Atmospheric physics and chemistry

Lectures: 2 sessions / week, 1.5 hours / session

Physical Chemistry (5.61), Advanced Calculus for Engineers (18.075), or permission of instructor. This course is intended for undergraduates and first year graduate students.

This course provides an introduction to the physics and chemistry of the atmosphere including experience with computer codes, aerosols and theories of their formation, evolution, and removal. Topics covered include, gas and aerosol transport from urban to continental scales, coupled models of radiation, transport, and chemistry, solution of inverse problems to deduce emissions and removal rates, emissions control technology and costs, and applications to air pollution and climate.

This course has no required text. The following optional text can be used as a supplement to the course notes:

Seinfeld, J. H., and S. N. Pandis. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics: From Air Pollution to Climate Change. New York, NY: Wiley-Interscience, 1997. ISBN: 9780471178163. (Paperback.)

Additional references organized by topics are listed in the readings section.

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