All posts by Nicole Moelders

Since 1988, I have been involved in numerical modeling of the physics and chemistry of the atmosphere. I have used mesoscale models to investigate human and natural (e.g. fire, volcanic eruptions, anthropogenic emissions, land-use changes) impacts on weather, air quality and climate. In close cooperation with hydrologists and geologists I coupled a hydrologic and meteorological model and developed an integrative hydrometeorological model. I worked with computer scientists on optimizing chemistry transport models for parallel computers. I led several projects to study ground water recharge, dry deposition of reactive atmospheric trace gases, water availability under changed climate conditions, the impact of land-use changes on evapotranspiration, cloud and precipitation formation, and impacts of various emission sources on air quality and weather. From 1999 to 2001 I was honored as a Heisenberg Fellow for Physical Hydrology, a prestigious award conferred by the DFG. My scientific career in America dates back to 1989, when I worked as a visiting graduate student at the ASRC of the State University of New York (SUNY) at Albany. In 2000, I worked at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) at Boulder, Colorado. In 2001, I joined the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF). At UAF, I continue my research direction with special focus on air quality issues of the Arctic and continue my teaching activities. Since 1995, in Germany and the United States, I have taught cloud physics, satellite meteorology, physical hydrometeorology, paleoclimatology, parameterization of hydrometerological processes, numerical modeling and parameterization methods, mesoscale dynamics, introduction to computational meteorology and introduction to atmospheric sciences. Over time, I moved from a pure lecture type teaching style to a style that actively involves students.

Welcome to Introduction to Atmospheric Sciences

Hi,

to AY21 ATM401, ATM601, and CHEM601. I’m your professor for these classes. I am excited you are here and signed up for the class. This class is online, but I am sure you love exactly that once you get used to it and see the advantages of learning and working when it’s best for you.

Just to let you know. You need a hard copy of the Lectures in Meteorology for the mid-term and final exams that will be open book. Note that due to COVID19, the library takes the copy that is on reserve in the Keith Mather library 3 days out of the circulation. In other words, you can’t rely on having access to it. Thus, make sure you have your own copy already at the beginning of the semester.

COVID-19 adaptation for Fall 2020

As we prepare for the Fall 2020 semester, we are taking additional precautions to keep our UAF community safe. eCampus is planning on offering very limited face-to-face proctoring services . While our class is eligible for this service, I acknowledge that you feel uncomfortable to go this route. Therefore, we will discuss at the beginning of the semester (8/24) how we will handle the exams so nobody has to leave their study room.

And YES, you are allowed to collaborate on your homework. In that case submit just one copy with the names of all group members.

You can get started right here and become familiar with this class page.

Nicole