ATP3161 ATMOSPHERIC PHYSICS

Course description

This Atmospheric Physics course introduces the Earth's atmosphere then explains in details the weather and climate of the earth system, atmospheric thermodynamics, aerosol and cloud physics, radiative transfer and some simple principles for remote sensing. The course explains in details key processes in the atmosphere based on basic physical principles.

Content of the course

Chapter 1: Introduction to the Earth's Atmosphere

Chapter 2: Gravitational Effects

Chapter 3:  Atmospheric Thermodynamics

Chapter 4: Aerosol and Cloud physics

Chapter 5: Radiative Transfer

Learning outcomes

After completing the course of Atmospheric Physics, students should have the following competence:

1. Understand vertical and horizontal profile variability of several atmospheric parameters and forces leading to the atmospheric motions.
2. Know the basic thermodynamic concepts for the Earth's atmosphere and be able to apply atmospheric thermodynamic diagrams to assess stability and cloud conditions and explain weather phenomena.
3. Understand how aerosols and clouds affect solar radiation in the Earth's atmosphere.
4. Be able to quantify how absorption and emission of short and long wave radiation cause heating or cooling in different vertical layers.
5. Have a general understanding of how aerosols are crucial for the formation of cloud droplets and ice particles. Based on atmospheric thermodynamics understand how different processes can lead to precipitation.

 References

1. Atmospheric Science – An Introductory Survey by John M. Wallace and Peter V. Hobbs​
2. An Introduction to Atmospheric Physics by Robert G. Fleagle and Joost A. Businger.
3. Fundamentals of Atmospheric Physics by Murry L. Salby.
4. ​An Introduction to Atmospheric Physics, Second Edition (2010, Cambridge University Press)   by David G. Andrews.
5. The Earth's Atmosphere. Its Physics and Dynamics-Springer (2008) by Kshudiram Saha. 
6. Practical Meteorology - An Algebra-based Survey of Atmospheric Science by Roland Stull.
7. Weather forecasting analysis using meteorological parameters:​ http://wxmaps.org/fcst.php ​and http://wxmaps.org/fcstkey.php​