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METEOROLOGY AND CLIMATOLOGY

University of Genoa
Genoa , Italy
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Major
Meteorology
Area of study
Natural Science
Education type
On campus
Course Language
English
About Program

Program Overview

METEOROLOGY AND CLIMATOLOGY

Program Details

The METEOROLOGY AND CLIMATOLOGY program is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of atmospheric phenomena and their impact on everyday life. The program aims to equip students with the physical-mathematical bases of the discipline, enabling them to approach delicate problems with scientific and methodological rigor.


Code and Academic Year

  • Code: 71772
  • Academic Year: 2025/2026

Credits and Scientific Disciplinary Sector

  • Credits: 6 cfu anno 3 SCIENZE AMBIENTALI E NATURALI 9916 (L-32) - GENOVA
  • Scientific Disciplinary Sector: GEO/12

Teaching Location and Semester

  • Teaching Location: GENOVA
  • Semester: 2° Semester

Prerequisites

To take this course, students must have passed the following exams:


  • ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL SCIENCES 9916 (coorte 2023/2024)
  • ENVIRONMENTAL APPLIED PHYSICS

Modules

This course is a module of:


  • ENVIRONMENTAL GEOPHYSICS

Teaching Materials

Teaching materials can be found on AULAWEB.


AIMS AND CONTENT

Learning Outcomes

The main objective of the METEOROLOGY AND CLIMATOLOGY course is to provide students with a strong critical sense, enabling them to face complex problems related to atmospheric phenomena with scientific and methodological rigor. Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:


  • Know and describe the main meteorological phenomena
  • Select the correct study methods to solve specific problems
  • Interpret the analytical results deriving from the use of meteorological instruments
  • Critically evaluate the data collected during monitoring activities to correctly predict meteorological forecasts
  • Produce scientific and/or professional reports
  • Correctly interpret the "meteorological" signals that the environment sends
  • Evaluate the meteorological information received objectively and critically
  • Critically evaluate current and future climate change from the interpretation of climate model outputs and major global research projects and environmental treaties
  • Critically evaluate the impacts of climate change on the territory and population and mitigation strategies

Teaching Methods

The lessons are in-person. Students with valid certification of physical or learning disabilities should contact the instructor and Professor Sara Ferrando to discuss possible accommodations.


Syllabus/Content

The course covers topics such as:


  • Force of Coriolis
  • Ekman's Spiral
  • Atmosphere
  • Solar constant
  • Albedo
  • Thermal balance
  • Radiative budget
  • Air temperature
  • Balance of the heat of the ocean
  • Atmospheric pressure
  • Humidity in the air
  • Clouds
  • Rainfall
  • Fog and mist
  • Smog
  • Examples of meteorological and/or climatological applications in the fields of wind engineering and wind energy
  • The forced and convective lifting mechanisms of the air parcel
  • Reversible adiabatic processes, and irreversible and reversible pseudoadiabatic processes in the atmosphere
  • The potential temperature and the dry adiabatic lapse rate (DALR)
  • The equivalent potential temperature and the saturated adiabatic lapse rate (SALR)
  • The environmental lapse rate
  • Radiosondaggi
  • The concept of static stability in the atmosphere based on the local method
  • The atmosphere in stable conditions, the frequency of Brunt-Vaisala, the lenticular clouds, and gravity waves
  • The atmosphere in unstable conditions
  • Thermodynamic diagrams of the atmosphere
  • Determination of the lifting condensation level (LCL) and the level of free convection (LFC)
  • The temporal indices (CAPE, Whiting, Lifted Index)
  • Determination of the convective condensation level (CCL)
  • Stau and föhn
  • Thermal inversions
  • The process of homogeneous nucleation in the clouds
  • Definition and role of condensation nuclei for the formation of cloud droplets
  • The heterogeneous nucleation and the effect of the solute
  • The growth processes of raindrops in hot clouds: condensation and collision-coalescence growth
  • Experiment in creating a cloud in the bottle
  • The Bergeron process in the cold clouds and the formation of snowflakes
  • Precipitation types: rain, frozen rain, sleet, snow, hail
  • The international classification of clouds
  • The cloud atlas of the WMO and their international coding
  • Global circulation model
  • Oscillations and Teleconnections
  • Global and regional climatology
  • Jet Streams and Rossby Waves
  • Koeppen classification
  • Mid-latitude climate
  • Extra-tropical cyclones and thunderstorms
  • Paleoclimatology
  • Re-analysis
  • Global Climate Modelling (GCM)
  • Earth System Modelling (ESM)
  • Coupled Model Inter-comparison Project (CMIP)
  • Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
  • Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreements
  • Regional Climate Modelling (RCM)

Recommended Reading/Bibliography

During the year, the PowerPoint of the lectures and various didactic materials with character and Meteorological themes will be uploaded to AULAWEB. Recommended books include:


  1. Francesco Fantauzzo (1976), Dalla brezza all'uragano (meteorologia moderna)
  2. M. Giuliacci, A. Giuliacci, P. Corazzon (2010), Manuale di meteorologia
  3. S. Gallino (2015), Il meteo per la vela
  4. IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (AR6)
  5. John M. Wallace, Peter V. Hobbs - Atmospheric Science, Second Edition, An Introductory Survey, Academic Press (2006)
  6. Bridgman HA, Oliver JE. The Global Climate System: Patterns, Processes, and Teleconnections. Cambridge University Press; 2006

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Teachers

  • MARCO CAPELLO
  • FEDERICO CANEPA

Exam Board

  • MASSIMO VERDOYA (President)
  • GABRIELE FERRETTI
  • MARCO CAPELLO (President Substitute)
  • DANIELE SPALLAROSSA (Substitute)

LESSONS

Lessons Start

For lessons and timetables, please refer to the official university website.


Class Schedule

The class schedule for METEOROLOGY AND CLIMATOLOGY can be found on the university's website.


EXAMS

Exam Description

The exam is conducted in an oral manner. Every year, at the end of the teaching, a written test is organized for students of the current academic year only, with which those who wish can verify their skills and test the level of knowledge of the subject. The test is absolutely optional.


Assessment Methods

The oral exam will focus mainly on the topics covered during the lessons and during the seminars/study visit at the ARPAL Weather Center, and will have the purpose of assessing whether the student has reached an adequate level of knowledge and has acquired the ability to link all the theoretical information by applying it to real situations (weather forecast). The property of language and the knowledge of the correct scientific and technical terminology will also be evaluated.


Further Information

Students are recommended to follow the lessons. Students with a certification of physical or learning disability filed with the University can find information on support services at the web page provided by the "Services for the Inclusion of Students with Disabilities and with Learning Disorders." They can also contact Professor Sara Ferrando, the Distav contact for disabilities.


Agenda 2030 - Sustainable Development Goals

The METEOROLOGY AND CLIMATOLOGY program contributes to the following Sustainable Development Goals:


  • Quality education
  • Clean water and sanitation
  • Affordable and clean energy
  • Sustainable cities and communities
  • Climate action
  • Life below water
  • Life on land
  • Partnerships for the goals
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