Info
| Course Code | EEC421 |
| Semester | 7 |
| Category | Basic |
| Points | 3 |
| ECTS Units | 5 |
| Eclass | https://eclass.upatras.gr/courses/PHY1923/ |
Lecturer
Recommended Reading
1. J Wallace, P Hobbs, Atmospheric Science, Second Edition: An Introductory Survey, Academic Press, 2006.
2. D Ahrens, R Henson, Essentials of Meteorology An Invitation to the Atmosphere, Cengage, 2018.
3. J Seinfeld, S Pandis, Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics: from Air Pollution to Climate Change, Wiley, 2006.
Course Description
Course contents
1. Earth’s atmosphere
General notions, Magnitude of the atmosphere, Composition of lower atmosphere, Solar and Earth radiation, Temperature, Pressure, Simple atmospheric models, Water vapor
2. Atmospheric Thermodynamics
State equation, Thermodynamic Laws, Thermodynamic processes in the atmosphere, Static Stability, Atmospheric instability, Vertical temperature gradient and Potential Temperature as measures of atmospheric instability
3. Cloud Physics
Water vapor condensation, Rain formation theory, Cloud classification
4. Atmospheric Dynamics
Forces defining the air motion, Equations of motion, Air motion in the atmospheric boundary layer, Atmospheric General Circulation, Planetary winds, Troposhperic winds – Ηadley cells, Tropospheric long (Rossby) waves
5. Weather Systems
Characteristics of air masses, Fronts – Front types, Low pressure centers, High pressure centers, Cyclogenesis
6. Climate Dynamics
Climate classification, Climate equilibria-sensitivity and feedbacks, Climate Change, Climate Models
Laboratory
1. Surface weather observations
2. Vertical profile of the atmosphere
3. Static stability and clouds
4. Weather maps
5. Analysis of climate
6. Atmospheric models
