UGA Bulletin

Course Description

An introduction to the physics of the atmosphere with emphasis on the laws of radiation, solar and terrestrial radiation, surface and atmospheric energy balances, cloud physics, precipitation formation, and atmospheric optical and electrical phenomena.

Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Students will be required to submit an additional literature review and/or research project related to atmospheric radiation and precipitation processes. Possible research projects or literature review topics include: the physics of solar and terrestrial radiation, interactions between land-water-air surfaces, general climate models, and atmospheric electricity. Graduate students will be required to review a journal article as part of their exam.

Athena Title

Intro Atmospheric Physics

Prerequisite

(MATH 2500 or MATH 2500E) and (PHYS 1212-1212L or PHYS 1312-1312L)

Undergraduate Pre or Corequisite

(MATH 2700 or MATH 2700E) and (CHEM 1211-1211D or CHEM 1311H or CHEM 1411) and (CSCI 1301-1301L or CSCI 1301E or ENGR 1140 or ENGR 1140H)

Semester Course Offered

Offered spring

Grading System

A - F (Traditional)

Student learning Outcomes

Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of solar and terrestrial radiation.
Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of energy transfer processes between the earth's surface and the atmosphere.
Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of waves in the atmosphere and atmospheric signal phenomena.
Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the Properties and Behavior of Cloud Particles.

Topical Outline

Week 1: Principles of Radiative Transfer
Week 2: Solar Radiation
Week 3: Effects of Absorption and Emission
Week 4: Photochemical Processes
Week 5: Conduction and Turbulence
Week 6: Processes in the Planetary Boundary Layer
Week 7: Applications
Week 8: Review of Radiation and Mid-term Examination
Week 9: General Properties of Waves
Week 10: Maxwell's Laws
Week 11: Scattering of Radiation
Week 12: Natural Signal Phenomena
Week 13: Remote Sensing
Week 14: Growth of Clouds
Week 15: Electrical Charge Generation and Its Effects

Syllabus

Public CV

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Introductory Atmospheric Physics