Real-world observations of the atmosphere are highly valuable for numerous applications, such as reliable weather forecasting, the optimised generation of renewable energy or an improved assessment of micro-climates and air quality that impact human health on a daily basis. A fundamental understanding of measurement principles, uncertainties and data quality control helps to ensure environmental measurements are used effectively.
This course gives an introduction to atmospheric measurements and showcases their application in three high-impact domains:
- Renewable energy generation through photovoltaics and wind turbines: assessment and forecasting of energy potential, energy generation and technology performance in real-world conditions, …
- Cloud dynamics: fog & stratus clouds, cumulus clouds & precipitation, cirrus clouds & contrails, …
- Urban climates: surface energy balance, urban heat island, wind and turbulence in the urban boundary layer, cooling potential of urban vegetation, greenhouse gas emissions, …
The course gives an overview on relevant atmospheric measurement techniques, detailing their capabilities, limitations, and uncertainties. Tools and methods are discussed that facilitate the interpretation and quality control of observational data. Observations collected at the SIRTA observatory on the École Polytechnique campus and across the Paris region are exploited in the context of dedicated data analysis projects.
Numerus clausus: 25
Course language: English
