PHYSICS 7532 - Atmospheric and Astrophysics

This course will provide students with a knowledge of modern techniques, theory, and observational results relating to energetic processes in astrophysics and cosmology, and introduce the physics of planetary atmospheres with special emphasis on the atmosphere of the Earth. It also will provide students with knowledge of the physical processes that govern weather and climate. Content will include: Introduction to planetary atmospheres and the solar system. Radiative transfer in the sun-earth system. Thermodynamics of the atmosphere, including cloud physics, atmospheric motions and circulation. Introduction to the roles of aerosols and minor atmospheric constituents such as water vapour, carbon dioxide and ozone. The impact of anthropogenic processes. An introduction to relevant astrophysics terminology. Binary stars and accretion processes. The structure and evolution of the Milky Way and other galaxies. Active galaxies and unified models. Aspects of special and general relativity relevant to astrophysics. Cosmology, observations and theory.