Conclusion: Put your results into perspective with the original (and final objectives) and the methods/ resources you used. What did you learn about the topic?
References: All literature or other sources that you used during the project work should be referred to in the text and listed in a list of references. The format of this list should be the same as in the journal Agricultural and Forest Meteorology.

The above list of sections in your report serves purely as a guideline. Depending on your specific topic other headings may be more appropriate. You will probably have sub-headings in some of the sections above. Supportive and technical material may be presented in an appendix.

Headings and subheadings are an important guide for the reader. They alkso help you to structure your report in a logical and practical way.

Tables, figures, and equations should all be titled and numbered sequentially (according to their first mention in the text). All equations, tables and figures must be referred to and discussed in the text.

All symbols and abbreviations must be explained either in a separate list of symbols (if there are many) or at their first appearance in the text.

Presentations:

Each project will be presented by the author in class, followed by a discussion.

Presenters:

Any oral presentaion should be structured. You will have a maximum of 15 minutes available for your talk. Your talk should contain the following components:

If you use overheads and graphs, it is important that you prepare those well before the talk. Do not put too much information on each overhead: one idea (statement) one overhead. Use graphical information as much as you can. Time your talk!

Audience:

Both the presentation and the participation in the discussions after each talk will be reflected in your grades!