Writing Assignment 3
EAPS 10000 Y01 Planet Earth Online Course – Prof. L Braile
Writing Assignment 3: Writing Assignment 3 should include topics in Chapters 11 through
16 in the textbook. Except for the topics, the instructions for completing Writing Assignment
3 are the same as for Writing Assignment 1. See the Due Dates file (on the Course Content
area of BB Learn) for due dates of all assignments. Be sure to read the instructions
in the WA 1 assignment. Please pay particular attention to the plagiarism
discussion!
Suggested topics for Writing Assignment 3:
Greenhouse gasses Ozone hole
Acid rain Global warning
Climate change Clouds
Droughts Floods
Blizzards Air pollution
Atmospheric circulation Coriolis effect
Thunderstorms Weather hazards
Lightning Tornadoes
Hurricanes Hurricane Andrew
Hurricane Katrina The Tri-State hurricane
The solar system Earth’s tilt
Jupiter’s moons Galileo
Copernicus Keppler
Newton Planetary impacts
Asteroids Formation of the Moon
Olympus Mons Life on Mars?
Water on Mars? Comets
Atmosphere of Venus Terrestrial and gaseous planets
Volcanoes of Io Saturn’s rings
Asteroid belt Jupiter’s great red spot
Measuring astronomical distances Galaxies
Hertzsprung-Russell diagram Life of a star
The big bang Hubble red shift
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Suggested Topics and Example References (links) for WA 3:
Air pollution
Intro to six common air pollutants: http://www.epa.gov/air/urbanair/
List of topic resources on specific issues:http://www.nrdc.org/air/
Greenhouse gasses
Intro to greenhouse gases: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/gases.html
Intro to the greenhouse effect:http://www.ucar.edu/learn/1_3_1.htm
Ozone hole
Intro to the ozone hole: http://ozonewatch.gsfc.nasa.gov/
Process of ozone depletion: http://www.epa.gov/ozone/science/process.html
Acid rain
Basics of acid rain: http://www.epa.gov/acidrain/
http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/acidrain.html
Global warming
Brief intro to causes of global warming: http://climate.nasa.gov/causes/
Frequently asked questions surrounding a changing climate:
http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar4/wg1/ar4-wg1-faqs.pdf
Climate change
Intro to the issues: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/
http://www.nrdc.org/globalwarming/
Clouds
Cloud types: http://eo.ucar.edu/webweather/cloud3.html
Formation of clouds: http://www.atmosphere.mpg.de/enid/1__Clouds/-
_Formation_of_clouds_t9.html
Droughts
http://www.epa.gov/air/urbanair/
http://www.nrdc.org/air/
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/gases.html
http://www.ucar.edu/learn/1_3_1.htm
http://ozonewatch.gsfc.nasa.gov/
http://www.epa.gov/ozone/science/process.html
http://www.epa.gov/acidrain/
http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/acidrain.html
http://climate.nasa.gov/causes/
http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar4/wg1/ar4-wg1-faqs.pdf
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/
http://www.nrdc.org/globalwarming/
http://eo.ucar.edu/webweather/cloud3.html
http://www.atmosphere.mpg.de/enid/1__Clouds/-_Formation_of_clouds_t9.html
http://www.atmosphere.mpg.de/enid/1__Clouds/-_Formation_of_clouds_t9.html
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NOAA drought info center: http://www.drought.noaa.gov/
NASA articles: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/DroughtFacts/
Floods
Intro to floods: http://www.ready.gov/floods
Emergency preparedness:http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/floods/
Blizzards
Basics:http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/fgz/science/blizzard.php?wfo=fgz
http://www.weather.com/encyclopedia/winter/blizzard.html
Atmospheric circulation
Basics: http://www.ux1.eiu.edu/~cfjps/1400/circulation.html
Three cell circulation: http://sparce.evac.ou.edu/q_and_a/air_circulation.htm
Coriolis effect
Brief description: http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/kits/currents/05currents1.html
More technical and historical description:
http://www.aos.princeton.edu/WWWPUBLIC/gkv/history/Persson98.pdf
Thunderstorms
Basic in question and answer format:
http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/primer/tstorm/tst_basics.html
http://weather.cod.edu/sirvatka/ts.html
Weather hazards
Stats (see menu for more info): http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/hazstats.shtml
An intro to high impact meteorology: http://severewx.atmos.uiuc.edu/
Lightning
Basics: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/earth/how-lightning-works.html
List of resources: http://thunder.msfc.nasa.gov/
http://www.drought.noaa.gov/
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/DroughtFacts/
http://www.ready.gov/floods
http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/floods/
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/fgz/science/blizzard.php?wfo=fgz
http://www.weather.com/encyclopedia/winter/blizzard.html
http://www.ux1.eiu.edu/~cfjps/1400/circulation.html
http://sparce.evac.ou.edu/q_and_a/air_circulation.htm
http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/kits/currents/05currents1.html
http://www.aos.princeton.edu/WWWPUBLIC/gkv/history/Persson98.pdf
http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/primer/tstorm/tst_basics.html
http://weather.cod.edu/sirvatka/ts.html
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/hazstats.shtml
http://severewx.atmos.uiuc.edu/
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/earth/how-lightning-works.html
http://thunder.msfc.nasa.gov/
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Tornadoes
Basics: http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/edu/safety/tornadoguide.html
FAQ: http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/
Hurricanes
Brief intro: http://eo.ucar.edu/webweather/hurricane2.html
General overview (select presentations): http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/outreach/
Hurricane Andrew
Historical report on Hurricane Andrew: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/1992andrew.html
Effects of hurricane Andrew on wetlands:
http://water.usgs.gov/nwsum/WSP2425/andrew.html
Hurricane Katrina
Detailed report: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/special-reports/katrina.html
Survivors’ stories: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5704652
US Air Force response: http://www.afhra.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-070912-
046.pdf
The Tri-State hurricane
Intro (see links on left menu):
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/timeline/hurricane-timeline/
Brief report: http://www.erh.noaa.gov/box/hurricane/hurricane1938.shtml
The solar system
Variety of resources on the solar system: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/index.cfm
Some solar system basics including theories of formation:
http://abyss.uoregon.edu/~js/ast121/lectures/lec24.html
Earth’s tilt
Effect of earth’s tilt on seasons:
http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/ask_astro/answers/980211f.html
Basics: http://astronomy.nmsu.edu/nicole/teaching/astr110/lectures/lecture07/slide04.html
http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/edu/safety/tornadoguide.html
http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/
http://eo.ucar.edu/webweather/hurricane2.html
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/outreach/
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/1992andrew.html
http://water.usgs.gov/nwsum/WSP2425/andrew.html
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/special-reports/katrina.html
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5704652
http://www.afhra.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-070912-046.pdf
http://www.afhra.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-070912-046.pdf
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/timeline/hurricane-timeline/
http://www.erh.noaa.gov/box/hurricane/hurricane1938.shtml
http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/index.cfm
http://abyss.uoregon.edu/~js/ast121/lectures/lec24.html
http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/ask_astro/answers/980211f.html
http://astronomy.nmsu.edu/nicole/teaching/astr110/lectures/lecture07/slide04.html
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Jupiter’s moons
Basics: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/profile.cfm?Object=Jupiter&Display=Sats
http://galileo.rice.edu/sci/observations/jupiter_satellites.html
Galileo
Brief account of Galileo’s life: http://math.berkeley.edu/~robin/Galileo/life.html
Account with more detail: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/galileo/
Copernicus
Brief account of Galileo’s life:
http://physics.gmu.edu/~jevans/astr103/CourseNotes/ECText/Bios/copernic.htm
Account with more detail: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/copernicus/
Kepler
Several resources: http://kepler.nasa.gov/Mission/JohannesKepler/
Detailed bio: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/kepler/
Newton
Timeline of Isaac Newton: http://web.clas.ufl.edu/users/ufhatch/pages/13-NDFE/newton/05-
newton-timeline-m.htm
Detailed bio: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/newton/
Planetary impacts
Basics: http://www.psi.edu/explorecraters/background.htm
More detail:
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/explore/shaping_the_planets/impact_cratering.shtml
Comets, meteorites, asteroids, and impacts:
http://www.uni.edu/morgans/astro/course/Notes/section4/new22.html
Asteroids
List/links of resources: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/profile.cfm?Object=Asteroids
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/planets/asteroidpage.html
http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/profile.cfm?Object=Jupiter&Display=Sats
http://galileo.rice.edu/sci/observations/jupiter_satellites.html
http://math.berkeley.edu/~robin/Galileo/life.html
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/galileo/
http://physics.gmu.edu/~jevans/astr103/CourseNotes/ECText/Bios/copernic.htm
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/copernicus/
http://kepler.nasa.gov/Mission/JohannesKepler/
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/kepler/
http://web.clas.ufl.edu/users/ufhatch/pages/13-NDFE/newton/05-newton-timeline-m.htm
http://web.clas.ufl.edu/users/ufhatch/pages/13-NDFE/newton/05-newton-timeline-m.htm
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/newton/
http://www.psi.edu/explorecraters/background.htm
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/explore/shaping_the_planets/impact_cratering.shtml
http://www.uni.edu/morgans/astro/course/Notes/section4/new22.html
http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/profile.cfm?Object=Asteroids
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/planets/asteroidpage.html
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Comets, meteorites, asteroids, and impacts:
http://www.uni.edu/morgans/astro/course/Notes/section4/new22.html
Formation of the Moon
Discussion on the various theories of moon formation:
http://cloe.boulder.swri.edu/aboutTheMoon/alternateTheories.html
A NASA scientist explains the leading theory of lunar formation:
http://lunarscience.nasa.gov/articles/nasa-scientist-jen-heldmann-describes-how-the-earths-
moon-was-formed/
Olympus Mons
Brief intro: http://marsprogram.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/atlas/olympus-mons.html
Brief discussion on Martian volcanism:
http://www.geology.sdsu.edu/how_volcanoes_work/mars.html
Life on Mars?
Brief discussion on the possibility of life on Mars:
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/publications/slidesets/marslife/
Does the presence of methane mean life on Mars?:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mars/news/marsmethane.html
Water on Mars?
Recent update on the quest for water on Mars:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/MRO/news/mro20110804.html
More recent update:
http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2011/08dec_slamdunk/
Comets
Comets, meteorites, asteroids, and impacts:
http://www.uni.edu/morgans/astro/course/Notes/section4/new22.html
Intro to comets: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comet
Atmosphere of Venus
Intro: http://burro.astr.cwru.edu/stu/advanced/venus.html
More detailed basics of Venus’ atmosphere: http://hyperphysics.phy-
astr.gsu.edu/HBase/Solar/venusenv.html
http://www.uni.edu/morgans/astro/course/Notes/section4/new22.html
http://cloe.boulder.swri.edu/aboutTheMoon/alternateTheories.html
http://lunarscience.nasa.gov/articles/nasa-scientist-jen-heldmann-describes-how-the-earths-moon-was-formed/
http://lunarscience.nasa.gov/articles/nasa-scientist-jen-heldmann-describes-how-the-earths-moon-was-formed/
http://marsprogram.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/atlas/olympus-mons.html
http://www.geology.sdsu.edu/how_volcanoes_work/mars.html
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/publications/slidesets/marslife/
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mars/news/marsmethane.html
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/MRO/news/mro20110804.html
http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2011/08dec_slamdunk/
http://www.uni.edu/morgans/astro/course/Notes/section4/new22.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comet
http://burro.astr.cwru.edu/stu/advanced/venus.html
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/HBase/Solar/venusenv.html
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/HBase/Solar/venusenv.html
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Venus/Earth facts comparison: http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/venusfact.html
Terrestrial and gaseous planets
Basics of solar system and outer planets:
http://lasp.colorado.edu/education/outerplanets/giantplanets.php
Basics of terrestrial plaents:
http://lasp.colorado.edu/~bagenal/1010/SESSIONS/12.PlanetGeology.html
Volcanoes of Io
NASA’s description: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-
nasa/1999/ast04oct99_1/
Intro: http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/jovian_moons/io.html
Saturn’s rings
Brief intro: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/profile.cfm?Object=Saturn&Display=Rings
Uncertainties: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2002/12feb_rings/
Basics: http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/science/index.cfm?SciencePageID=55
Asteroid belt
Asteroids: http://burro.astr.cwru.edu/stu/asteroid.html
Brief intro: http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/solar_system_level2/asteroids.html
Basics: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_belt
Jupiter’s great red spot
Intro: http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/jupiter/redspot.html
Explained: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap110502.html
Jupiter’s atmosphere:
http://cde.nwc.edu/SCI2108/course_documents/solar_system/outergasplanets/jupiter/atmosph
ere/atmosphere.htm
Measuring astronomical distances
26 methods for measuring out-of-solar-system distances:
http://www.astro.ucla.edu/~wright/distance.htm
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/venusfact.html
http://lasp.colorado.edu/education/outerplanets/giantplanets.php
http://lasp.colorado.edu/~bagenal/1010/SESSIONS/12.PlanetGeology.html
http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/1999/ast04oct99_1/
http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/1999/ast04oct99_1/
http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/jovian_moons/io.html
http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/profile.cfm?Object=Saturn&Display=Rings
http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2002/12feb_rings/
http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/science/index.cfm?SciencePageID=55
http://burro.astr.cwru.edu/stu/asteroid.html
http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/solar_system_level2/asteroids.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_belt
http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/jupiter/redspot.html
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap110502.html
http://cde.nwc.edu/SCI2108/course_documents/solar_system/outergasplanets/jupiter/atmosphere/atmosphere.htm
http://cde.nwc.edu/SCI2108/course_documents/solar_system/outergasplanets/jupiter/atmosphere/atmosphere.htm
http://www.astro.ucla.edu/~wright/distance.htm
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The cosmic distance scale: http://heasarc.nasa.gov/docs/cosmic/
Galaxies
Intro: http://science.nasa.gov/astrophysics/focus-areas/what-are-galaxies/
Types: http://www.damtp.cam.ac.uk/research/gr/public/gal_home.html
Images: http://www.noao.edu/image_gallery/galaxies.html
Hertzsprung-Russell diagram
Intro: http://zebu.uoregon.edu/~soper/Stars/hrdiagram.html
http://casswww.ucsd.edu/archive/public/tutorial/HR.html
Life of a star