CY6115 : Chemistry of the Earth’s atmosphere

Introduction to the Earth’s Atmosphere:

Evaluation of the Earth‘s atmosphere – Layers of atmosphere – Pressure and Temperature variations – Scaling of atmospheric processes.

Role of Chemical Compounds on Ozone budget:

Chemical composition of the Earth‘s atmosphere – Compounds containing Sulfur, Nitrogen, Carbon, Halogens – Atmospheric Ozone – Ozone loss – role of the chemical compounds – Atmospheric lifetimes – Theories – Determination of the lifetimes – Laser Induced Fluorescence Studies (LIF measurements) – Cavity Ring Down method; Radicals in the Earth‘s atmosphere – Ozone generation – Global warming – Global Warming Potential (GWP) – Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP)

Chemistry of Troposphere and Stratosphere:

Troposphere – Chemistry of hydroxyl radicals – Photochemical cycles of NO₂, NO and O₃ – Chemistry of NO_x and carbon monoxide – Methane – Tropospheric reservoir molecules – H₂O₂, CH₃OOH, HONO, PAN, Role of VOC and NO _x in the ozone formation – Chemistry of VOCs – sulfur compounds – nitrogen compounds;

Stratosphere – Chapman mechanism – HO_x cycle – Halogen cycles – Antarctic ozone hole – Polar stratospheric clouds – Heterogeneous stratospheric chemistry –

Global sulfur and carbon cycles – Role of H₂O in both troposphere and the stratosphere.

Atmospheric Radiation and Photochemistry:

Radiation – Terrestrial and solar radiation – Energy balance for Earth and Atmosphere – Radiative flux – Actinic flux; Photochemistry – Absorption of radiation by atmospheric gases – Absorption by O₂ and O₃ – Photolysis rate as a function of altitude – Photodissociation of O₃, NO₂.

Aerosols and Other Physical Processes:

Aerosols – formation – Size distribution – Chemical composition – thermodynamics of aerosols; Nucleation – Classical theory of homogeneous nucleation – Experimental measurement of nucleation rates – heterogeneous nucleation; Wet and dry deposition.

Text Books:

1. Atmospheric chemistry and Physics by John H. Seinfeld, Spyros N. Pandis; Second edition, John Wiley, 1997.
2. Introduction to Atmospheric Chemistry by Daniel J. Jacob, Princeton University Press, 1999.
3. Introduction to Atmospheric Chemistry by Peter V. Hobbs, Cambridge University Press, 1^st edition, 2000.
4. Chemistry of Atmospheres: An Introduction to the Chemistry of the Atmospheres of Earth, the Planets, and Their Satellites by Richard P. Wayne, Cambridge University Press, 3^rd edition, 1991.