Dr. Mark Lander

Dr. Mark Lander
Professor of Water Resources Engineering


Phone: 671-735-2690 (fax 734-8890) (GMT+10 hrs)
mlander(weri)uguam.uog.edu?subject=Faculty - WeriGuam.org

Courses

Hurricanes and Typhoons: an overview of Tropical Cyclones
(EV 535, spring semester, even-numbered years, 3 credit hours)

This Graduate course is a study of the world's tropical regions. Natural and anthropogenic variations in the global climate are studied. Mechanisms for short-term fluctuations and long-term changes are presented. Short-term climate fluctuations in the tropics due to such things as El Niño, La Niña, and the Quasi-biennial Oscillation dominate time series of tropical climate variables (e.g., rainfall and sea level), and make the assessment of long-term secular changes very difficult with the historical records that are available. Also discussed are the physical mechanisms of climate change, and contemporary theories on the changes to the tropical climate in a warmer world. This graduate course covers the fundamental principles and mechanisms governing the interaction of pollutants with natural systems. The basic concepts of classical and environmental toxicology are also addressed with emphasis on contaminant absorption, distribution, metabolism, systemic toxicology, carcinogenesis, toxicity testing, and risk assessment. The course concludes with a general introduction to air, land and water pollution.

 

Tropical Climate and Climate Variability
(EV 535, fall semester, even-numbered years, 3 credit hours)

This Graduate course is a study of the world's tropical regions. Natural and anthropogenic variations in the global climate are studied. Mechanisms for short-term fluctuations and long-term changes are presented. Short-term climate fluctuations in the tropics due to such things as El Niño, La Niña, and the Quasi-biennial Oscillation dominate time series of tropical climate variables (e.g., rainfall and sea level), and make the assessment of long-term secular changes very difficult with the historical records that are available. Also discussed are the physical mechanisms of climate change, and contemporary theories on the changes to the tropical climate in a warmer world.

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Hurricanes and Typhoons: an overview of Tropical Cyclones
(EV 536, spring semester, even-numbered years, 3 credit hours)

This Graduate course is a study of the tropical cyclones of the global tropics with emphasis on the typhoons of the western North Pacific. Basic concepts of tropical cyclone motion, structure, and structure change are taught. The history of tropical cyclones affecting Guam is presented along with practical knowledge of how to prepare for typhoon hazards, which are common to life on Guam and other islands of Micronesia. The affects of climate change on the distribution and characteristics of tropical cyclones is an important contemporary problem.

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Applications of Remote Sensing to Weather and Climate
(EV 537, spring semester, odd-numbered years, 3 credit hours)

This graduate course focuses on the applications of remote sensing platforms for observing and forecasting the weather, and for monitoring earth's climate system. Commonly used remote-sensing platforms include the various meteorological satellites and weather radar. In the tropics of the western North Pacific, conventional surface observations of weather conditions are widely spaced. Most of the information on weather systems, such as typhoons, monsoons, squall lines and other severe local weather is obtained from the weather satellite and weather radar. Atmospheric ozone, volcanic emissions, sea-level, sea-ice coverage, soil moisture, atmospheric liquid water content, and many other weather and climate variables are measured by instruments onboard meteorological satellites. This course explores the history of the international meteorological satellite programs and the United States effort to modernize its weather satellite constellation. The history of the weather radar is explored, which culminates in the nationwide installation of NEXRAD Doppler weather radars (one of which is on Guam). Principles of satellite and radar physics are introduced. Interpretation of the structure of weather systems from satellite and radar imagery will be covered. The use and function of the many instruments onboard satellites are described. Students participate in real-time investigations of local and regional weather patterns using satellite and radar imagery.

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