CE669

Atmospheric Physics and Chemistry

Part A: Atmospheric Chemistry
● Evaluation criteria
● Textbook
● Attendance (80%)
● Extra Classes

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https://archive.org/details/0237-pdf-atmospheric-chemistry-and-physics-2nd-ed-j.-seinfeld-s.-pandis-wiley-2006-ww/mode/2up

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Summary - Ch1 - Atmosphere

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Trace Gases
● Earth's atmosphere is composed primarily of the gases № (78%), O2 (21%),
and Ar (1%)
● Water vapor is the next most abundant constituent; found mainly in the lower
atmosphere and its concentration is highly variable (0.01% -3%)
● Remaining gaseous constituents - the trace gases, represent less than 1% of
the atmosphere; play a crucial role in the Earth’s radiative balance and in the
chemical properties of the atmosphere.
● Trace gas abundances have changed rapidly over the last two centuries
● In late nineteenth-early twentieth century focus shifted from the major
atmospheric constituents to trace constituents - those having mole fractions
below 10-6, 1 part per million (ppm) by volume. Why?

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Radiative Balance
● Present-day measurements, coupled with analyses of ancient air trapped in
bubbles in ice cores provide a record of dramatic, global increases in the
concentrations of gases such as СО2, methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O),
and various halogen-containing compounds
● These "greenhouse gases" act as atmospheric thermal insulators. What is
greenhouse effect?
● The emergence of the Antarctic ozone hole provides evidence of ability of
emissions of trace species to change large-scale atmospheric chemistry
● What is the definition and size of Ozone Hole?

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Variation with Height
● 99% of total atmospheric mass
is at height less than 30 kms
● Temperature falls in
Troposphere
● Aircrafts fly in tropopause.
Why?
● Temperature rises in
Stratosphere
● Temperature falls in
Mesosphere
● Temperature rises in
Thermosphere
● Where is ozone layer and
why?

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Climate Forcings and Climate Responses

● Climate forcings are changes in the energy balance of the Earth

that are imposed on it; forcings are measured in units of heat
flux—watts per square meter (W/m2)
● An example of a forcing is a change in energy output from the Sun
● Responses are the results of these forcings, reflected in
temperatures, rainfall, extremes of weather, sea-level height, and
so on

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Climate Effects and Feedback
● Much of potential climate effects resulting from the increase in greenhouse
gas levels hinges on estimates of the size and direction of various feedbacks
that may occur in response to an initial perturbation of the climate
● Negative feedbacks have an effect that damps the warming trend
● Positive feedbacks reinforce the initial warming.
● Example of positive feedback: as air warms, each cubic meter of air can hold
more water vapor. Since water vapor is a greenhouse gas, this increased
concentration of water vapor further enhances greenhouse warming. In turn,
the warmer air can hold more water, and so on.
● Example of negative feedback?

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Clouds
● Low-level, white clouds reflect
sunlight, thereby preventing
sunlight from reaching the Earth
and warming the surface.
● Increasing the geographic
coverage of low level clouds
would reduce greenhouse
warming
● High, convective clouds absorb
energy from below at higher
temperatures than they radiate
energy into space from their
tops, thereby effectively
trapping energy

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 Key difference
Aspect Morbidity Mortality

Definition Illness or disease Death

Focus Presence of disease/illness Death rates or number of

deaths

Metric Incidence, prevalence Crude death rate,

Examples cause-specific death rate

Implications Burden of disease on Severity or fatality of diseases

health systems
Variation of Pressure and Air Molecules with Altitude

H = 7.4 km

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Metrology vs Aeronomy
Metrology Aeronomy

● Deals with the science of ● Studies the upper atmosphere of the

measurement, including standards, Earth, including the composition,
temperature, and interactions of
calibration, and accuracy in the lower
particles in that region
atmosphere ● Investigates phenomena like the
● Used in various fields like ionosphere, solar radiation effects,
manufacturing, engineering, and and atmospheric chemistry in the
science to ensure precise upper atmosphere
measurements ● Often involves research using
● Focuses on the technical aspects of satellites and specialized instruments
to study the upper atmosphere
measuring physical quantities like
length, mass, and time

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Mixing Ratio and Relative Humidity (RH)
Mixing Ratio Relative Humidity

● Defines amount of substance ● RH = 100 x (ph2o / p0h2o)

● Concentrationi = molesi / ● What is p0h2o?
molestotal ● p0h2o = 31.87 mbar at 298K
● Usually represented as ppm, ● Corresponding to temperature
ppb, ppt, etc profile is the vertical profile of
● If volume is used - ppmv, ppbv, p0h2o/p
pptv

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Indian Standard Atmosphere
● "A Reference Atmosphere for the Indian Equatorial Zone"
● The Indian Standard Atmosphere by M. N. Sasi (1994): This study presents a detailed
(ISA) is a reference model that atmospheric model for the Indian equatorial region, providing
data up to 80 km altitude. It is widely used in research and
describes atmospheric properties - applications requiring region-specific atmospheric parameters.
MathWorks - Maker of MATLAB and Simulink
such as temperature, pressure and
density - at various altitudes
● "Guide to Reference and Standard Atmosphere Models"
specific to the Indian subcontinent (2010): This guide provides an overview of various standard
● Applications range from aerospace atmosphere models, including regional models like the Indian
Reference Atmosphere. It discusses the development,
engineering, metrology, etc tailored applications, and limitations of these models, offering a
comprehensive understanding of their significance.
to Indian conditions Space Environment Technologies

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● Microscale - Phenomena Scales for phenomenon
occurring on scales of the order
of 0-100 m, such as the
meandering and dispersion of a
chimney plume and the
complicated flow regime in the
wake of a large building
● Mesoscale - Phenomena
occurring on scales of tens to
hundreds of kilometers, such
as land-sea breezes,
mountain-valley winds, and
migratory high- and
low-pressure fronts
● Synoptic Scale - Motions of
whole weather systems, on
scales of hundreds to
thousands of kilometers
● Global Scale - Phenomena
occurring on scales exceeding
5 x 103 km 16
Morbidity vs Mortality
Morbidity

● Definition: Refers to the state of being diseased or the prevalence of illness or disease
within a population.
● Key Focus: Measures the frequency or rate of disease or ill-health in a population.
● Examples:
○ The morbidity rate of diabetes in a community refers to how many people are
affected by diabetes.
○ It includes conditions causing disability, reduced quality of life, or chronic illness.
● Metrics: Often expressed as incidence (new cases) or prevalence (existing cases)
per a specific population size.
● Context: "Morbidity" highlights the burden of disease on individuals and healthcare
systems.
 Mortality
● Definition: Refers to death or the number of deaths within a population over a certain
period.
● Key Focus: Measures the frequency of death in a population.
● Examples:
○ The mortality rate of heart disease indicates how many people die from heart
disease annually.
○ Can refer to specific causes (e.g., "cancer mortality") or overall death rates.
● Metrics: Typically expressed as a rate (e.g., deaths per 1,000 or 100,000 people per
year).
● Context: "Mortality" is often used to evaluate the severity or lethality of diseases and
other risk factors.
Questions From Previous Class
● Saturation Partial Pressure of Water
● Determine the concentration (in ug/m3) for N2O at a mixing ratio of 311 ppb at
p = latm and Т = 298 K.
● The typical global concentration of hydroxyl (OH-) radicals is about 106
molecules/cm3. What is the mixing ratio corresponding to this concentration at
sea level and 298 K?

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Dew Point, Triple Point, etc

Theoretically, it can go
anywhere to 1atm.

Practically, more than 50

mbar is not observed in
the atmosphere.

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Trace Elements
Nitrogen Containing
Compounds

Carbon Containing
Compounds
Sulphur Containing Carbon Containing
Compounds Compounds

Halogen Containing
Compounds

Exceptions are - HxOy 22

Biogeochemical Cycles

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Biogeochemical Cycles Contd.

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Biogeochemical Cycles Contd.

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Atmospheric Lifetime
A means to measure how long a particular
species resides in the atmosphere

Important metric to know which specie to

target

Can be calculated with mass balance

equation

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Trace Elements
Name Sources Effects Lifetime Mitigation GWP

NOx (?) Combustion, soils, biomass Tropospheric O3, cooling effect, soil Few hours NA
burning acidification?, stuns flora growth

N2O Oceans, NH3 oxidation, soils O3 depletion, soil nutrient 120 years 300
imbalance, eutrophication

CO Incomplete combustion of Tropospheric O3, lowers crop 1-2 months NA

any sort - fuel, biomass, yields, asphyxiation
VOCs

CO2 Respiration, decomposition, Ocean Acidification 1000 years 1

wildfires, LU change,
combustion, cement

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Questions From Previous Class
● Sources of oxygen in biogeochemical cycle
● Primary pollutants and secondary pollutants examples

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Trace Elements Contd.
Name Sources Effects Lifetime Mitigation GWP

VOCs Biogenic emissions, oceans, Tropospheric O3,secondary Variable Variable

fossil fuel combustion, aerosols, depletion of OH-, climate
agriculture forcing, soil & water contamination

CH4 Wetlands, landfills, rice Tropospheric O3, stratospheric 12 years 25

agriculture, energy, water vapour, radiative forcing,
ruminants changes cloud formation

Aerosols Dust, sea salt, VOCs, Global cooling, localised warming, Few days to 200
silicates, nitrates cloud formation, ice nucleation,O3 few weeks
chemistry, nutrient deposition

SO2 Fossil fuels, biomass Smog, Acid rain, Respiratory Few hours NA
burning, volcanoes, decay illness, prodn. of secondary to few days
of biomass pollutants, cooling of earth

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Trace Elements Contd.
Name Sources Effects Lifetime Mitigation GWP

Tropospheric Alters clouds and temperature, Few hours

NOx, VOCs, CO NA
O3 oxidative, damages living beings, to few days
causes smog

Stratospheric UV protection, greenhouse effect,

Photodissociation 1-2 NA
O3 of O2
regulating other trace gases
years

Cl or ClO CFCs, volcanoes, Interrupts ozone Few hours NA

to few days
halons formation

Br or BrO Marine organisms, Interrupts ozone Less than NA

halons, BFCs formation a day

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Primary and Secondary Pollutants
● Directly emitted ● Form after reactions
● Identifiable source ● Unidentifiable source
● Immediate health effects ● Bigger, slower impacts
● Easy to control ● Difficult to control
● Ex - CO, NOx, SO2, PM, VOCs ● Ex - O3, H2SO4, HNO3
(PAN)

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