Study Programmes 2015-2016
CLIM0021-1  
Topoclimatology
  • Topoclimatology
  • Urban Climatology
  • Zonal Climatology
Duration :
Topoclimatology : 15h Th, 15h Pr, 3d FW
Urban Climatology : 20h Th, 15h Pr
Zonal Climatology : 15h Th, 30h Pr
Number of credits :
Master in geography : climatology (120 ECTS)10
Lecturer :
Topoclimatology : Michel Erpicum
Urban Climatology : Michel Erpicum
Zonal Climatology : Michel Erpicum
Coordinator :
Michel Erpicum
Language(s) of instruction :
French language
Organisation and examination :
Teaching in the second semester
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite :
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Course contents :
Topoclimatology
The course is subdivided into 5 parts: - Disparities between Belgian climates - Specific methods for measurement and analyse in topoclimatology and research of geographic (human and natural) effects on local climate. - Wind regime in mountainous areas. - Characteristics of climatic variables in urban and rural areas. - Characteristics of climatic variables in woodland areas.
Urban Climatology
The course is organized in 5 lessons of 3 hours in  interaction with the students on different specific themes and complementary(additional) directly bound to the city and/or to its suburbs zone. 
Courses have systematically focused on Powerpoint supports developed by geographers-climatologists with international fame.
The city-campaign climatical contrasts, the urban heat islands, the radiative urban aspects, the urban air quality, the roughnesses, the ventilation, verdurisations, the densities and city organizations of cities with very different sizes and from very different regions are systematically envisaged and confronted with their inferred climate change.
 
 
Zonal Climatology
The course is subdivided into 5 parts:
Climatology and topoclimatology of polar regions
Climatology and topoclimatology of temperate regions
Climatology and topoclimatology of subtropical regions
Climatology and topoclimatology of tropical regions
Climatology and topoclimatology of equatorial regions
Learning outcomes of the course :
Topoclimatology
Demonstration of the very big diversity of the local and regional climatic contrasts ( spatio-temporal variability) and its impact on the human activities and the town and country planning.
Zonal Climatology
To be able to analyse and understand topoclimatic specificities of principal climatic zones of the planet essentially from the bibliographical tools and from WEB.
Better understanding the spatio-temporal variations of the main climatic parameters.
Better perceiving impact of the geographical distribution of continent and oceans and orography on the zonal and regional atmospheric circulations.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills :
Topoclimatology
Basic understanding of climatology and meteorology.
Zonal Climatology
Basic concepts in climatology and meteorology
Planned learning activities and teaching methods :
Topoclimatology
Two days are dedicated to campaigns of measures in the field. At the end of these days, a personal report and a collective report are expected.
Zonal Climatology
4 to 5 oral presentations to be presented by the students in front of the other students and the lecturers about regions drawn lots among a sample of cases selected worldwide. One or two sessions of learning together.
Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning) :
Topoclimatology
The theoretical part of the course is given during 5 sessions of 3 hours.
Practical fieldwork (practical/field works). Joint field experimentation with measurement campaigns at different times of the day. Individual report and joint report are requested.
Zonal Climatology
Interactive teaching organized in 5 thematic modules of twice 3 hours (preparation then seminar)
Recommended or required readings :
Topoclimatology
Notes are distributed according to the progress of the course. They include extracts of specialized publications drafted in French or English language. Recommended reading are presented during the first course.
Zonal Climatology
Notes are constituted by the students according to the progress of the course (abstracts of specialized publications, personal and/or collective reports, power-points)
Assessment methods and criteria :
Topoclimatology
- Written examination: 10 pts / 20. - report of the field campaign : 10 pts / 20.
If the note of one of the two partim is lower or equal to 8, this note prevails and constitutes the global note of the course.
Zonal Climatology
oral examination: 5/20

Personal works: 15/20
Work placement(s) :
Organizational remarks :
Topoclimatology
nil
Contacts :
Topoclimatology
M. ERPICUM Institut de Géographie, Building B11, 4000 Liège 1, Sart Tilman Phone : +32(0)4/366.52.21 - E-Mail : michel.erpicum@ulg.ac.be
Zonal Climatology
Geographical Department -Climatology

Prof Michel ERPICUM

michel.erpicum@ulg.ac.be

Tel. +32 4 366 52 21