Department of
Meteorology

Special
Announcement

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Meteorology 532

Chemistry of the Atmosphere

Fall Semester 2005

3 credits

Time: M W F, 12:20 - 1:10 p.m.

Instructor: Anne M. Thompson

Contact: anne@met.psu.edu

Purpose and Content

Atmospheric Chemistry is a building block of earth and atmospheric science today. Chemical interactions with dynamics affect pollution on a global scale and lead to regional “acid rain,”air, and in some cases, water quality. Stratospheric ozone depletion is a now classic case of atmospheric chemistry at work on a large scale. Biogeochemical cycling of carbon, nitrogen and sulfur compounds is an integral part of ecosystems and global climate. Interactions of trace gases and aerosols with infrared radiation determines climate forcings. The chemical composition of snow-pack and ice cores is a record of the atmosphere in history. The basics of atmospheric chemistry (reactions, “families” of compounds, aerosol processes) will be covered in this course and students will be introduced to a spectrum of these issues.