Tropical Climatology
- Sciences
- 200 level
- 2 credit units
- 163 pages
- 16 units
This course introduces the fundamental principles of tropical climatology. It explores the meaning, nature, and scope of climatology, with a focus on tropical regions. Topics include the structure and composition of the atmosphere, weather and climate elements, radiation measurement, and tropical cyclones. The course also examines the impact of tropical climatology on agriculture, ecosystems, and human activities, including urban planning and physiological comfort.
About this course
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Study hours
- 200 hours
- Maths
- Basic
- Content
- Theoretical, case study
- Practical work
- No
- Assignments
- Tutor Marked Assignments
- Final Examination
What you'll read
The real module and unit structure of ESM212, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.
One paragraph, so you can see how it reads
ESM212 · Unit 1: Meaning of Climatology
Science is said to be: ‘concerned either with a connected body of demonstrated truths or with observed facts systematically classified and more or less colligated by being brought under general laws, and which includes trustworthy methods for the discovery of new truth within its own domain.
What you should be able to do
- Define climatology and its relevance to tropical regions
- Describe the structure and composition of the atmosphere
- Explain the processes of radiation and heat transfer
- Identify different types of precipitation and their measurement
- Analyze the characteristics of tropical cyclones
- Assess the impacts of climate change on tropical ecosystems
What it prepares you for
- Meteorologist
- Climatologist
- Environmental Consultant
- Agricultural Planner
- Urban Planner
- Agriculture
- Urban Planning
- Environmental Consulting
- Disaster Management
- Tourism
Where it gets hard
The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.
- Module 2:
Unit 3: Radiation and Measurement
The unit requires understanding of complex atmospheric radiative transfer processes and the application of physics principles to derive these measurements.
- Module 3:
Unit 2: Weather and Climatic Hazards in the Tropics
The unit requires a comprehensive understanding of atmospheric dynamics, thermodynamics, and the interactions between different atmospheric layers.
A suggested way through it
13 weeks, about 52 hours in total. Yours will differ.
- Week 1Module 1:
Unit 1: Meaning of Climatology · 4 hours
Define climatology and its relevance.. Discuss the different approaches to studying climatology.. Explain the importance of climatology in various fields..
- Week 2Module 1:
Unit 2: Nature and Scope of Climatology · 4 hours
Define climate and its relationship to meteorology.. Examine the types of climatology: physical, descriptive, and dynamic.. Discuss climatology's relationship with other sciences like ecology..
- Week 3Module 1:
Unit 3: Introduction to Tropical Climatology · 4 hours
State the indices of climate in the tropics.. Explain the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and its impact.. Discuss climate models and their uses..
- Week 4Module 1:
Unit 4: Tropical Cyclones · 4 hours
Examine the differences between hurricanes, cyclones, and typhoons.. State the relationship between tropical cyclones and wind speed.. Discuss the requirements for tropical cyclone formation..
- Week 5Module 1:
Unit 5: Impact of Tropical Climatology · 4 hours
Examine the characteristics of tropical montane ecosystems.. Understand the relationship between agricultural practices and climate change in the tropics.. Examine the layers of tropical rainforests and their plant and animal life..
- Week 6Module 2:
Unit 1: Nature and Component of Atmosphere · 4 hours
Explain the structure of the atmosphere.. State the composition of the atmosphere.. Discuss how solar energy influences the atmosphere..
- Week 7Module 2:
Unit 2: Weather and Climate; and Their Various Elements · 4 hours
Define weather and climate and their various elements.. Identify the factors influencing weather and climate.. Describe the equipment of a standard meteorological station..
- Week 8Module 2:
Unit 3: Radiation and Measurement · 4 hours
Identify the measurement and calibration of radiation.. Examine the measurement of direct solar radiation.. Discuss the measurement of total and long-wave radiation..
- Week 9Module 2:
Unit 4: Temperature and Measurement · 4 hours
Examine the evolution and growth of the use of thermometers.. Classify the types of thermometers.. Discuss the development of thermometers and temperature scales..
- Week 10Module 2:
Unit 5: Precipitation and Measurement · 4 hours
Examine the various types of precipitation.. Identify the measurement and calibration of precipitation.. Discuss the factors that modify precipitation amounts..
- Week 11Module 3:
Unit 1 Tropical Climate · 4 hours
Explain different approaches to climate classifications.. Define Tropical Humid climate.. Explain climatic characteristics of tropical climate..
- Week 12Module 3:
Unit 2: Weather and Climatic Hazards in the Tropics · 4 hours
Explain characteristics of weather hazards in the tropics.. Explain characteristics of climate hazards in the tropics.. Mention some weather and climate hazards in the tropics..
- Week 13Module 3:
Unit 3: Physiological Comfort · 4 hours
Explain what is physiological comfort.. Explain climate and human comfort.. Know the basic principles of physiological climatology..
Preparing for the exam
- Create concept maps linking atmospheric structure to weather patterns (Units 1-2).
- Practice calculations involving radiation balance and heat transfer (Units 3-4).
- Review case studies of tropical cyclone impacts and mitigation strategies (Module 1).
- Summarize key characteristics of different tropical climate types (Module 3).
- Focus on understanding the relationships between climate variables and agricultural practices (Module 4).
Questions students ask about this course
What is ESM212 about?
This course introduces the fundamental principles of tropical climatology. It explores the meaning, nature, and scope of climatology, with a focus on tropical regions. Topics include the structure and composition of the atmosphere, weather and climate elements, radiation measurement, and tropical cyclones. The course also examines the impact of tropical climatology on agriculture, ecosystems, and human activities, including urban planning and physiological comfort.
How many units does ESM212 have?
ESM212, Tropical Climatology, has 16 units across 4 modules, over 163 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.
How many credit units is ESM212?
ESM212 carries 2 credit units, at 200 level in Sciences.
Is ESM212 hard?
ESM212 is rated intermediate level, with basic mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical and case study work.
How long does ESM212 take to study?
About 200 hours of study, spread across its 16 units.
How is ESM212 assessed?
ESM212 is assessed by Assignments, Tutor Marked Assignments and Final Examination.
What can I do with ESM212?
Meteorologist, Climatologist, Environmental Consultant, Agricultural Planner and Urban Planner.