Atmospheric Chemistry gives a detailed overview of the chemical transformations that control the abundances of key trace species in the Earth's atmosphere.
The module will Focus on the “fast photochemistry”, and the underlying physical chemistry, that controls radical cycles, ozone levels, and pollutant concentrations. It will emphasize topics of current scientific/societal interest, related to the effects of human activity on air quality and climate: chemistry of urban air, particulate matter, and chemistry-climate coupling.
Polymer Physics is taught to third year and fourth year students in material science program.
Aims of the module
The module provides a wide range of topics within the field of polymer physics including an in-depth coverage of polymerization processes, structure and properties of polymers, describes the importance of the processing-properties-performance relationships in polymeric materials and identifies practical materials engineering problems in polymer technologies.
Learning outcomes
Having successfully completed the module, students should be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding in:
- Classification of polymer materials
- Bonding and structure of polymers
- Types and mechanism of polymerization
- Different polymer chain models
- Thermodynamics of Dilute Polymer Solutions
- Glass-rubber transition behavior
- Mechanical behavior of polymers
- Properties of different kinds of polymers
- Role of polymers and polymer technologies in a number of issues of current importance
- Polymers and environment.
Polymers and Composites is taught to third year students in materials science program.
Aims of the module
The module introduces fundamental concepts of polymeric and composite materials, their structure and properties, as well as the most important polymerization processes and composite reinforcements.
Learning outcomes
Having successfully completed the module, students should be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding in:
- The different classifications of polymeric materials
- The physical and chemical basis of polymers
- How polymers are made and manufactured
- Polymers processing and processing instrumentation
- The foundation of composite materials
- The classification of composite materials
- The particle-reinforced and fiber-reinforced composites.
This course introduces the students to the fundamentals of ceramics and glasses. We aim to cover pertinent aspects of the processing, structure, technology, defect chemistry of different types of oxides are illustrated . Different processing techniques especially the Sintering of ceramic powders are mainly discussed. Hopefully, this course will also serve as a primer for more involved studies in ceramic engineering proper and thus lay the foundation for more detailed knowledge acquisition in Ceramic Materials and Engineering.
This courses sets forth in detail the present state of physical metallurgy, which is the root from which the modern science of materials has principally sprung. Good deal of space is devoted to fundamentals of physical metallurgy, solidification ,structure and mechanical properties of steel and its related products, theory of phase transformations, recrystallization, superpure metals, ferromagnetic properties, and mechanical properties of two-phase alloys.
This course introduces students to the concept of atmospheric chemistry. Students learn different reaction mechanism in gas phase chemistry, processes affecting trace constituents of the atmosphere as they relate to production and emission, transformation and removal.
The course is subdivised into general introduction of concept of atmospheric structure and constituents, expressing amount of substances in the atmosphere and the concept of lifetime. the course treats monomolecular, bi-molecular and termolecular reactions as well as chemical families.
A substantial part is dedicated to stratospheric chemistry, tropospheric chemistry and aerosol processess
The following are the main parts of the course.
- Thermodynamics: first law of thermodynamics for an air parcel, theory of thermodynamic diagrams and processes;
- Atmospheric moisture: humidity mixing ratio, dew point temperature, relative humidity;
- Dynamics: Forces acting on air parcels, pressure gradient force, Coriolis force, drag, forces in balance: hydrostatic, geostrophic and gradient wind;
- Analysis of atmospheric state using a tephigram including dry and saturated adiabats, lifting condensation level, atmospheric stability;
- Radiation laws and simple models;
- Temperature gradient effects: Thermal wind balance and thermal advection;
- Weather system analysis: mass conservation, divergence, vorticity, ageostrophic flow, vertical motion, jets, contribution of vertical motion to development of extratropical weather systems, frontogenesis.
This module serves as an overview of atmospheric physics. It explores the physical processes governing the structure and circulation of atmospheres, including thermodynamics, radiative transfer, dynamics and waves.
There are three units in this module:
- Radiation
- Atmospheric Transport
- Atmospheric Energy Balance
Space Physics describes the behaviour of the space in the vicinity of the Earth and within the solar system
with focus on solar-terrestrial relationships. Specifically, it provides a detailed description on how solar
particles and radiation affect the Earth and near-Earth space through the solar wind and magnetosphere
coupling. Space physics as the study of Earth’s home in space, includes:
1. the study of how the Sun works from its interior to its surface and its atmosphere (the corona), including
the causes of eruptions on the Sun marking times of high solar activity,
2. the characterization of the environment between the Sun and the planets out to the interstellar medium,
including the solar wind and energetic cosmic rays from outside the solar system,
3. the study of the interaction of the magnetic barriers (magnetospheres) surrounding Earth and other
planets with the interplanetary environment, particularly during times of high solar activity,
4. the study of Earth’s ionized upper atmosphere (the ionosphere) and its interaction with Earth’s neutral
lower atmosphere.
Space Physics introduces also the concept of space weather and how this is monitored, and its adverse
impacts on technologies and society. Space weather is a fundamental part of the study of space and has an
importance not only in understanding the universe, but also in our practical everyday life such as communi-
cation, satellite safety and applications.
The aim of this module is to introduce students with good physics and mathematics background on relevant remote sensing techniques, applied in Meteorology, for inverse problem solving. It mainly focuses on understanding the atmosphere through remote sensing by microwave and optical (uv/visible)-infrared sensors, familiarization with using satellite remote sensing for monitoring global environment, data assimilation, and popular atmospheric remote sensing software. Having successfully completed this module, students should be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:
- The atmospheric remote sensing by microwave and optical (uv/visible)-infrared sensors;
- Models and inversion methods for meteorological problem solving under remote sensing principles;
- Data assimilation, mapping and atmospheric remote sensing programs;
- Satellite remote sensing for monitoring global environment;
- Problem development and solving in relation of atmosphere;
- Dissemination and transfer of knowledge related to Principles of Applications of Remote Sensing in Meteorology;
- And enhance their knowledge transfer skills through regular oral presentations.
Resources
- In addition to regular class lecturer presentation, students are argued to search for further materials with google engines;
- Marzano, Frank S., and Guido Visconti, eds. Remote sensing of atmosphere and ocean from space: Models, instruments and techniques. Vol. 13. Springer Science & Business Media, 2006;
- Chuvieco, Emilio. Earth observation of global change: The role of satellite remote sensing in monitoring the global environment. Springer, 2008.
- Huffman RE. Atmospheric ultraviolet remote sensing. Academic Press; 1992 Oct 19.
1. Brief description of aims and content
The module will focus on the description and analysis of the underlying physical processes that define the earth climate. The module will present a short overview of the climate history of our planet as indicated by modern techniques of climate recording, will involve the overall energy budget, which is balanced by solar energy and the physical absorption and reflection processes in our oceans and atmosphere. The physics of these processes and the impact on climate balance and weather patterns will be discussed.
Having successfully completed the module, students should be able to:
1. Explain the origin of the Earth’s Atmosphere and climate, their relationship, structure and composition.
2. Discuss the basic physical concepts for the atmosphere and climate.
3. Understand the consequences of climate change including the natural forcing.
4. Quantify how solar radiation affects the earth's energy budget with reference to the radiative and convective energy transfer.
5. Have a general understanding of General Circulation of the Atmosphere and Hydrological cycle
2. Indicative content
Chapter.1. Introduction to the Climate System: History and Evolution of Earth’s Climate; Atmosphere, Ocean and Land Surface; Atmospheric Temperature; Atmospheric Composition; Hydrostatic Balance and Atmospheric Humidity
Chapter 2. The Global Energy Balance: Warmth and Energy; Energy Balance of Earth; The Surface Energy Budget ; Storage of Heat in the Surface ; Radiative Heating of the Surface; The Atmospheric Boundary Layer The Solar System ; Emission Temperature of a planet; Greenhouse Effect; Global Radiative Flux Energy Balance and Distribution of Insolation.
Chapter 3. The Hydrologic Cycle: Water, Essential to Climate and Life; The Water Balance; Surface Water Storage and Runoff; Precipitation and Dewfall; Evaporation and Transpiration.
Chapter 4. General Circulation of the Atmosphere and Climate: Energy Balance of the Atmosphere; Atmospheric Motions and the Meridional Transport of Energy; The Angular-Momentum Balance and Large-Scale Circulation patterns and climate.
Chapter 5. Natural Climate Change: Natural Forcing of Climate Change; Solar Luminosity Variations; Natural Aerosols and Climate; Volcanic Eruptions and Stratospheric Aerosols.
Material for energy and environmental sustainability is taught to third year students in materials science program. It is an advance module that introduce energy material and material selection concepts and their applications for environmental sustainability.
Aims of the module
This module introduces the student to the concept of sustainability and its link to material and energy use with the emphasis on the related climate change and environmental issues.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the module, the student should be able to:
- Understand and apply the concept of sustainability to climate change mitigation
- Understand global energy landscape and energy security and associated material challenges
- Understand the concept of sustainable energy and materials
- Understand the energy and materials flows and their socioeconomic drivers
- Conduct material Life cycle assessment (LCA) and Eco-audit
- Understand and apply an eco-informed material selection for various applications
- Understand the effect of non-renewable energy use on the climate change, air pollution and environment and the way to mitigate them
- Understand the challenges related to nuclear waste disposal and the way to mitigate them
- Conduct material selection and design sustainable energy conversion systems
- Conduct material selection for energy sustainable efficiency buildings and transportation
- Understand and apply the concept of industrial energy efficiency and related material challenges
- Conduct material selection and design sustainable energy storage systems
- Understand nanotechnology concepts applied to material efficiency enhancement
- Apply nanotechnology concept to heat transfer enhancement
- Understand and apply material efficiency concept to various systems
The module is divided into 8 chapters, which are also divided onto various topics as indicated at the Beginning of the chapter.
The aim of this module is to learn the physical basis of astronomy and astrophysics. This requires mastering stellar astrophysics. The spherical astronomy and the familiarization with both variables stars and binary stars are part of the course. The main sections of the module include the following: Spherical astronomy, observations and instruments; celestial mechanics, stellar astrophysics: binary stars and stellar masses; stellar structure; variable stars; physics of compact stars; galactic and extragalactic astronomy.