Cloud Microphysics

Please follow this link for the course information retrieved from the ETH semester programme.

The learning objective of this course is that students understand the formation of clouds and precipitation under current conditions and in a changing climate.

Prerequite for this course: at least one introductory lecture in Atmospheric Science or instructor's consent.

This course consists of 2 lectures and 1 hour tutorial per week (see Semesterprogramm) Tuesdays from 10:15h to 13h in the CHN building, room E46.

Outline of the lectures:

• 18.09.2012 Introduction (Berko Sierau)
• 25.09.2012 Structure of water and ice (Berko Sierau)
• 02.10.2012 Thermodynamics necessary for cloud formation (Berko Sierau)
• 09.10.2012 Surface properties of water (Berko Sierau)
• 16.10.2012 Köhler curve: corrected notes from Oct 9 (Ulrike Lohmann)
• 23.10.2012 Hydrodynamics of hydrometeors (Ulrike Lohmann)
• 30.10.2012 Warm cloud microphysics (Ulrike Lohmann)
• 06.11.2012 Homogeneous nucleation (Berko Sierau)
• 13.11.2012 Heterogeneous nucleation: current state of knowledge (Ulrike Lohmann)
• 20.11.2012 Cold cloud microphysics (Ulrike Lohmann)
• 27.11.2012 Aerosols, clouds and climate (Ulrike Lohmann)
• 04.12.2012 IN measurements and hot topics in ice nucleation research (André Welti)
• 11.12.2012 Geoengineering and weather modification (Ulrike Lohmann and Berko Sierau)
• 18.12.2012 Student presentations with nucleation model (Ulrike Lohmann, Joel Corbin and Kasja Witlox)

Outline of the tutorials:

• 25.09.2012  Distribution of assignment 1
• 02.10.2012  Questions assign. 1
• 09.10.2012  Collecting assign. 1, distribution of assign. 2
• 16.10.2012  Debriefing assign. 1, questions assign. 2
• 23.10.2012  Collecting assign. 2, distribution of assign. 3
• 30.10.2012  Debriefing assign. 2, questions assign. 3
• 06.11.2012  Collecting assign. 3, distribution of assign. 4
• 13.11.2012  Debriefing assign. 3, questions assign. 4
• 20.11.2012  Collecting assign. 4, distribution of assign. 5, Matlab example (MATLAB script), Introduction Matlab (Introduction MATLAB )
• 27.11.2012  Debriefing assign. 4, questions assign. 5, introduction of IN model
• 04.12.2012  Collecting assign. 5, distribution of assign. 6 (presentation assignment)
• 11.12.2012  Questions assign. 6 (assignment tasks, model issues, etc.)
• 18.12.2012  Presentation of assignment 6 (10:00 - 12:45, sandwiches and drinks provided)

The teaching assistants for this course are Joel Corbin and Kasja Witlox

Marks will be based on the written exam. Students need to get at least Mark 4 (60%) in order to obtain the 4 credit points. In addition there are 5 assignments and one student presentation, which are marked on a pass (>60%)/fail basis. Assignments need to be passed in order to write the written exam.