Graduate Courses
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EAS6121 - Modeling and Computer Programming for Geosciences
The purpose of this course is to give students first-hand experience on the whole development process of problem solving from mathematically describing a problem to solving it on high performance computing systems. The course covers a broad range of topics but focuses on basic concepts and uses simple examples in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. The idea is to let students to learn a bit of everything that is essential for carrying out their research via numerical modeling and high performance computing. The students will be able to explore more sophisticated methods on their own after taking this course. This course is specifically designed to introduce the student to the basic skills that are needed to carry out numerical modeling projects in his/her research field.
EAS6121 - Modeling and Computer Programming for Geosciences
Syllabus: Click hereCredits: 3.0Lecture: 3.0
Prerequisites: Basic understanding of partial differential equations and thermodynamicsThe purpose of this course is to give students first-hand experience on the whole development process of problem solving from mathematically describing a problem to solving it on high performance computing systems. The course coves a broad range of topics but focuses on basic concepts and uses simple examples in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. The idea is to let students to learn a bit of everything that is essential for carrying out their research via numerical modeling and high performance computing. The students will be able to explore more sophisticated methods on their own after taking this course. This course is specifically designed to introduce the student to the basic skills that are needed to carry out numerical modeling projects in his/her research field.
EAS6122 - Biogeochemical Cycles
A multi-disciplinary exploration of the chemical, physical, geological, and biological processes that cycle the nutrient elements through the Earth system and thereby maintain a habitable planet.
Research Topics: Atmospheric Chemistry, Aerosols & Clouds GeochemistryEAS6124 - Oceanography
Credits: 3.0Lecture: 3.0Lab: 0.0This course is an introduction to the ocean sciences, with particular focus on the role of the ocean in the geological, biological, chemical, physical, climatic, and human aspects of the Earth system. The class covers also interdisciplinary aspects of oceanography like El Niño, Global Warming, The Carbon Cycle, Iron and Biogeochemical Cycles, Life in the Deep Ocean, Hydrothermal Vents, Oceanography from Space, Deep Ocean Explorations.
Research Topics: GeochemistryEAS6125 - Water Quality Modeling
Syllabus: Click hereCredits: 3.0Lecture: 3.0
Prerequisites: EAS3620 or EAS 6214 or CEE 6313 and EAS 3603 or CHEM 3411The focus of this course is to gain hands-on experience inn modeling using the geochemical software packages commonly found in the environmental consulting industry. In addition to becoming familiar with these software packages, students will gain a better understanding of the governing geochemical principles pertaining to the movement and transformation of contaminants as well as other species in the subsurface through a series of applied case studies. The regulatory environment in which environmental consulting is done and implications for society are discussed as well.
Research Topics: GeochemistryEAS6128 - Fluids in the Earth's Crust
Prerequisites: EAS 4515Credits: 3.0Lecture: 3.0Lab: 0.0Advanced treatment of fluid flow, heat transfer and reactive transport in porous and cracked rocks; stability of flow; double-diffusive systems; evolution of permeability in geologic systems; introduction to multiphase flow.
EAS6132 - Introduction to Climate Change
The climate of the Earth, its radiation budget, greenhouse gases and their sources and sinks, potential changes due to anthropogenic activities, detection of climate changes.
EAS6134 - Inverse Methods and Time Series Analysis
Credits: 3.0Lecture: 3.0Lab: 0.0Atmospheric sciences theory of data acquisition, time series analysis, and discrete inverse theory, with applications in the Earth and Atmospheric Sciences.
EAS6135 - Introduction to Complex Environmental Systems
Credits: 3.0Lecture: 3.0The objective of the course is to introduce students to the concepts of environmental complexity through a tangible exploration of the inter-relationships between natural (air, land, water, and biomes), human (demography, economy, equity, and sustainability), and built systems (energy, transportation, water resources, waste management, and land use). Students will draw on experiences, examples, and current events afforded by the proximity of metropolitan Atlanta, and will develop an open-code computer model that simulates and predicts regional system performance as it relates to quality of life. The course will include guest lectures from multiple research and academic faculty, and outside guests representing local government, business and industry, and non-governmental organizations.
EAS6136 - Paleoclimatology and Paleooceanography
This course will explore the history of the Earth's climate, covering methods for reconstructing past climate and the mechanisms behind these climate changes.
Research Topics: GeochemistryEAS6140 - Thermodynamics of Atmospheres and Oceans
Description pending.
Research Topics: Atmospheric Chemistry, Aerosols & CloudsEAS6145 - Remote Sensing of the Atmosphere and Oceans
This course provides a foundation for understanding the physical principles of remote sensing of the atmosphere and oceans. The course is designed as a collection of lectures and computer modeling laboratories. The lectures focus on the fundamentals of the interactions between electromagnetic radiation and atmospheric gases, aerosols and clouds, and ocean surfaces, covering the spectrum from the ultraviolet through the microwave. The labs provide hands-on experience in using remote sensing data for various applications in atmospheric and oceanic sciences. Topics to be covered include aerosol and cloud property retrievals, ozone and air pollution characterization, vertical temperature and humidity profile retrievals, sea ice characterization, and retrievals of ocean color and sea surface temperature. The main goal of the course is to provide a broad conceptual framework for physical understanding the methodology and applications of remote sensing.
Research Topics: Atmospheric Chemistry, Aerosols & Clouds Remote SensingEAS6211 - Geochemical Thermodynamics
Fundamental principles of chemical equilibria in geochemical systems with emphasis on solution properties and mineral water equilibria.
Research Topics: GeochemistryEAS6212 - Geochemical Kinetics
Prerequisites: EAS 6211Credits: 3.0Lecture: 3.0Lab: 0.0Fundamental principles of biogeochemical kinetics and mathematical treatment of coupled transport and reaction in natural environments. Interpretation of field and experimental data using kinetic theory.
Research Topics: GeochemistryEAS6214 - Aqueous Geochemistry
Prerequisites: EAS 6211Credits: 3.0Lecture: 3.0Lab: 0.0Chemical processes that regulate compositions of natural waters at or near the Earth's surface, with emphasis on quantitative calculations of acid-base, solubility, and redox equilibria.
Research Topics: GeochemistryEAS6216 - Isotope Geochemistry
Biogeochemical significance of nuclear isotopes, both radioactive and stable.
Research Topics: GeochemistryEAS6240 - Organic Geochemistry
Credits: 3.0Lecture: 3.0Lab: 0.0Origin and transformation of organic matter in the Earth's environments, with emphasis on properties and reactions of highly complex mixtures such as humic substances.
Research Topics: GeochemistryEAS6311 - Physics of the Earth
Physics of the Earth's interior. Composition and structure of core, mantle crust. Introduction to seismic wave propagation, gravitational, geomagnetic, and temperature fields.
EAS6312 - Geodynamics
Physics of the Earth's interior. Composition and structure of core, mantle crust. Introduction to seismic wave propagation, gravitational, geomagnetic, and temperature fields.
EAS6314 - Seismology
Credits: 3.0Lecture: 3.0Lab: 0.0The propagation of seismic waves, the description of earthquake motion and evaluation of earthquake damage. Examples provide experience in the interpretation of seismic data.
EAS6320 - Structural Geology and Continuum Mechanics
Prerequisites: EAS 2600Credits: 4.0Lecture: 3.0Lab: 3.0Structural geology and continuum mechanics for scientists and civil engineers. Stress and strain in rocks; faults, joints, and folds; basic field mapping, laboratory exercises.
EAS6405 - Introduction to Atmospheric and Aqueous Chemistry
An introduction to the basics of atmospheric and aqueous chemistry for first semester graduate students. The class goes over photochemistry, thermodynamics, kinetics, redox systems, carbon chemistry, radioactive and stable isotopes, and gas/solid reactions.
Research Topics: Atmospheric Chemistry, Aerosols & CloudsEAS6410 - Atmospheric Chemistry
Application of fundamental principles of chemistry to understanding the critical factors controlling the levels and distributions of atmospheric trace gases and their variation in time.
Research Topics: Atmospheric Chemistry, Aerosols & CloudsEAS6420 - Atmospheric Chemical Instrumentation
Credits: 4.0Lecture: 3.0Lab: 3.0Instrumentation Introduction to the mechanical, electrical, and optical aspects of modern instrumentation used in atmospheric chemical research.
Research Topics: Atmospheric Chemistry, Aerosols & CloudsEAS6421 - Sensor Design-Atmospheric Chemistry
Prerequisites: EAS 6420Credits: 5.0Lecture: 3.0Lab: 6.0Fundamental analysis of factors controlling sensitivity, and detectivity of research instrumentation used in atmospheric chemistry including derivations of signal strength relationships and the extraction of weak signals from atmospheric and instrument noise.
EAS6430 - Experimental Methods in Air Quality
Credits: 3.0Lecture: 2.0Lab: 1.0Presents experimental and field methods through a focus on measurements of atmospheric gases and particulates associated with poor air quality. Experiments will involve laboratory measurements and an air quality field experiment on the order of 1-week duration.
Research Topics: Atmospheric Chemistry, Aerosols & CloudsEAS6490 - Advanced Environmental Data Analysis
This course is an advanced introduction to environmental data analysis and intended for first year graduate students. The goal of this class is to provide a deeper understanding of the theories and applications underlying the statistical analysis of environmental data, both in the space, time and spectral domain, and to provide the students with a hands-on experience. Ideally in the end of this class you will have developed a series of computer programming tool boxes and theoretical skills that should immediately be available for analyzing and modeling data in your own research. Although some preview knowledge of probability and statistics is required, a background review will be provided. Concepts and notation will be reintroduced as needed. In this class you will learn (a) how to combine models, which quantify statistical or dynamical relationships with observations (b) time series analysis, (c) forecasting and extrapolation, and (d) signal decomposition.
EAS6502 - Introductory Fluid Dynamics and Synoptic Meteorology
An introduction to the fundamental concepts underlying our current understanding of atmospheric fluid dynamics and its relation to mid latitude weather processes. The course includes both a theoretical component and a synoptic meteorology component focusing on meteorological data, observational analyses, large-scale weather systems, mid latitude cyclone development, and numerical weather prediction.
EAS6512 - Dynamic Meteorology
Prerequisites: EAS 6511Credits: 3.0Lecture: 2.0Lab: 3.0An introduction to the use of geophysical fluid dynamics in describing and modeling the atmosphere.
EAS6522 - Dynamics of the Tropical Atmospheres and Oceans
Credits: 3.0Lecture: 3.0Lab: 0.0Ocean-atmosphere interaction in the tropics. The scales will range from local, through regional to global. The emphasis is on physical aspects of interaction and the modeling of these processes. Exercises will be set each week using a variety of models, ranging from one-dimensional mixed layer models to general circulation models.
EAS6532 - Large-Scale Atmospheric Circulations
Prerequisites: EAS 4655 or EAS 6502Credits: 3.0Lecture: 3.0Lab: 0.0An introduction to the phenomenology and dynamics of large-scale atmospheric variations having time scales of a week and longer. Using papers from the recent scientific literature and real-time analyses, we will overview the basic characteristics, underlying physics, and current status of a number of large-scale atmospheric phenomena. Topics will include weather regimes, storm track variability, stratospheric polar vortex variability, El Nino-Southern Oscillation, teleconnections, monsoon circulations, the Arctic and Quasi-Biennial Oscillations, and stratosphere-troposphere coupling. The class format will include reading assignments and student presentations.
EAS6751 - Physical Properties and Rheology of Rocks
Credits: 3.0Lecture: 2.0Lab: 3.0Structure, physical properties, and rheology of minerals and rocks with applications to engineering structures and natural phenomena in the earth. Fundamentals of rock mechanics and crack propagation. Cross listed with CEE 6751.
EAS6765 - Geomicrobiology
Prerequisites: EAS 3601 and (BIOL 4410 or BIOL 4418)Credits: 3.0Lecture: 3.0Lab: 0.0Interactions between microorganisms and the geosphere; microbial energetics and genetics; geochemical controls on microbial diversity and activity; redox and acid-base balances; biogeochemical cycles; evolution. Cross listed with BIOL 6765.
Research Topics: GeochemistryEAS6790 - Air Pollution Physics and Chemistry
Interaction to the physical and chemical processes affecting the dynamics and fate of air pollutants at the local, regional, and global scales. Particular emphasis is on tropospheric pollutant chemistry and transport. Cross listed with CEE 6790.
Research Topics: Atmospheric Chemistry, Aerosols & CloudsEAS6792 - Air Pollution Meteorology and Chemistry
Credits: 3.0Lecture: 3.0Lab: 0.0Air pollution history, atmospheric stability and boundary layer dynamics, atmospheric dispersion, atmospheric transport, air pollution modeling. Cross listed with CEE 6792.
Research Topics: Atmospheric Chemistry, Aerosols & CloudsEAS6793 - Atmospheric Boundary Layer
Structure and dynamics of atmospheric boundary layers. Introduction to turbulence and turbulent transport. Cross listed with CEE 6793.
EAS6795 - Atmospheric Aerosols
Prerequisites: EAS 6410 and (EAS 6790 or CEE 6790)Credits: 3.0Lecture: 3.0Lab: 0.0Chemical and physical properties of natural and anthropogenic aerosols. Sources, transport, transformation, and fate of primary/secondary, organic/inorganic, atmospheric semi-volatiles and aerosols Cross listed with CEE 6795.
Research Topics: Atmospheric Chemistry, Aerosols & CloudsEAS8001 - Seminar
Credits: 1.0Lecture: 1.0Lab: 0.0A forum for graduate students in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences to present and discuss topics related to their research interests.
EAS8011 - Seminar
Credits: 1.0Lecture: 1.0Lab: 0.0A forum for graduate students in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences to present and discuss topics related to their research interests.
EAS8012 - Seminar
Credits: 2.0Lecture: 2.0Lab: 0.0A forum for graduate students in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences to present and discuss topics related to their research interests.
EAS8013 - Seminar
Credits: 3.0Lecture: 3.0Lab: 0.0A forum for graduate students in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences to present and discuss topics related to their research interests.
EAS8802 - Linking Weather and Climate
Problems of weather and climate were historically treated separately in the field of atmospheric sciences, despite the fact that the real system is a continuum. In recent decades, the need to understand linkages between short-term weather fluctuations and long-term climate variations has increased drastically since the characteristics (e.g., frequency and intensity) of severe and hazardous weather (e.g., tornadoes and hurricanes) are projected to change as the global warming continues. The goal of this seminar course is to introduce to participants past observations, existing theories, and ongoing modeling efforts related to this topic through extensive paper review and class discussion. The emphasis will be on interactions between synoptic-scale weather variability (periods of about 1 week) and climate variations of a season or longer.
Research Topics: Dynamics of Weather & ClimateEAS8803 - Scientific Computing
Credits: 3.0Lecture: 3.0Lab: 0.0Pending.
EAS8803 - Atmospheric Radiative Transfer
Credits: 3.0Lecture: 3.0Lab: 0.0The atmospheric radiative transfer is central to understanding the workings of the climate system. This course covers the physical principles, quantitative analysis, and numerical modeling of atmospheric radiation and its interaction with atmospheric constituents (gases, aerosol, and clouds) and the surface. Topics to be covered include the radiative balance at the surface, radiative forcing at the top of the atmosphere, radiative heating/cooling rates, actinic fluxes, methods for solving the one- and three-dimensional radiative transfer, radiation codes in regional and global atmospheric dynamical models, among others.
EAS8803 - Environment and Health
The course will offer a broad overview of the relationships between environmental factors and health in humans and other living organisms. In particular, the course will focus on how the health and well-being of organisms are affected by the chemistry of the natural environment, that is, the abundance, forms and availability of chemical elements in rocks, soils, natural waters and air. Health impacts of anthropogenic perturbations of natural ecosystems, including those related to ongoing global environmental change, will also be considered. Students will be introduced to concepts and principles from a variety of disciplines – environmental biology, ecology, toxicology, epidemiology, geochemistry, atmospheric chemistry, and bioinorganic chemistry. The course will be illustrated through a selected number of case studies. While the course has no specific prerequisites, students will be expected to have a college-level knowledge of physics, chemistry, biology, statistics and earth/environmental sciences.
Research Topics: Dynamics of Weather & ClimateEAS8803 - Mineral Surface Geochemistry
Interactions of aqueous solutions with the surface of minerals and particles with emphasis on molecular and thermodynamic models of ion sorption in complexation reactions, crystal growth and dissolution processes in Earth environments.
EAS8803 - Climate Seminar: Monsoons - Past, Present, Future
Credits: 3.0Lecture: 3.0Lab: 0.0We will cover the basics of monsoon circulation, examine various paleoclimatic approaches to the reconstruction of monsoon circulation (oceanographic records, cave deposits, lake records), and look at how monsoons might change as CO2 rises in the atmosphere. There will be an emphasis on the Asian Monsoon, but we will also consider examples from other monsoon systems.
EAS8803 - Physical Hydrology
The course will focus on state of the art issues in hydrology - mostly regional to small scales. As currently envisioned each class we will focus on 2-3 papers. Each set of papers will be both complementary, yet pose differing points of view. Each session will have a group leader - a student - who will lay out what each paper is trying to get at and how the authors approach the problem differently. Once the presentation is complete, the remainder of the period will be for discussion. All the students will be required to read the papers. and the whole class will be expected to\r\nparticipate in the discussion period.
EAS8803 - Ocean Dynamics
An advanced class for graduate students in Oceanography and Climate Science that studies the basic equations governing rotating geophysical flows with application to the ocean circulation. This course includes a theoretical component on geophysical fluid dynamics and one involving a combination of observations, theory and numerical modeling relevant to understand the large scale ocean circulation.
EAS8824 - Exploration Geophysics Interpretation and Field Methods Course Laboratory Exercises
Credits: 3.0Lecture: 3.0Lab: 0.0Pending.