Course: Air Pollution Meteorology

Course Description:

This course emphasizes the meteorological processes affecting air pollution problems in the atmosphere and explores the physical and chemical processes in the boundary layer in which the air pollutants from natural and anthropogenic sources are emitted. The fundamental concepts of surface energy budget, continuity equation, atmospheric forces and stability will be discussed. The atmospheric and air pollution modeling will be introduced.

Course Objectives:

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to

1) understand the interactions among the radiation, heat, moisture, cloud and wind dynamics in the atmosphere

2) develop the knowledge of the meteorological processes influencing air pollutants transport and diffusion

3) perform atmospheric chemistry model

Course Content:

1. Introduction to air pollution

a) Chemical composition and structures of the atmosphere

b) Air pollutants/Sources and sinks

c) Effects of air pollution

2. Atmospheric energy balance

a) Radiation

b) Surface energy budget

3. Atmospheric motions and forces

a) Scales of motions

b) Pressure gradient force, Coriolis force, centrifugal and frictional force)

4. Planetary boundary layer meteorology

a) Temperature, moisture and wind distribution in the planetary boundary layer

b) Turbulence and stability

c) Similarity theory

d) Convective and stable boundary layer

5. Dispersion and diffusion /Plume rise/Dry and wet deposition

6. Atmospheric and air pollution modeling

a) Emission Processing

b) Photochemical model

c) Application in control strategy

7. Special topics

a) Biogenic emission and land use changes

b) Regional and urban air pollution

c) Land sea breeze circulation

     d) Long range transport

     e) Ozone and aerosol problems