ATM S 532 - Spring 2002

Meeting Times: 10:30-11:50 am, T TH, ATG 610
Grading: 25% assignments, 25% midterm, and 50% final exam.
Office Hours: 12:00 - 1:00 pm, T TH
Prerequisites: Phys 225 or permission of instructor
(no permission needed for our grads).

Reference books:
An Introduction to Atmospheric Radiation by K.N. Liou
Atmospheric Radiation by R.M. Goody and Y.L. Yung
Radiative Transfer in the Atmosphere and Ocean by G.E. Thomas and K. Stamnes

Course Outline:

1. Introduction
The nature of the problem; the thermal structure of the atmosphere;
the chemical composition of the atmosphere; global energy balance.

2. Fundamentals of Radiative Transfer
     Concepts and definitions; black body radiation laws; simple aspects
     of radiative transfer; remote sensing applications; nature of solar
     and terrestrial radiation.

3. Absorption and Scattering of Radiation by Atmospheric Gases
Absorption line formation; line shapes; absorption spectra of
atmospheric gases;

Midterm
photochemical processes and O3 layer; Rayleigh scattering.

4. Band Models
Isolated lines; random models; k-distribution method; transmission
through a nonhomogeneous atmosphere.

5. Radiative Transfer and Climate
Exact methods; approximate methods; radiation models; constraints
on the thermal structures.

Final