Special Topics: Atmospheric Nanoparticles and Climate

Catalog description

This course will examine the physicochemical properties of atmospheric nanoparticles and the chemical processes that form these particles. We will also cover basic techniques for characterizing atmospheric nanoparticles using fundamentals of aerosol physics and chemistry. The last portion of the course will explore how atmospheric nanoparticles affect the Earth's radiative budget and ultimately climate. Students will apply their atmospheric nanoparticle knowledge to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of various atmospheric geoengineering techniques proposed in literature. Though this course targets atmospheric nanoparticles, it is also broadly applicable to anyone interested applications of aerosolized nanoparticles. Prerequisites: undergraduate chemistry and physics