Quality of the atmospheric environment
| Title | Ποιότητα Ατμοσφαιρικού Περιβάλλοντος / Quality of the atmospheric environment |
| Code | ΦΠΥ102 |
| Faculty | Sciences |
| School | Physics |
| Cycle / Level | 2nd / Postgraduate |
| Teaching Period | Winter/Spring |
| Coordinator | Dimitrios Melas |
| Common | No |
| Status | Active |
| Course ID | 600022907 |
Programme of Study: PMS FYSIKĪ ATMOSFAIRIKOU PERIVALLONTOS KAI PAGKOSMIŌN METAVOLŌN
Registered students: 10
| Orientation | Attendance Type | Semester | Year | ECTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KORMOS | Compulsory Course | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| Academic Year | 2025 – 2026 |
| Class Period | Winter |
| Faculty Instructors |
|
| Weekly Hours | 3 |
| Total Hours | 39 |
| Class ID | 600286447
|
Course Type 2021
Specific Foundation
Course Type 2011-2015
Specific Foundation / Core
Mode of Delivery
- Face to face
Digital Course Content
- e-Study Guide https://qa.auth.gr/en/class/1/600286447
Erasmus
The course is also offered to exchange programme students.
Language of Instruction
- Greek (Instruction, Examination)
- English (Instruction, Examination)
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
• Study in depth the causes of environmental degradation.
• Understand basic concepts of air quality.
• Understand the meteorological processes that affect air pollution levels and calculate the basic atmospheric parameters that determine the ability of the atmosphere to disperse pollutants.
• Understand the basic principles of atmospheric chemistry in the troposphere.
• Understand atmospheric chemical mechanisms and the basic principles of chemical models.
Ιn the course Quality of the Atmospheric Environment, specialized topics are examined concerning the physical and chemical processes that determine the quality of the atmospheric environment. Emphasis is placed on the dynamics of the atmosphere, the chemical properties and chemical transformations of atmospheric pollutants, so that the students understand all stages and gain a complete picture of the path of pollutants from the point of emission to their final removal from the atmospheric environment.
General Competences
- Retrieve, analyse and synthesise data and information, with the use of necessary technologies
- Work autonomously
- Respect natural environment
- Advance free, creative and causative thinking
Course Content (Syllabus)
The natural and polluted atmosphere. Spatial and temporal scales of air pollution. Sources of air pollution. Environmental meteorology. Air quality. Effects of air pollution. Measurement and monitoring of atmospheric pollution. Philosophy of atmospheric pollution control. Introduction and general characteristics of the atmospheric boundary layer. The surface layer. Monin-Obukhov similarity theory. Turbulent flows on the ground. The upper part of the atmospheric boundary layer. Similarity theory of the mixed layer. Local similarity theory of the stable boundary layer. Calculation of diffusion parameters. Chemical composition of atmospheric air. Chemical lifetime of pollutants and pollution scales. Chemical composition and characteristics of smog and photochemical smog. Elements of tropospheric chemistry. The role of ozone in the oxidising capacity of the troposphere. Free radicals and their role as oxidising agents. Photochemical production of ozone in the troposphere. The role of nitrogen oxides NOx, HNO3, and PAN. Oxidation of CO and hydrocarbons. Solubility of SO2 and oxidation in the liquid and gas phases. Acidic wet deposition. Dry deposition rate of various gases.
Keywords
Atmospheric Pollution, Environmental Meteorology, Atmospheric Boundary Layer, Tropospheric Chemistry
Educational Material Types
- Notes
- Slide presentations
Use of Information and Communication Technologies
Use of ICT
- Use of ICT in Course Teaching
- Use of ICT in Laboratory Teaching
- Use of ICT in Communication with Students
Course Organization
| Activities | Workload | ECTS | Individual | Teamwork | Erasmus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 117 | 4.7 | |||
| Reading Assigment | 15 | 0.6 | |||
| Written assigments | 40 | 1.6 | |||
| Exams | 3 | 0.1 | |||
| Total | 175 | 7 |
Student Assessment
Student Assessment methods
- Written Exam with Short Answer Questions (Formative, Summative)
- Written Exam with Extended Answer Questions (Formative, Summative)
- Written Assignment (Summative)
- Performance / Staging (Summative)
- Written Exam with Problem Solving (Formative, Summative)
Bibliography
Additional bibliography for study
Boundary Layer Meteorology
Last Update
20-10-2025
