ATM S 532, Winter Quarter 2008

Atmospheric Radiation (Introductory)

Instructor:

Prof. Qiang Fu

308 Atmospheric Sciences Bldg., 685-2070

qfu@atmos.washington.edu

Meeting Times: 11:00-12:20 am, T TH, ATG 610

Grading: 30% assignments, 30% midterm, and 40% final exam.

Office Hours: 1:00 - 2:00 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

A First Course in Atmospheric Radiation by G.W. Petty

Atmospheric Radiation by R.M. Goody and Y.L. Yung

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; Rayleigh scattering.

Midterm

4. Band Models

Isolated lines; random models; k-distribution method; transmission

through a nonhomogeneous atmosphere.

5. Radiative Transfer and Climate

Radiation models, Radiative heating rates, Cloud radiative forcing,

Constraints on the thermal structures.

Final