Atmospheric Sciences

Graduate Degree Programs

Graduate programs leading to the master of science and doctor of philosophy degrees are offered.

Admission

Applications for admission are encouraged from students with bachelor’s degrees in physics, mathematics, computer science, geography, engineering, and related fields, as well as meteorology and oceanography. It is strongly recommended, however, that students who intend to study for advanced degrees in atmospheric sciences know the fundamentals of classical physics and applied mathematics. Applicants whose native language is not English are required to take the English Placement Test if accepted. All applicants are required to take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) and submit three letters of reference.

Master of Science

The requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Atmospheric Sciences includes 32 graduate hours and corresponds to the general requirements of the Graduate College for the M.S. degree. At least 16 graduate hours must be in atmospheric sciences, excluding thesis units (599). Further, three 500-level courses are required.

A student may select either the thesis or nonthesis option. In the former, a written thesis, which may account for 4 or 8 graduate hours of credit, must be completed. In the latter, a student is required to complete a project that will focus on a topic in one of three tracks, applied meteorology, computer applications in meteorology, or education in meteorology. The project may account for 4 graduate hours of credit toward the required 32 graduate hours and a written report is required. Further information can be obtained from the department.

Doctor of Philosophy

All candidates for the Ph.D. degree must satisfy the general requirements of the Graduate College and are required to pass a qualifying examination on basic principles of atmospheric sciences, a preliminary examination based on a written thesis proposal, and a final examination based on the completed thesis. Further information on course requirements and these examinations can be obtained from the department.

Computational Science and Engineering Option

A computational science and engineering (CSE) option is available to both M.S. and Ph.D. students in the department. In either case, a student must satisfy all of the regular requirements for graduate study in the Department of Atmospheric Sciences. In addition, a M.S. student must take one course from the list of core CSE courses and one course from the CSE option areas, while the Ph.D. student must take two courses from each. Further information is available from the department.

Research Interests

The atmospheric science degree programs are designed for students interested in research and applications on a wide variety of atmospheric topics. Faculty areas of research include the physics of aerosol and precipitation; atmospheric chemistry; convective phenomena including severe storms; synoptic and mesoscale meteorology; numerical weather prediction; weather modification; four-dimensional data assimilation; stratospheric dynamics; low-frequency variability; nonlinear atmospheric dynamics; climate variability and climate modeling, including chemical, radiative, and transport effects; atmospheric radiative processes; human and natural perturbations of global ozone and climate; relating science to policymakers; radar and satellite meteorology; and remote sensing. Some of this research is carried out in the laboratory (e.g., precipitation and chemistry), in national field programs (e.g., mesoscale and convective events), in theoretical studies (e.g., atmospheric dynamics), and in numerical modeling efforts (all of the above).

Research Facilities

The department maintains a capable and extensive computer infrastructure. All students, staff, and faculty have computers on their desks. These are mostly PC and Macintosh systems. A number of groups also have their own workstations. Each computer is directly connected to a state-of-the-art network that allows direct high-speed access to other departmental computer facilities and the Internet. This includes direct desktop access to major research facilities such as the supercomputers at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications located on campus as well as the National Center for Atmospheric Research.

General computer facilities for use by all department members are also provided. These include servers that are used for tasks such as distributing electronic mail, providing access to Internet resources, and weather analysis and class programming projects. High speed, large capacity laser printers as well as smaller personal laser printers are conveniently located throughout the department and are network accessible from any computer.

The department maintains a “computerized classroom” allowing students to perform their own meteorological and other analyses at the direction of the instructor during laboratory sessions. This facility is available as a general computer lab accessible to all when not in use as a classroom. Both this room and a more traditional lecture room are equipped with overhead computer projection systems that allow lecturers to display computer graphics or video during class or other presentations.

Because access to real-time current meteorological data is important to research, instruction, and operational forecasting, the department maintains a synoptic laboratory. It receives a number of data feeds from the National Weather Service (NWS) and other commercial providers. A charter top-tier member of the Unidata (a program of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, UCAR) Internet Data Distribution (IDD) project, the department receives data feeds from service providers over the Internet and redistributes them to other Unidata member universities.

These data, which include surface and upper air observations, NWS textual and numerical model output products, satellite imagery, five-minute local and national NEXRAD Doppler radar, and DIFAX weather charts, are stored locally and then archived for future use. Further, they are processed by several dedicated computers into a variety of weather maps, images, and other products that are readily available for viewing at the Web site

Other facilities include a laboratory for the study of atmospheric chemical kinetics and a microphysical laboratory at the Illinois State Water Survey. In addition, the department maintains an atmospheric science library.

Financial Aid

Financial aid is available in the form of research and teaching assistantships, University fellowships, and waivers of tuition and service fees.