METO 637 Atmospheric Chemistry Course Outline

METO 637

Atmospheric Chemistry

Department of
METEOROLOGY
University of Maryland

Course Web Page, Spring Semester, 2005

Taught jointly with METO 434 this year.

Prof. Russell Dickerson Course Instructor
Department of Meteorology

BRIEF DESCRIPTION:

Application of the techniques of thermodynamics, kinetics, spectroscopy, and photochemistry to atmospheric gases and particles. Investigation of the global cycles of C, H, O, N, and S species; the use of laboratory and field measurements in computer models of the atmosphere. Prerequisites: CHEM 481 or METO 620 (Thermodynamics). Students may not take both METO and CHEM 637 for credit.

Homework #1.
Homework #2.
Homework #3.
Homework #4.

Lecture notes from the last time the course was taught:
Lecture #1 (rtf)
Lecture #2 (rtf)
Lecture #3 (rtf)
Lecture #4 (rtf)
Lecture #5 (rtf)
Old Exam (txt)

REQUIRED TEXT:

[FP] Atmospheric Chemistry: Fundamentals and Experimental Techniques
B.J. Finlayson-Pitts and J.N. Pitts, Jr. , Wiley-Interscience. (ISBN 0-471-88227-5)

Current journal articles will be handed out where appropriate.

RECOMMENDED TEXTS:

[S] Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
J. H. Seinfeld and S. N. Pandis, Wiley-Interscience, 1998. (ISBN 0-471-17816-0)

[J] Introduction to Atmospheric Chemistry,
Daniel J. Jacob, Princeton University Press, 1999.

Soft Copy Jacob's book. [WW] Air Pollution: Its Origin and Control
K. Wark and C.F. Warner, Harper & Row. (ISBN 0-007-22534-X)

[GC] Atmospheric Change: An Earth System Perspective
T. Graedel & P. Crutzen.

Rethinking The Ozone Problem in Urban and Regional Air Pollution Committee on Tropospheric Ozone Formation and Measurement National Research Council, National Academy Press, 1991. (ISBN 0-309-04631-9)

COURSE CREDIT :

Problem Sets (4 x 5 = 20%): There will be four (4) problem sets - as homework - worth a total of 20% credit toward your final course grade. You are encouraged to use all resources available to you to solve these problems, including books, journals, fellow students (discussion only - no plagiarism, please!) and your instructor.

Examinations (2 x 25 = 50%): There will be two (2) closed-book examinations based on the factual material and general concepts from the course lectures and reading materials. Each exam is worth 25% credit. If an exam is missed without prior excuse of a doctor's note, a grade of zero (0) will be recorded.

Research Project (30%): The remainder, 30%, will be obtained from a research project. Students are required to present their research as a lecture of 20 minutes maximum duration (17 minutes +3 minutes for questions) and to be prepared to answer questions from the class and be graded by the class. The objective is to inform an audience of knowledgeable scientists and engineers whose specialty lies outside the area of your research, i.e. your fellow students. Your grade for the research project and presentation will be assessed (out of the possible 30%) as follows:

Instructor assessment (written paper): 10%

Student assessment (oral presentation): 20%

All students must attend mandatory class meetings.

RESEARCH PROJECT SEMINAR :

A brief written report must be submitted to the course instructor two weeks prior to your lecture. This should include all salient points of the lecture and copies of all the figures to be shown. A detailed outline is adequate. A good 20-minute (inclusive of question period) seminar should have no more than eight figures unless they are very simple. All major contentions of the research should be referenced in the style of the American Geophysical Union - see a copy of J. Geophys. Res. I will grade the written report and it will count for 5 out of the 30% credit for this section. Seminars will be given in the order of the last three digits of your student number (SSN).

The seminar will be graded by the instructor and the rest of the class, as detailed above. Attendance is mandatory during this phase of the class.

Factors influencing the grade include:

1. Approach to the problem

2. Originality

3. Clarity (not showmanship)

4. Completeness of research

5. Discrimination of opinion from fact

6. Capable responses to questions (student evaluations only)

Factors not influencing the grade include:

1. Length of written report

2. Artwork

3. Number of references, unless you forget some important ones

SUGGESTED TOPICS - Research Project Seminar:

I have suggested some topics (in no particular order) here to get you started with your literature research, but you are encouraged to seek out a problem of special interest to you. Do not be afraid to choose an interdisciplinary, offbeat, or controversial topic, but subject your paper to your best scientific scrutiny and be prepared to defend your contentions to me, and to the class.

History of atmospheric chemistry

Atmospheric chemistry of other planets

Evolution of the Earth's atmosphere

Upper atmosphere physics and chemistry

Atmospheric radioactivity

Biosphere-atmosphere interactions

Radiative transfer

Combustion chemistry

Biogenic hydrocarbons and ozone formation

Alternatives to fossil fuels

Lightning as a natural source of NOx

Industrial air pollution abatement technology

Coupling atmospheric transport and chemistry

Human health effects of atmospheric pollution

Cloud chemistry

Heterogeneous chemistry

Ocean-atmosphere interactions

Atmospheric composition and climate

Please e-mail me your seminar subject and tentative title (you can change the title up to the day of your presentation, but must see k approval from me before you change your seminar subject) as soon as possible.

CODE OF ACADEMIC INTEGRITY : Be aware of your formal obligation as students at UMCP to be aware of, and abide by, the UMCPCode of Academic Integrity (see UMCP Schedule of Classes) and to conduct yourself with high academic (and personal) integrity at all times.

COURSE SCHEDULE

Class Meets Tuesdays and Thursdays 2:00-3:15 pm Room 0201 Computer & Space Sciences Building

Lecture Date Topic Reading/Comments
1 date Introduction W. Ch. 1&9; F-P. & P Ch. 1 & 2
2 date Atmospheric Stability and Circulation; Electromagnetic Radiation F-P. & P Ch. 2; S. & P. Ch. 1 & 14; W. Ch. 2
3 date Biogeochemical Cycles and Atmospheric Budgets; THERMODYNAMICS: Enthalpy - Formation and Combustion S. & P. Ch. 2; W. Ch. 1
4 date Free Energy, Equilibrium; KINETICS Rates, Rate Constants, Order F-P. & P Ch. 5; S. & P. Ch. ; W. Ch. 3
5 date Lifetimes, Half Life, Activation Energy, Arrhenius Expressions, Kinetic Theory, Calculations of Rate Const. w/ Collision Theory F-P. & P Ch. 5; S. & P. Ch. ; W. Ch. 3
6 date Transition State Theory, Experimental Techniques F-P. & P Ch. 5&6; W. Ch. 3
7 date Steady State Analysis F-P. & P Ch. 5&6; S. & P. Ch. 1; W. Ch. 1, 3, 4
8 date PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND SPECTROSCOPY; Absorption Spectra, Term Symbols and Selection Rules, Photolysis F-P. & P Ch. 3&6; S. & P. Ch. 4; W. Ch. 3&4
9 date Layers in the Atmosphere W. Ch. 4
Exam I March 17 Exam I Closed Book
10 date ATMOSPHERIC BUDGETS & EXPERIMENTAL METHODS: The Ox Family, Stratosphere F-P. & P Ch. 12; S. & P. Ch. 4; W. Ch. 4
11 date The Ox Family, Troposphere F-P. & P Ch. ; S. & P. Ch. 5; W. Ch. 5
12 date The NOx Family F-P. & P Ch. 7
13 date Other N Compounds F-P. & P Ch. 7; S. & P. Ch. ; W. Ch.
14 date The HOx Family F-P. & P Ch. ; S. & P. Ch. ; W. Ch.
15 date Methane, CO, and other Volatile Organic Compounds F-P. & P Ch. ; S. & P. Ch. ; W. Ch.
16 date The SOx Family F-P. & P Ch. ; S. & P. Ch. ; W. Ch.
17 date Halogens F-P. & P Ch. ; S. & P. Ch. ; W. Ch.
18 date Particles F-P. & P Ch. 9; S. & P. Ch. 7-13; W. Ch.
19 date Heterogeneous Chemistry F-P. & P Ch. 5&12; S. & P. Ch. 11; W. Ch. 3&5
20 date Models F-P. & P Ch. ; S. & P. Ch. ; W. Ch. 3
21 date Remote Sensing: Environmental Satellites (Dr. Hudson) Class Notes
Break date No Class, Thanksgiving Break Enjoy!
Projects I date Research Seminars, Students: Mandatory Attendance
Projects II date Research Seminars, Students Graded By Class
Projects III date Research Seminars, Students: Graded By Class
Projects IV date Research Seminars, Students Graded By Class
Projects V date Research Seminars, Students Graded By Class
Exam II Thrs 5/19 Final Examination 10:30 am Closed-Book

Lecture	Date	Topic	Reading/Comments
1	date	Introduction	W. Ch. 1&9; F-P. & P Ch. 1 & 2
2	date	Atmospheric Stability and Circulation; Electromagnetic Radiation	F-P. & P Ch. 2; S. & P. Ch. 1 & 14; W. Ch. 2
3	date	Biogeochemical Cycles and Atmospheric Budgets; THERMODYNAMICS: Enthalpy - Formation and Combustion	S. & P. Ch. 2; W. Ch. 1
4	date	Free Energy, Equilibrium; KINETICS Rates, Rate Constants, Order	F-P. & P Ch. 5; S. & P. Ch. ; W. Ch. 3
5	date	Lifetimes, Half Life, Activation Energy, Arrhenius Expressions, Kinetic Theory, Calculations of Rate Const. w/ Collision Theory	F-P. & P Ch. 5; S. & P. Ch. ; W. Ch. 3
6	date	Transition State Theory, Experimental Techniques	F-P. & P Ch. 5&6; W. Ch. 3
7	date	Steady State Analysis	F-P. & P Ch. 5&6; S. & P. Ch. 1; W. Ch. 1, 3, 4
8	date	PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND SPECTROSCOPY; Absorption Spectra, Term Symbols and Selection Rules, Photolysis	F-P. & P Ch. 3&6; S. & P. Ch. 4; W. Ch. 3&4
9	date	Layers in the Atmosphere	W. Ch. 4
Exam I	March 17	Exam I	Closed Book
10	date	ATMOSPHERIC BUDGETS & EXPERIMENTAL METHODS: The Ox Family, Stratosphere	F-P. & P Ch. 12; S. & P. Ch. 4; W. Ch. 4
11	date	The Ox Family, Troposphere	F-P. & P Ch. ; S. & P. Ch. 5; W. Ch. 5
12	date	The NOx Family	F-P. & P Ch. 7
13	date	Other N Compounds	F-P. & P Ch. 7; S. & P. Ch. ; W. Ch.
14	date	The HOx Family	F-P. & P Ch. ; S. & P. Ch. ; W. Ch.
15	date	Methane, CO, and other Volatile Organic Compounds	F-P. & P Ch. ; S. & P. Ch. ; W. Ch.
16	date	The SOx Family	F-P. & P Ch. ; S. & P. Ch. ; W. Ch.
17	date	Halogens	F-P. & P Ch. ; S. & P. Ch. ; W. Ch.
18	date	Particles	F-P. & P Ch. 9; S. & P. Ch. 7-13; W. Ch.
19	date	Heterogeneous Chemistry	F-P. & P Ch. 5&12; S. & P. Ch. 11; W. Ch. 3&5
20	date	Models	F-P. & P Ch. ; S. & P. Ch. ; W. Ch. 3
21	date	Remote Sensing: Environmental Satellites (Dr. Hudson)	Class Notes
Break	date	No Class, Thanksgiving Break	Enjoy!
Projects I	date	Research Seminars, Students:	Mandatory Attendance
Projects II	date	Research Seminars, Students	Graded By Class
Projects III	date	Research Seminars, Students:	Graded By Class
Projects IV	date	Research Seminars, Students	Graded By Class
Projects V	date	Research Seminars, Students	Graded By Class
Exam II	Thrs 5/19	Final Examination 10:30 am	Closed-Book

F-P. & P. is Fanlayson-Pittts & Pitts; S. & P. is Seinfeld and Pandis; W. is Wayne.

CLASS STUDENT ROSTER

You can email me here: russ@atmos.umd.edu

Last updated January 26, 2005.