Atmospheric and Enviromental Physics

Course Information
TitleΦΥΣΙΚΗ ΑΤΜΟΣΦΑΙΡΑΣ ΚΑΙ ΠΕΡΙΒΑΛΛΟΝΤΟΣ / Atmospheric and Enviromental Physics
CodeΑΠΥ201
FacultySciences
SchoolPhysics
Cycle / Level1st / Undergraduate
Teaching PeriodWinter
CoordinatorAlkiviadis Bais
CommonYes
StatusActive
Course ID40002884
Class Information
Academic Year2017 – 2018
Class PeriodWinter
Faculty Instructors
Weekly Hours3
Class ID
600100070
Course Type 2016-2020
  • Background
  • Scientific Area
Course Type 2011-2015
Specific Foundation / Core
Mode of Delivery
  • Face to face
Digital Course Content
Learning Outcomes
It is expected that the students will be able to: Acquire a preliminary a feeling of the physicochemical mechanisms governing the formation and structure of the atmosphere. Understand the basic mechanisms that govern atmospheric circulation. Understand simple concepts about the propagation of radiation through the atmosphere. Connect simple natural atmospheric phenomena with the corresponding atmospheric processes.
General Competences
  • Apply knowledge in practice
  • Retrieve, analyse and synthesise data and information, with the use of necessary technologies
  • Advance free, creative and causative thinking
Course Content (Syllabus)
Week 1: 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. Week 2: Atmospheric thermodynamics. Gas laws. Variation of density and pressure with altitude. Hydrostatic equation. Week 3: Simple atmospheric models. Adiabatic processes. Pressure scale height. The hydrostatic equation for different gases. Separation of atmospheric gases. Atmospheric layers. Week 4: 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. Week 5: Basics of the transfer of monochromatic radiation through the atmosphere (absorption –scattering). Optical depth. Variation of radiation absorption with height. Chapman’s theory. Week 6: Equilibrium between solar – terrestrial radiation. The greenhouse effect. Week 7: The equation of motion. Forces in a rotating coordinate system. Pressure gradient force. Apparent forces. Week 8: Geostrophic wind. Thermal wind. General circulation Week 9: Energy equation. Continuity equation. Vertical wind. Week 10: Atmospheric waves. Vorticity. Orographic waves. Rossby waves. Week 11: Introduction. Air pollution scales. Photochemical pollution of urban areas: causes, characteristics, impacts. Week 12: 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. Week 13: Climate change: Emissions of greenhouse gases. The impact of suspended particulate matter. Future projections. International treaties.
Keywords
Atmosphere, solar radaition, composition, structure, circulation, weaves, air pollution, climate change
Educational Material Types
  • Notes
  • Slide presentations
  • Book
Course Organization
ActivitiesWorkloadECTSIndividualTeamworkErasmus
Lectures78✓
Reading Assigment30✓
Tutorial39✓
Exams3✓
Total150
Student Assessment
Description
Writen examination
Student Assessment methods
  • Written Exam with Short Answer Questions (Formative, Summative)
  • Written Exam with Problem Solving (Summative)
Bibliography
Course Bibliography (Eudoxus)
Εισαγωγικά μαθήματα στη Φυσική της Ατμόσφαιρας, Χ. Ζερεφού (2008), Εκδόσεις Παπασωτηρίου Ατμοσφαιρική ρύπανση με στοιχεία μετεωρολογίας, Μ. Λαζαρίδης (2010), Εκδόσεις Α. Τζιόλα & Υιοί Α.Ε
Additional bibliography for study
Κατσαφάδος, Π., Μαυροματίδης, Η., 2015. Εισαγωγή στη φυσική της ατμόσφαιρας και την κλιματική αλλαγή. [ηλεκτρ. βιβλ.] Αθήνα:Σύνδεσμος Ελληνικών Ακαδημαϊκών Βιβλιοθηκών. Διαθέσιμο στο: http://hdl.handle.net/11419/3708
Last Update
26-01-2017