Atmospheric Physics and Climate

This module consists of three parts corresponding to the three half semesters in which they are taught.

  • Firstly, students are taught the basic and advanced physical concepts of atmospheric physics, thermodynamics, dynamics, atmospheric components and radiative transfer, which is essential for research into climate processes and the interaction of factors.
  • Then, advanced knowledge of instrumentation in the acquisition of atmospheric parameters, both ground-based and satellite sensors, is taught.
  • Finally, the most up-to-date knowledge of climate modelling and data processing is taught.

All subjects are experimental in nature and contain laboratory practices, so they require supervision in the laboratory by the lecturer, which makes them classroom-based. Other specific competences acquired by students following the ‘Atmospheric Physics and Climate’ specialisation:

  • Understanding of the physical basis of the instrumentation related to climate and atmosphere sciences.
  • Expertise knowledge of data series analysis.
  • Capability to interpret measurements and results provided by hardware systems and models.
  • Knowledge of interaction between different climatic and atmospheric factors at planetary scale.

One of the main challenges of the Atmosphere and Climate community is the study of atmosphere optical and physical properties by means of the most novel techniques. Both ground-based and satellite instrumentation are suitable tools for these studies.

Although the study of the atmosphere encompasses different lines of work, among which meteorology occupies a preponderant role, the overall objective is the study of the factors that contribute to climate change.

Climate change is a reality and the polar areas are the best tests of the planet to confirm it, as shown by the results of melting ice in the polar areas detected by satellites since they were put into operation in the late 1970s.

Other atmospheric phenomena such as the ozone hole are key indicators confirming atmospheric dynamics and perturbations in the ozone layer.

There are currently several constellations of satellites dedicated to the study of atmospheric properties, the results of which are helping to generate a global map of climate dynamics.

The teaching staff of this speciality of the Master is composed of PhD professors from the University of Valladolid and other international centres such as the University of Lille (France) or the German Aerospace Institute. The UVa groups involved belong to the Departments of Theoretical Atomic Physics and Optics and Applied Physics. This speciality is led by the Group of Atmospheric Optics (GOA) which includes atmospheric studies from ground stations and satellite observations. The groups are:

Arctic Campaigns