Structure and composition of terrestrial atmospheres. Fundamental aspects of electromagnetic radiation. Absorption and emission by atmospheric gases. Optical extinction of particles. Roles of atmospheric species in Earth's radiative energy balance. Perturbation of climate due to natural and antropogenic causes. Satellite observations of climate system.

This course covers the physical principles and mathematical tools fundamental to the theoretical, observational, experimental, and numerical study of the atmosphere and oceans. Topics include: kinematical, dynamical, and thermodynamical equations for rotating and stratified fluids; hydrostatic and geostrophic balance; Boussinesq approximation; energetic balances; transport of scalar fields by advection and diffusion; vorticity and potential vorticity; shallow water theory; quasi-geostrophic theory.

A practical introduction to the numerical approaches that are used to simulate the evolution of the ocean and atmosphere and the coupled Earth system. This course covers the forms of the equations of motion that are most appropriate for numerically studying various atmospheric and oceanic phenomena, and the numerical techniques that are used for their spatial and temporal discretization. The conservation properties of the continuous equations of motion and the numerical approaches for reproducing them are covered, as are the parameterization of unresolved phenomena, and specific considerations for accurate simulation of tracers.

This course focuses on ground-based and satellite observations of aerosol particles and their impacts on climate through modeling studies. Course material includes satellite and ground-based measurements of aerosol particles, mathematical formulation of transport, and numerical models of aerosol distribution. It studies how aerosols impact climate change through direct and indirect effects including cloud-aerosol interactions.