PHYS 650 – Special Topics in Experimental Atmospheric Physics

Spring 2009

 

Course Project

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  • Introduction to the course project

Each student is supposed to design, build, calibrate, and use instrumentation to measure optical properties of the atmosphere. A term paper and an oral presentation of the project will be required at the end of the course. The Project will contribute to 50% of the final grade divided into:

-               Project execution (25%).

-               Oral presentation of the project in the last class (10%).

-               Term paper describing the project and main results in a format similar to a Journal publication (15%).

Project term paper: You have to submit a term paper, and prepare an oral presentation about your project. The term paper will be due one week after the oral presentation. The grading will be based on the quality of the experimental work, the technical writing and your oral presentation. Though the project and the oral presentation will be developed in group, the term paper is individual and should reflect your own writing style and comprehension. The paper is to be written for an audience of the area that is assumed to have some scientific background, but do not know your particular experiment or ideas. There are many resources on the net on how to write a report or a term paper. We strongly recommend you to search for them.

 

Hint: Start early and keep up with the Course Project! The project is a great tool for learning and to expose you to new challenges. Work as much as you can with the course instructors in order to develop, design, and execute your project.

 

More information will be posted here as it becomes available.

 

1.      Project: Construction of atmospheric radiometers-I:

            (See project Part I discussion in Class #3)

1.1              Objectives

  • Construction of an optical instrument for the measurement of solar radiances using photodiodes and portable spectrometers;
  • Measurement of atmospheric properties using sun photometry.

 

1.2              Activities

·                    Conceptual Design and utilization of a sunphotometer

·                    Simulation of the solar signal arriving at the surface

·                    Sensitivity issues, Signal to noise limitations and possible solutions;

·                    Characterization of the instrument components, sensors, and electronics

 

1.3              Sources and complimentary information

  • Basic Principles on Instrument Design
  • Optics (FOV, lenses, etc.)
  • Optoelectronic components
  • Radiometric analysis and signal to noise ratio (SNR) simulations

 

2.      Project: Construction of atmospheric radiometers-II:

2.1              Objectives

  • Construction of an optical instrument for the measurement of sky and moon radiances using photodiodes and portable spectrometers;
  • Measurement of sky, and moon radiances and their applications.

 

2.2              Activities

  • Conceptual design and construction of a sky radiometer and/or moon photometer
  • Design of the required optics
  • Simulation of the sky and moon signals arriving at the surface
  • Sensitivity issues, Signal to noise limitations and possible solutions;
  • Characterization of the instrument components, sensors, spectrometers, etc.

 

2.3              Sources and complimentary information

  • Aeronet webpage and references

 

 

 

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