WS M 402/502 Fall Air and Water: An Introduction to Environmental Fluids and their Movement We are constantly surrounded by air and water, but how much do we really know about these two very different fluids? Understanding the dynamics of air and water is fundamental for addressing important issues related to environmental science, natural resources, and our watersheds. In this class we will develop a strong comprehension of the basic properties of air and water, critical to addressing almost any environmental issue. Additionally, we will discover differences between fluids at rest and in motion. We will explore what can be transported by air and water and how it is transported. Any number of questions will be contemplated from "When not swimming, where is a fish in a lake?", "Why do 'swamp' coolers work in the desert?", "How is a redwood able to grow so tall?" to "How do windbreaks protection vegetation?", etc... WS M 696Q/ HWR 696Q Alternating Springs Practical and Applied Hydrometeorology This course is driven by the initiative and interest of the course members, on the basis of group decisions. Typically, the group meets once a week for three hours in a session that comprises a seminar and discussion led by one of the students, followed by a practical activity related to site development and site documentation. Field activity at the Biosphere 2 Research Facility is built into the schedule as appropriate. Field activities are in place of and/or additional to seminar/discussion activity described above. The research goal is to document and investigate controls of vegetation on water, carbon and energy cycling as measured using eddy covariance and other micrometeorological techniques. The class will itself decide what research it will undertake in consultation with the instructor and other participating UA scientists involved with Biosphere 2 and NEON (National Ecological Observatory Network). Practical considerations mean the class size will necessarily be limited, so early registration is advised. This class can be taken for 1 – 3 credits, but a 3-credit commitment is preferred. WS M 696M / SWES 696M Alternating Springs Using MATLAB® for Data Processing in Agricultural and Environmental Sciences The processing and analysis of some scientific data sets data sets often require the use of technical tools capable of handling large volumes of information and the possibility of programming routines to analyze and model processes associated with the data. For the past couple of years, University of Arizona has offered a free license to the MATLAB® programming language which has these capabilities. This course is designed to help students make better use this great resource. While not a requirement, students are encouraged to bring their own data sets to the course, so that they can make progress with their own data over the semester. Topics will be largely based on the needs of the students, but are anticipated to include: the MATLAB® environment, types of data sets and their processing, matrix operations, data analysis, statistics, differential equations and graphical presentation, all in MATLAB®. 3 Credits.