EART 164 – PLANETARY ATMOSPHERES

Spring 2013 Class Notes

All files are in Microsoft PowerPoint (.ppt) or Word (.doc) format unless otherwise indicated

Email Prof. Nimmo (fnimmo@es.ucsc.edu) if you have problems accessing them

· Course Syllabus

Timing/Location: Mon/Wed/Fri from 2:00 to 3:10 in E&MS D236

Office hours: Mon/Wed/Fri 3:15 to 4:15 in E&MS A219 (or by appointment)

Course Goals: To provide an introduction into how we use remote-sensing observations and modeling to obtain a quantitative understanding of the structure, dynamics, composition and evolution of planetary atmospheres.

Course Outline: see below

Text:  F.W. Taylor, Planetary Atmospheres, Oxford Univ. Press (2010), available in the bookstore.

Approximate Grading Scheme:

40% Weekly homeworks (due each Monday)

20% Midterm

40% Final

Late homework will be penalized at 10% per day.

Prerequisites:

EART160 is a prerequisite.

I am also going to assume some familiarity with ordinary differential equations.

Plagiarism:
Collaboration on homework assignments is permitted and encouraged. But the work that you hand in must be your own i.e. if I ask you to reproduce your work on the board without your notes, you must be able to do so. If you are ever unsure about the appropriate level of collaboration, please ask.

If you use the textbook or other outside sources (such as web sites) then you must cite the source that you use.

Disability:

If you qualify for classroom accommodations because of a disability, please get an Accommodation Authorization from the Disability Resource Center (DRC) and submit it to me in person outside of class (e.g. office hour) within the first two weeks of the quarter. Contact DRC at (831) 459-2089.

Course Outline

Week 1 (April 1): Introduction, overview, basics.    

Powerpoint slides. PDF.         Problem Set #1

Week 2 (April 8):  Energy balance, temperature.

Powerpoint slides. PDF.          Problem Set #2

Week 3 (April 15):  Composition and chemistry.

Powerpoint slides. PDF.              N/A

Week 4 (April 22):  Clouds and dust.

Powerpoint slides. PDF.         Problem Set #3

Patrick’s slides

Week 5 (April 29):  Radiative Transfer.

Powerpoint slides. PDF.         Problem Set #4

Midterm (Mon Apr 29th). BRING A CALCULATOR!

Formula sheet

Week 6 (May 6):  Dynamics 1.

Powerpoint slides. PDF.         Problem Set #5

Week 7 (May 13): Dynamics 2.

Powerpoint slides. PDF.         Problem Set #6

Week 8 (May 20): Exoplanets.

Powerpoint slides. PDF.         Jonathan’s slides

Week 9 (May 27): Evolution and climate change.

Powerpoint slides. PDF.         Problem Set #7

Week 10 (June 3): Recap.         

Powerpoint slides. PDF.       

Final exam is Mon 10^th June 7:30-10:30 p.m. in D236

Here is the formula sheet.