Web page of the course

Physics of the Atmosphere

G. Redaelli (gianluca.redaelli@univaq.it) 

                             

TEXTBOOKS:

J. Wallace, P. Hobbs, Atmospheric Science: An introductory survey, Ac. Press

Jacob D. J., Introduction to Atmospheric Chemistry, Princeton Univ. Press

Jacobson M. Z., Fundamentals of Atmospheric Modeling, Cambridge Univ. Press 

     Lessons

1	Tu 23 September		Introduction to the course. Weather vs Climate.
2	Tu 30 September		General characteristics of the Atmosphere: definition and terms of references, mass and chemical composition.
3	Fr 3 October		General characteristics of the Atmosphere: pressure, temperature and winds.
4	Tu 7 October		General characteristics of the Atmosphere: general circulation and surface winds in an "Aquaplanet" approximation; precipitation, motion on smaller scale. Atmospheric Chemistry: gas-phase species and elementary chemical reactions.
5	Fr 10 October		Atmospheric Chemistry: Reaction rates and coefficients. Temperature and pressure dependence of rate coefficients.
6	Tu 14 October		Radiative transfer: Black-body Radiation. Properties of non-black materials.
7	Fr 17 October		Radiative transfer: Physics of Scattering and Absorption. Atmospheric Chemistry: Sets of reactions.
8	Tu 21 October		Atmospheric Chemistry: Stiff systems. Chemical lifetimes and residence time. Photostationary-state approximation.
9	Th 23 October		Chemical families: general characteristics and calculation of partition ratios. Stratospheric Ozone: the Chapman cycle.
10	Fr 24 October		The Chapman cycle: Steady state solution and calculation of vertical profile. Catalytic Ozone loss cycles (HOx and NOx).
11	Tu 28 October		Catalytic Ozone loss cycles (NOx and ClOx). Vertical distribution and techniques for measuring Atmospheric Ozone.
12	Th 30 October		The Antarctic Ozone Hole: evolution and experimental evidences. Heterogeneous chemistry on PSC's surfaces. Dynamical causes and prediction for the future.
13	Fr 31 October		Calculation of the Effective Emission Temperature of the Earth. Greenhouse effect.
14	Tu 4 November		Radiative Forcing and Climate Sensitivity.
15	Fr 7 November		Climate Equilibria, Sensitivity and Feedback. Climate feedback factors. Main Climate Feedbacks.
16	Tu 11 November		The climate system. Transient versus equilibrium response.  Stable, unstable and multiple equilibrium states in a Climate System.
17	Fr 14 November		TBD -  Daisyworld. Evidences of the building of GHGs and of global warming. GHGs and GWP. Anthropogenic forcings. Climate Projections.
18	Tu 8 November		TBD - Atmospheric Thermodynamics: scale height and hypsometric equation, the first law of thermodynamics, Enthalpy and sensible heat.
19	Fr 21 November		TBD - Atmospheric Thermodynamics: the dry adiabatic Lapse Rate, Adiabatic processes and Potential Temperature, Static stability. Buoyancy oscillations and Brunt–Väisälä frequency.
20	Tu 24 November		TBD - Atmospheric Thermodynamics.
21	Fr 28 November		TBD - Atmospheric Dynamics: Kinematics and Dynamics of the Large-Scale Horizontal Flow. Geostrophic, Gradient and Thermal wind. Vorticity and Potential Vorticity.
22	Tu 2 December		TBD - Atmospheric Dynamics:Vertical Motions. The Thermodynamic Energy Equation. Inference of the Vertical Motion Field.
23	Th 5 December		TBD - Atmospheric Dynamics:The Primitive Equations. General Circulation for an “Aquaplanet” Atmosphere .
24	Tu 9 December		TBD
25	Th 12 December		TBD
			TBD - Launch of a balloon with PTU sensors and ECC ozonesonde.