Atmospheric Science
The Physics of Weather, Climate, and Planetary Atmospheres
Course Overview
Atmospheric science is the study of Earth's atmosphere and its processes, including weather, climate, and air quality. This interdisciplinary field combines physics, chemistry, and mathematics to understand atmospheric phenomena from local weather to global climate change.
100 km
Atmosphere Height
5.15×10¹⁸
kg Total Mass
78%
Nitrogen (N₂)
21%
Oxygen (O₂)
Atmospheric Layers
🌡️ Troposphere (0-12 km)
Contains 80% of atmospheric mass. All weather occurs here. Temperature decreases with altitude (~6.5°C/km). Ends at the tropopause.
🛡️ Stratosphere (12-50 km)
Contains the ozone layer. Temperature increases with altitude due to UV absorption. Very stable with little vertical mixing.
☄️ Mesosphere (50-85 km)
Temperature decreases with altitude. Meteors burn up here. Coldest temperatures in atmosphere (~-90°C at mesopause).
⚡ Thermosphere (85-600 km)
Temperature increases dramatically due to solar radiation absorption. Contains ionosphere. Aurora occur here.
Course Contents
Part 1: Atmosphere Fundamentals
Structure, composition, and solar radiation
Part 2: Atmospheric Thermodynamics
Heat, moisture, stability, and adiabatic processes
Part 3: Atmospheric Dynamics
Pressure, wind, geostrophic balance, boundary layer
Part 4: Synoptic Meteorology
Air masses, fronts, cyclones, and jet streams
Part 5: Clouds & Precipitation
Cloud physics, precipitation, severe weather
Part 6: Radiation & Climate
Energy budget, greenhouse effect, climate models
Part 7: Observation & Prediction
Remote sensing, NWP, data assimilation
Part 8: Atmospheric Chemistry
Air quality, aerosols, ozone, chemical reactions
Part 9: Climate Science
Paleoclimate, climate change, extreme events
Part 10: Planetary Atmospheres
Mars, Venus, giant planets, exoplanets
Key Equations
Ideal Gas Law
$$p = \rho R_d T$$
Pressure, density, gas constant, temperature
Hydrostatic Equation
$$\frac{\partial p}{\partial z} = -\rho g$$
Pressure decreases with altitude
Geostrophic Wind
$$\vec{V}_g = \frac{1}{\rho f}\hat{k} \times \nabla p$$
Balance of Coriolis and pressure gradient
First Law of Thermodynamics
$$c_p dT - \frac{1}{\rho}dp = dQ$$
Energy conservation in the atmosphere
Prerequisites
Physics
- • Classical mechanics
- • Thermodynamics
- • Fluid dynamics basics
Mathematics
- • Calculus (multivariable)
- • Differential equations
- • Vector calculus
Chemistry
- • General chemistry
- • Photochemistry basics
- • Chemical kinetics