ATM346 Physics of lakes and rivers

2. Course code

ATM346

3. Course status: optional

-Which degree programme is responsible for the course?
Master's Programme in Atmospheric Sciences

-Which module does the course belong to?
ATM300 Advanced Studies in Atmospheric Sciences (optional for Study Track in Geophysics of the Hydrosphere)

-Is the course available to students from other degree programmes?
Yes

4. Course level (first-, second-, third-cycle/EQF levels 6, 7 and 8)

Master’s level, degree programmes in medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine = secondcycle
degree/EQF level 7
Doctoral level = third-cycle (doctoral) degree/EQF level 8

-Does the course belong to basic, intermediate or advanced studies (cf. Government Decree
on University Degrees)?
Advanced studies

5. Recommended time/stage of studies for completion

Can be taken in the early or later stages of studies.

6. Term/teaching period when the course will be offered

The course will be offered every second year in the spring term.

7. Scope of the course in credits

5 cr

8. Teacher coordinating the course

Ivan Mammarella

9. Course learning outcomes

-Description of the learning outcomes provided to students by the course
- See the competence map (https://flamma.helsinki.fi/content/res/pri/HY350274).

You will learn about physical processes of lakes and rivers, e.g. thermal structure and water current dynamics, air-water gas exchange, surface energy balance.

10. Course completion methods

The course will consists of lectures and exercises, and at the end of the course there will be an exam.

11. Prerequisites

-Description of the courses or modules that must be completed before taking this course or
what other prior learning is required

• Basics of thermodynamics and dynamics  of Newtonian fluids.
• Basics of hydrology.

12. Recommended optional studies

-What other courses are recommended to be taken in addition to this course?
-Which other courses support the further development of the competence provided by this
course?

• ATM 334 Measurement Methods in Hydrospheric Geophysics;
• ATM 335 Geophysics of Snow and Ice;
• ATM338 Surface Water Waves;
• ATM340 Coastal Oceanography.

13. Course content

• Introduction: physical properties and equation of motions.
  
  Lakes
  
  
• Lake types and basic characteristics.
• Density and stability of water column.
• Energy fluxes: driving forces behind transport and mixing.
• Mixing processes.
• Air-water gas exchange.
• Bottom boundary layer.
• FLake: a simple 1D lake model.

          Rivers

• River basin.
• Steady and unsteady flow in rivers.
• Channel Hydraulics.
• Mixing process in rivers.

14. Recommended and required literature

• Lecture notes and other materials given via Moodle.
   

15. Activities and teaching methods in support of learning

-See the competence map (https://flamma.helsinki.fi/content/res/pri/HY350274).
-Student activities
-Description of how the teacher’s activities are documented

Weekly lectures and exercises (individual work).

16. Assessment practices and criteria, grading scale

-See the competence map (https://flamma.helsinki.fi/content/res/pri/HY350274).
-The assessment practices used are directly linked to the learning outcomes and teaching
methods of the course.

Final grade is based on final exam. Additional points are given if over 50% of the excercises are completed.

17. Teaching language

English