PH28520 - PLANETARY AND ATMOSPHERIC PHYSICS

Module Identifier

PH28520

Module Title

PLANETARY AND ATMOSPHERIC PHYSICS

Academic Year

2003/2004

Co-ordinator

Professor Shadia R Habbal

Semester

Semester 2

Other staff

Dr Andrew R Breen, Professor Geraint Vaughan, Miss Jaqueline Woollam

Pre-Requisite

Core Physics Modules at Level 1

Co-Requisite

None

Mutually Exclusive

None

Course delivery

Lecture

30 Hours

Seminars / Tutorials

4 workshops

Practical

Incorporated into PH25010, PH24520 and PH25520

Assessment

Assessment Type	Assessment Length/Details	Proportion
Semester Exam	2 Hours	100%

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:

Understand the physical processes that underlie the evolution of the solid planets.
Explain how climate is influenced by orbital motion.
Understand the physics governing the large-scale atmospheric circulation on different worlds.
Understand the evolution of terrestrial and planet atmospheres. Explain how non-Keplarian orbital motion arises. Explain how observations enable us to probe planetary interiors.
Understand the balance of energy in the Erath-atmosphere system. Understand weather systems and prediction.
Understand the physical aspects of various environmental issues involving the atmosphere.

Brief description

This module covers the physics of planetary and satellite interiors, atmospheres and orbital dynamics. The module describes the formation of the solar system and examines the processes of planetisimal accretion. It gives an account of tidal phenomena, including ocean tides and the Roche tidal limit for planetary ring systems. A description of the physics of planetary interiors covers the process of differentiation, the self compression model of internal density and how effective potential reveals information about planetary internal structure. Heat generation and flow in planetary interiors is examined and the self-exciting dynamo theory for the generation of magnetic field is introduced. The orbital behaviour of solar-system objects is examined and phenomena such as orbital resonances discussed. The evolution and dynamics of the atmospheres of both gas-giant and terrestrial planets are addressed, with particular emphasis on the contrasting histories of Earth, Mars and Venus. An introduction is given to the physics of the Earth?s atmosphere. The basic principles of radiation, thermodynamics and fluid dynamics are applied to gain an understanding of fundamental atmospheric phenomena. Discussion will emphasize the environmental issues of climate change and ozone depletion. Applications such as remote sensing of planetary atmospheres and weather prediction are also introduced.

Reading Lists

Books
** Essential Reading
J.M. Wallace and P.V. Hobbs Atmospheric Science, an Introductory Survey 0127329501
J.W. Moran and M.D. Morgan Meteorology 0132667010
W.K. Hartmann Moons and Planets Wadsworth
Zeilik & Gregory Introductory Astronomy & AstroPhysics 4th. Saunders College Publishing
** Recommended Text
J. Kaler Astronomy Harper Collins

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 5