This course will explore global atmospheric chemistry through a series of case studies: Stratospheric Ozone, Global Methane and OH, and Urban and Regional Ozone. Each case will begin with a description of the chemistry and atmospheric physics fundamental to the particular problem. Students will formulate testable mathematical models incorporating that chemistry and physics, turning then to existing atmospheric data sets to test current understanding. The emphasis of this course is to develop an understanding of how to pose a testable hypotheses in a complex chemical environment such as the atmosphere, validate or refute those hypotheses, and then by extension predict how the system will respond to perturbations. A particular objective is to explore how to extend this methodology from the stratosphere and background troposphere (the first two cases), where it has been applied with success, to the much more complicated problem of urban and regional air quality. Students not having the prerequisites listed may seek permission of the instructor.
