UCLA Atmospheric
Sciences
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Professor K. N. Liou
Academic Courses
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Atmos C203C/C165:
Atmospheric Radiation (formerly 203C)
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C203C/C165. Introduction to Atmospheric Radiation. (4)
Lecture, three hours. Concurrently.
Fundamentals of radiation; Blackbody radiation, governing
laws, and absorption line formation; Radiative transfer equation applied
to the Earth's atmosphere; Radiation from the sun and sunspots; Earth's
orbit about the sun, solar insolation, solar spectrum, and solar constant;
Absorption of solar radiation by H2O, O3,
CO2, O2, and other trace gases in the atmosphere and
the formation of ozone layers; Molecular (Rayleigh) scattering; Radiative
heating; Introduction to the absorption of greenhouse gases in the thermal
infrared; The role of radiation in climate and remote
sensing.
Textbook: An Introduction to Atmospheric Radiation,
Academic Press, 2002, selected topics in Chapters 1-4; additional
references will also be provided.
Letter grades: Homework exercises in Chapters 1-2
and selected exercises in Chapter 3; Mid-term and final
exams.
Outline of the course
- FUNDAMENTALS OF RADIATION FOR ATMOSPHERIC
APPLICATIONS: concepts and definitions; blackbody radiation laws;
electronic, vibrational, and rotational transitions for line formation;
line broadening; breakdown of thermodynamic equilibrium; the equation of
radiative transfer for atmospheric
applications
- SOLAR
RADIATION AT THE TOP OF THE ATMOSPHERE: the structure of the sun and
sunspots; the Earth's orbit about the sun and solar insolation; solar
spectrum and solar constant
measurements
- ABSORPTION AND SCATTERING OF SOLAR RADIATION IN THE
ATMOSPHERE: the structure and composition of the earth's atmosphere;
absorption of solar radiation in the ultraviolet, visible, and
near-infrared; photochemistry and the formation of ozone; introduction
to Rayleigh scattering and polarization; radiative heating
consideration
- INTRODUCTION OF THERMAL INFRARED EMISSION: thermal
infrared spectrum and the greenhouse effect; the role of radiation in
climate and remote sensing
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