Instructor:

William H. Brune

506 Walker Building

865-3286

brune@essc.psu.edu

Office hours: Tuesday/Thursday 9:30-12:00

Lectures:

Tuesday/Thursday, 8:00-9:15, 101 Walker Building

Course Objectives:

1. to develop the tools necessary to think about atmospheric chemistry

2. to learn the atmospheric chemistry behind well-known phenomena such as smog, acid rain, and stratospheric ozone depletion

Course Approach:

This course will be a combination of lectures, class discussions, and case studies. Preparation for class will be essential. Please bring a calculator if you are not facile with estimations.

The course will consist of two parts. The first part will be a series of lectures and class discussions. The second part will be team projects that use the lecture concepts and the current literature to explore current research topics in atmospheric chemistry.

Course Outline

I. Tools for atmospheric chemistry

a. the atmospheric environment
b. a primer in gas-phase chemical kinetics
c. a primer in aqueous-phase chemistry
d. a primer on atmospheric transport
e. the concept of lifetimes

II. Tropospheric gas-phase chemistry

a. chemical composition
b. tropospheric transport
c. gas-phase chemistry in the "clean" atmosphere
d. gas-phase chemistry of the urban atmosphere
e. aqueous-phase chemistry of the troposphere
f. chemical sinks and removal times

III. Stratospheric chemistry

a. chemical composition
b. primer on stratospheric dynamics
c. ozone chemistry of the tropics and middle latitudes
d. ozone chemistry of the wintertime polar vortex
e. sulfur chemistry and particle formation

Grading

• problem sets 10%
• in-class participation 10%
• mid-term exam 20%
• final exam 30%
• case studies 30%

References

References on atmospheric chemistry with some basics on chemistry and radiation:

1. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics of Air Pollution, John Seinfeld, TD193.S44 1986. Recommended text for both Meteo 532 and Meteo 533 (Cloud Physics).
2. Atmospheric Chemistry, Finlayson-Pitts and Pitts, QC879.6.F56 1986.
3. Chemistry of the Atmospheres, Wayne, QC879.6.W39 1991.
4. Aeronomy of the Middle Atmosphere, Brassuer and Solomon, QC881.2.S8B73 1986.
5. Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion: 1994, WMO, 1995.

References on chemical kinetics:

1. Chemical kinetics, Laidler, QD501.L17 1987.
2. Kinetics and dynamics of elementary gas reactions, IWM Smith, QD501 1980.
3. Thermochemical kinetics, Benson, QD511.B48 1976.
4. any physical chemistry and many chemistry texts

References on radiation and molecules:

1. Photochemistry of Small Molecules, Okabe, QD708.2.033 1978.
2. Spectra of Diatomic Molecules, Herzberg, 1950.
3. any of a number of atomic and molecular spectroscopy books

General references:

1. Chemical Kinetics and Photochemical Data for Use in Stratospheric Modeling, Demore et al., JPL Publication 94-26 1994.
2. U.S. Standard Atmosphere, 1976, NOAA, 1976.

Useful journals:

Aerosol Science; Atmospheric Chemistry; Atmospheric Environment; Environmental Science Technology; Geophysical Research Letters; Journal of Atmospheric Science; Journal of Geophysical Research; Nature; Science

BULLETIN BOARD

Read Board

Post to Board

Notes

lecture(8/22)

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Homework Problems

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Examinations

Peter Brune helped create this web page.