Remote Sensing of Atmospheres

85.503  -- Fall, 2014

Syllabus

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

    This course is a survey of ground based, balloon, probe, and satellite remote sensing techniques. The focus is on the determination of physical, chemical, and dynamical quantities by remote sensing measurements. The theory employed to interpret the results is presented and the various inversion techniques used to determine the desired quantities are discussed. The modeling and simulation at the root of the reduction techniques is considered. Discussion of the reduction of remote sensing data to physical quantities will be done in this course.

COURSE TOPICS:

          tentative list
Introduction to Remote Sensing
Composition of Atmospheres
Electromagnetic Radiation
Interaction of Radiation with Matter
Natural Sources of Radiation
Fourier Transform Infrared Techniques
Wind Profiles
Temperature and Pressure Profiles
Concentration Profiles
Gas-Correlation Technique
Optical Properties and Scattering by Aerosols
Sensors and Weighting Functions
Inversion Techniques
LIDAR, DIAL, and other Backscatter Techniques
Atmospheric Channels, ATMOS, HALOE
Greenhouse Effect and Ozone Depletion

GENERAL COURSE INFORMATION:

Attendance is mandatory.  No make-up exams will be given and no late assignments will be accepted.
 

TEXTS:

 Note, there is no required text for the course. Some useful texts are listed below.

 "Remote Sensing of the Lower Atmosphere, an introduction," by Graeme L. Stephens, Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK 1994.

 "Remote Sensing by Fourier Transform Spectroscopy, by Reinhard Beer, John-Wiley and Sons, Inc. New York, 1992.

 "Molecular Spectra and Molecular Structure II. Infrared and Raman Spectra of Polyatomic Molecules," by G. Herzberg, D. Van Nostrand Company, Inc. New Jersey 1960.

 "Molecular Atmospheric Radiation: Theoretical Basis," by R. M. Goody and Y. L. Yung, Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK 1989.

 "Atmospheric Science: An Introductory Survey," by John Wallace and Peter Hobbs, Academic Press, New York 2006.

GRADING POLICY:

 The grading policy is as follows:
 Hour Exam 1                     25%
 Hour Exam 2                     25%
 Paper and Presentation      25%
 Homework                        25%

CONTACTING THE INSTRUCTOR:

Prof. Robert R. Gamache
Department of Environmental, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences
University of Massachusetts Lowell
One University Avenue
Lowell, MA 01854
Office: 318C Olney Science Center
Phone: 978-934-3904    
Office Hours: by appointment

email: Robert_Gamache@uml.edu