Compulsory

Atmospheric and Environmental Physics
2022 Course Programme

CODE
ΑΠΥ5201
SEMESTER
3
HOURS per WEEK
4
ECTS CREDITS
5.5  (Erasmus+ course)
INSTRUCTORS

Alkiviadis Bais

Dimitrios Melas

·       Origin, composition, and physical properties of air. Quantities of atmospheric constituents in the atmosphere. Equilibrium in the composition of atmospheric constituents. Escape of gases to space.

·       Atmospheric thermodynamics. Gas laws. Variation of density and pressure with altitude. Hydrostatic equation.

·       Simple atmospheric models. Adiabatic processes. Pressure scale height. The hydrostatic equation for different gases. Separation of atmospheric gases. Atmospheric layers.

·       Nature and characteristics of the radiation from the Sun, the earth and the atmosphere. Radiometric quantities. Application of black body laws. Emission of radiation from a real body. Effective temperature.

·       Basics of the transfer of monochromatic radiation through the atmosphere (absorption –scattering). Optical depth. Variation of radiation absorption with height. Chapman’s theory.

·       Equilibrium between solar – terrestrial radiation. The greenhouse effect.

·       The equation of motion. Forces in a rotating coordinate system. Pressure gradient force. Apparent forces.

·       Geostrophic wind. Thermal wind. General circulation

·       Energy equation. Continuity equation. Vertical wind.

·       Atmospheric waves. Vorticity. Orographic waves. Rossby waves.

·       Air pollution scales. Photochemical pollution of urban areas: causes, characteristics, impacts.

·       Regional scale pollution – acid deposition: Introduction. Physicochemical processes of regional pollution. Impacts on forests and agriculture, water ecosystems and buildings. Large-scale transport of air pollution in Europe.

·       Climate change: Emissions of greenhouse gases. The impact of suspended particulate matter. Future projections. International treaties.

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