Global Climate Change is one of the most pressing issues in modern times, posing a potential risk to human health and the balance of the ecosystem. This course covers the basic physics of radiation and energy as they apply to incoming solar and outgoing longwave radiation that determine the energy budget of the Earth and force climate change, commonly known as the greenhouse effect. Human perturbations to this balance will be considered, especially the emission of greenhouse gases by the combustion of fossil fuels.
Global warming is the main effect of disturbing the balance of the Earth’s radiation budget but can also lead to additional effects as e.g. an increased frequency of extreme weather events. Changing the temperature distribution in the atmosphere produces stronger winds, warmer sea surfaces fuel stronger tornados and heavy rainfall can lead to high flood risks. Beside the emission of greenhouse gases like Carbon Dioxide and Methane that have a global impact on the Earth’s climate, other pollutants like Ozone, Aerosols and Nitrogen Dioxide directly impact public health on a local level. This course covers all kinds of anthropogenic emissions and explores their different impacts on the ecosystem and on society and examines the human influence on global environmental systems and their subsystems with an emphasis on understanding the major biogeochemical cycles. It will be shown how human activities (e.g. deforestation, changes in biodiversity, air pollution, desertification) can disrupt environmental processes. Important feedback mechanisms between biological and physical processes and the atmosphere are also considered in detail. The course explores how natural and managed ecosystems respond to a changing climate and altered resource availabilities while taking prospects for the future into consideration.
Climate feedback processes and climate sensitivity to Radiative forcing will be explained. Numerical climate prediction models will be explained qualitatively, and the projections of future global change will be put in the context of past climate change. Besides climate impacts on ecosystems and economic systems options for mitigation and adaptation will be explored. We will look at the problems caused by global climate change in different countries and societies and their mitigation strategies.
Students will learn about different measurement techniques that produce the data sets modern assessments of global changes are based on. Those measurement techniques range from global satellite remote sensing to networks of local monitoring stations. Students will be taught how measurement uncertainties affect those assessments and will be able to get some hands-on measurement experience using portable air quality measuring instrument boxes that have been developed at LMU and will be used during a field trip.
Learning outcomes of the course
By completing this course, the students will have acquired relevant knowledge in the science of climate change and gained the skills to be able to:
• understand the physical basis of the greenhouse effect.
• explain the connection between radiative forcing and global climate change.
• consider the effects of climate change on extreme weather events.
• appreciate ways to lower the human impact on the environment.
• distinguish the effects of different atmospheric pollutants on the environment.
• assess the influence of measurement uncertainties on climate predictions.
• recognize climate change effects and mitigation strategies in different countries.
• conduct air quality measurements and interpret the measured values
Teaching and evaluation methods
The evaluation methods for this course consist of five parts. At the end of each lecture there will be a set of tutorial questions to be answered individually (e.g. via Moodle) about the topic covered on that day followed by some questions to be discussed in small groups. After the group discussions each group present their findings to the class. Another contribution to the grade will be group presentations. The students will be grouped according to their home countries, so that we can compare national differences regarding climate change aspects, e.g. public opinions towards the anthropogenic impact on climate change, or open mindedness and acceptance of climate friendly technology. The forth assessment will be based on a report the students have to write about air quality measurements, which they will conduct using an easy to use device that has been developed in my group at LMU. This device consists of gas, aerosol and GPS sensors, stores the measurement values using a small on- board computer and generates concentration maps that can be downloaded. Each student can choose a topic to study (indoor/outdoor air quality, street side exposure levels, cross roads, water fronts, etc.) and the instrument provides data to write a short essay about this topic without the need for programming or data processing. The mid-term and final exam make up two parts of the evaluation.
The contribution of the different evaluation methods is as follows:
Class participation (tutorial questions and group discussions towards the end of each lecture, ≈1% each lecture for 24 lectures) 24%
Mid-term exam 20%
Group presentations 20%
Field measurement essay (conducting air quality measurements) 16%
Final exam 20%
Recommended reading of the book “Climate Change The Science, Impacts and Solutions” by A. Barrie Pittock.
The lecture slides will be provided on Moodle.
Last updated: May 11, 2023


This dataset contains regional carbon intensity forecast for the GB electricity system.The carbon intensity of electricity is a measure of how much CO2 emissions are produced per kilowatt hour of...
This dataset contains approximate geospatial boundaries for each of the DNO License Areas in Great Britain. There are 14 licensed Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) in Britain and each is...
This dataset contains approximate geospatial boundaries associated with each of the Grid Supply Points (GSPs) on the transmission network. The boundaries have been derived by generating Thiessen...


Weather in Jasper National Park
Jasper National Park is approximately 11,000 square km (6835 sq. miles) and across this area the temperature and weather patterns can be drastically different. If it is snowing at the east Jasper Park Gate it may be sunny and mild in the town.
When travelling to the mountains you should be prepared to face any type of weather.
Spring weather begins around mid-April in the valley area. The higher altitudes are generally warm and snow-free by mid-June. Summer temperatures are generally around +20C (68F) during the day and drop to around +10C (50F) overnight. Winter weather can be expected from October to March, although early autumn or late spring snowfall is always a possibility.
During the coldest months (December through February) temperatures can rise to -10C (50F) during the day and drop to -20C (-4F) overnight. Jasper receives the majority of its snowfall December through February, roughly 10 inches per month. During the winter months the average snowpack in Jasper is around 23cm (9 inches). Snowpack is the amount of snow that accumulates in a region over a season.
Other factors contribute to Jasper’s weather, such as mountain terrain, elevation, latitude, shading from mountains and glaciers. Altitude (elevation) has a large impact on climate and temperature. On average you will lose 1.7C in temperature for every 300m of elevation gained.
The weather can change very quickly in the mountains. This can mean a sudden temperature drop, rain, snow or strong winds. To prepare for the change in weather by pack warm clothes, waterproof or windproof jackets, hats and gloves.
Many guests and residents of Jasper National Park wear knitted hats (known as toques) all year.


We had massive, record-breaking snowfall in Stavanger this week. I haven't seen snow like this since 2004 so it was quite a treat! We haven't done any Norway posts for awhile so I thought it would be fun to share some pictures I took while running errands after the snowstorm.
So if you've seen any of my Stavanger posts from earlier this year, you'll notice the difference. It's often rainy and overcast, but snow isn't common here. Not like this anyway. We got 55 centimeters in 24 hours, adding to the 15 cms that had already fallen during the preceding days.
Personally, I'll take snow over rain any day. Do you get heavy snow where you live? Do you enjoy it?


The issue of climate change has been the talk of the town for how many years now. The downside of this, however, are the misconceptions floating around. This issue confuses interested individuals to separate the facts from fiction. This kind of misinformation often leads to wasted initiatives and technological innovations. To correct some of these errors, listed below are some of the said misconceptions on climate change and its respective realities.
One Major Contributor To Climate Change Is Aerosol Spray
In the past, aerosol cans contain chlorofluorocarbon (CFC), which causes the depletion of the stratospheric ozone. This depletion increases the ultraviolet radiation that harms more people, plants, and animals. Nowadays, however, companies make sure not to produce aerosol cans which have CFCs incorporated into it.
Many think aerosol sprays negatively impact the world, leading to a more severe climate change effect. However, this is not the case. In fact, aerosol spray cans have almost no contribution to this pressing issue.
A Few Temperature Changes Do Not Matter
“A few degrees are just minute.”
This statement has been one of the typical comments misinformed people utter. They think that this is the case since it had only been 4 to 5 degrees colder today than the temperature 12,000 years ago. Nevertheless, those few degrees were able to cause dramatic changes in today’s earth. To illustrate, the sea levels are now more or less 100 meters lower than before, and some parts of Britain experienced being under a mile of ice.
These small temperature changes are mainly caused by human activities – cutting trees to urbanize the lands, burning coal, gas, and oil for energy production, and more. To avoid negative climate change occurrences, it is best if we cut our emissions of greenhouse gases. You can do it by saving energy and changing the manufacturing process of food and other products.
Climate Change Brings Nicer Weather
A common misconception about climate change is it brings nicer weather to the earth. The reality is far from it though.
Climate change contributes to more complicated weather patterns. Some countries may be experiencing this kind of problem now wherein a country, supposedly in its summer or spring season, might have been exposed to continuous rains recently. These global temperature fluctuations increase the possibility of the occurrence of storms, droughts, floods, and other extreme events.
There Is Already Climate Change Before The Burning Of Coal And Oil
Many people do not believe that human activities, such as burning oil and coal, are the leading causes of climate change. This kind of thinking stemmed from the idea that the climate has been continuously changing even before these unpleasant human actions have occurred. In reality, however, climate change is happening due to the combination of both human and natural sources.
The good thing about this is that scientists can tell which occurrences are natural or human-made. According to the various researches, human-made carbon dioxide is the primary cause of climate change. They have also deduced that 80 percent of the said man-made carbon dioxide emissions come from the burning of oil, coal, natural gas, and other kinds of fossil fuels while 20 percent arise from land surface changes and deforestation.
The best way to avoid this kind of misinformation is to research these topics beforehand. This way, it will be easier to come up with initiatives and technological innovations that can address this pressing problem. Besides, every individual has the same task. It is everyone’s mission to create a world full of harmony where both human and nature can thrive and benefit together.


When assessing internal atmospheric conditions in a property, it is important to understand the prevailing conditions that could lead to persistent high humidity and ultimately mould, should adverse conditions prevail.
Cornerstone’s Humidity Calculator (Pro) will provide a clear graphical understanding of the atmospheric moisture conditions through a number of areas within the property compared to the exterior conditions as detailed in BS5250:2002. This will give a strong indication as to the influence the occupants are having on the internal conditions in specific areas.
As well as providing the graphical interpretation, the app also provides additional calculated data such as the Dew Point Temperature (Temperature at which condensation will form), Specific Humidity (weight of water in the air) and Vapour Pressure (the pressure generated by the absorbed moisture) etc in defined internal rooms. The supplied data will provide a clear understanding of the atmospheric conditions at the time of surveying. Understanding atmospheric moisture is key in understanding mould activity.


Toxic air pollutants are some of the most harmful contaminants in the atmosphere. Toxic substances such as those found in these pollutants have the potential to cause a wide range of health issues, including cancer.
Toxic air pollutants may be found in a wide variety of indoor and outdoor environments.
To name a few, these pollutants are created in a wide range of industrial settings as well as in transportation and transportation-related equipment. Because of their widespread usage, it is imperative that precautions be taken to limit one’s exposure to these potentially harmful substances.
Fortunately, there are a number of options available. Keep your windows closed when feasible, use an air purifier within and avoid spending time in locations with a lot of traffic outside to reduce your exposure to harmful particles.
Toxic air pollution may be lessened if you follow these basic precautionary measures.
Exposure to harmful air pollutants may have both short-term and long-term detrimental health impacts. Asthma and other respiratory problems may be exacerbated by short-term exposure, which can irritate the eyes, nose, and throat and cause coughing and trouble breathing. Increased heart attack risk is another side effect of this medication.
An increased risk of cancer, lung illness, and other chronic respiratory disorders has been related to long-term exposure to harmful air pollution. Exposure to these contaminants has also been linked to cognitive decline in children and premature mortality.
Toxic air pollutants must be kept to a minimum in order to safeguard public health.
Reducing emissions from industry and power plants is one way to address this, as is expanding the usage of air filters in residences and places of work.
Utah’s air quality has been a problem for a long time. Industrial activity in the state contributes to air pollution. Because of its basin location, air pollutants are more likely to be trapped and build up in the state.
Therefore, Utah’s air may be dangerous to breathe. For your own health and the health of your loved ones, there are a few steps you can take. To begin, have an air purifier installed in your home. As a result, the air we breathe will be cleaner and easier to breathe.
When pollution levels are excessive, it is best to avoid going outside at all. Before venturing outdoors, consult the air quality index to see whether it’s safe to do so.
Finally, make sure you’re getting enough water and balanced food. Air pollution exposure may cause health concerns, thus this will assist your body to cleanse itself. You may help protect yourself and your family from the hazardous impacts of air pollution by following these easy guidelines.
Air pollution’s impact on human health has been a hot topic in recent years.
Respiratory infections, heart disease, and cancer have all been linked to toxic air pollution. Because of this, many towns have taken initiatives to minimize emissions of these harmful substances.
The use of technology that catches hazardous emissions before they are discharged into the atmosphere is a popular method of enforcement. Another strategy is to promote the use of cleaner-burning fuels, such as natural gas or electric power.
Legislation limiting the emission of particular pollutants may be passed in certain instances. Toxic air pollutants may have a negative impact on people’s health if these and other measures are taken by communities.
Toxic air pollutants are still an issue, even though we’ve achieved significant progress in the fight against pollution. The good news is that there are things you can do to lessen your exposure to these harmful substances. Avoiding idling your automobile is an easy way to save money.
Toxic contaminants may be inhaled by surrounding walkers, bikers, and other motorists while your automobile is idling.
Keep your automobile idling away from people in a well-ventilated place. If you can avoid it, walking or bicycling instead of driving reduces your exposure to harmful air pollution. This will not only assist the environment but will also provide you with some much-needed physical activity.
Last but not least, make sure that your home and workplace are well ventilated. Opening windows and doors to let in fresh air is an excellent technique to dilute and disperse pollutants. You may help decrease your exposure to hazardous air pollutants by following these easy procedures.


Abstract : The major volcanic eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991 has been shown to have significant effects on stratospheric chemistry and ozone depletion even at mid-latitudes. Since then, only "moderate" but recurrent volcanic eruptions have modulated the stratospheric aerosol loading such as the eruption of the mid-latitude Sarychev volcano which injected 0.9 Tg of sulfur dioxide (about 20 times less than Pinatubo) in June 2009. In this study, we investigate the chemical impacts of the enhanced liquid sulfate aerosol loading resulting from this moderate eruption using data from a balloon campaign conducted in northern Sweden (Kiruna-Esrange, 67.5° N, 21.0° E) in August-September 2009. Balloon-borne observations of NO2, HNO3 and BrO from infrared and UV-visible spectrometers are compared with the outputs of a three-dimensional (3-D) Chemistry-Transport Model (CTM). It is shown that differences between observations and model outputs are not due to transport calculation issues but rather reflect the chemical impact of the volcanic plume below 19 km in altitude. Good measurement-model agreement is obtained when the CTM is driven by volcanic aerosol loadings derived from in situ or space-borne data. As a result of enhanced N2O5 hydrolysis in the Sarychev volcanic aerosol conditions, the model calculates reductions of ~ 45 % and increases of ~ 11 % in NO2 and HNO3 amounts respectively over the summer 2009 period. The decrease in NOx abundances is limited due to the expected saturation effect for high aerosol loadings. The links between the various chemical catalytic cycles involving chlorine, bromine, nitrogen and HOx compounds in the lower stratosphere are discussed. The increased BrO amounts (~ 22 %) compare rather well with the balloon-borne observations when volcanic aerosol levels are accounted for in the CTM and appear to be mainly controlled by the coupling with nitrogen chemistry rather than by enhanced BrONO2 hydrolysis. Simulated effects of the Sarychev eruption on chlorine activation and partitioning are very limited in the high temperature conditions in the stratosphere at the period considered, inhibiting the effect of ClONO2 hydrolysis. As a consequence, the simulated ozone loss due to the Sarychev aerosols is low with a reduction of 1.1 % of the ozone budget at 16.5 km. Some comparisons with the reported Pinatubo chemical impacts are also provided and overall the Sarychev aerosols have led to less chemical effects than the Pinatubo event.


2019 Nov 2, 11:02pm
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The issue was summarized by the Western Governors’ Association in their 2006 Biomass Task Force Report which noted:…over time the fire-prone forests that were not thinned, burn in uncharacteristically destructive wildfires, and the resulting loss of forest carbon is much greater than would occur if the forest had been thinned before fire moved through. …failing to thin leads to a greater greenhouse gas burden than the thinning created in the first place, and that doesn’t even account for the avoided fossil fuel greenhouse gas emissions due to the production of energy from the forest thinnings. In the long term, leaving forests overgrown and prone to unnaturally destructive wildfires means there will be significantly less biomass on the ground, and more greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.


The pressure used in the air leak test is the atmospheric pressure (or air pressure). Atmospheric pressure is the pressure generated by the weight of air. As we live on earth, atmospheric pressure is constantly applied to us and everything around us. The atmospheric pressure at sea level is 101325Pa (1013hPa) which means that we are pressed by a force of 1013hPa.The level of atmospheric pressure changes depending on the altitude. The uncomfortable feeling we get on our eardrum when we ride in an elevator to the highest floor of a high-rise building is the effect of the atmospheric pressure.
"We Are Mainly Deal In Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu"


NASA in Denver
Wondering why planes seem like they are flying low in the Denver metro area lately? NASA is doing some research on Denver's brown cloud and the main study area extends along the Northern Front Range from the Denver metropolitan area in the south to Fort Collins in the north extending eastward from the mountains as far as Greeley.
By doing this research, these detailed observations of air pollution from the surface up into the atmosphere will help improve the capability of future satellites to monitor air quality around the world. This project called DISCOVER-AQ will take place from July 16 to August 16, 2014.
Denver has been selected to measure ozone as this area contains a diverse mixture of air pollution sources that include transportation, power generation, oil and gas extraction, agriculture, natural vegetation and episodic wildfires. When data is complete, these findings will be applied to other large cities across the Country.
For more on this NASA study, here is a link to the complete article.