Course syllabus

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SEE155 Environmental measurement techniques HT22 (7.5 hp)

This course is offered by the department of Space, Earth and Environment.

LINKS TO THIS PAGE WILL BE PUBLISHED AS THE COURSE PROGRESSES

Useful links

Contact details

  • Examiner and course responsible: Johan Mellqvist (JM)
  • Teachers:
  • Guest (research) lecturers:
    • Maxime Prignon, Chalmers/SEE/GEO
    • Samuel Brohede, FluxSense AB
    • Åsa Hallquist, IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute

Course purpose

This course will focus on how we measure environmental data related to different processes (e.g. meteorological transport, atmospheric chemistry) and to atmospheric state in time and space (e.g. concentration of gases and particles, radiation).
Observational data usually need to be extrapolated to a larger context and to be "translated" to the model representation of time and space. We will discuss how these measurements can be used as input to models and how measurement errors propagate. 
Projects and laboratory exercises in which real atmospheric and environmental measurements are carried out will constitute an important part of the course in order to give the students the opportunity to develop their practical skills.

Schedule

Schedule on TimeEdit

The plan of the works will be as follows:

Course activities

Week 1 (week number 44):

  • Tuesday 13:15-15:00: Introduction to the course and practical information (JM, SA)
  • Tuesday 15:15-17:00: Lecture on important environmental problems (JM)
  • Thursday 13:15-15:00: Lecture on spectroscopy  (SA)
  • Thursday 15:15-17:00:  Lecture on environmental remote sensing (SA)
  • Friday 10:00-11:45: Lecture on needs and complexity of measurements (JM) 

Week 2 (week number 45):

Students are divided into four groups: 1, 2, 3, 4 (three to four people each).

Groups 1 and 2 start with experiment A and groups 3, 4 start with experiment B.

Week 3 (week number 46):

Same groups than week 2.

  • Experiment A (groups 1, 2) 
    • Tuesday 15:15-17:00: Independent work, possibility of supervision (groups 1, 2; MP)
    • Thursday 15:15-17:00: Independent work, possibility of supervision (groups 1, 2; MP)
  • Experiment B (groups 3, 4) 
    • Tuesday 13:15-15:00: Independent work, possibility of supervision (groups 3, 4; VC)
    • Thursday 13:15-15:00: Independent work, possibility of supervision (groups 3, 4; VC)
  • Friday 13:15-15:00:  Lecture on remote sensing of the middle atmosphere (MP)

Week 4 (week number 47):

Groups switch to do the other experiment.

  • Experiment A (groups 3, 4) Note that this experiment takes place in ORS lab (EDIT building, floor 4, SEE department).
    • Tuesday 13:15-17:00: Introduction and work on experiment A (group 3; SA)
    • Thursday 13:15-17:00: Introduction and work on experiment A (group 4; SA)
  • Experiment B (groups 1, 2)
    • Tuesday 13:15-17:00: Introduction and planning of experiment (groups 1, 2; JM/VC)
    • Thursday 13:15-17:00: Presentation of plan for experiment (groups 1, 2; JM)
  • Friday 13:15-15:00: Lecture on measurement uncertainties (JM)

Week 5 (week number 48):

Same groups than week 4.

  • Experiment A (groups 3, 4) 
    • Tuesday 13:15-15:00: Independent work, possibility of supervision (groups 3, 4; JM/VC)
    • Thursday 13:15-15:00: Independent work, possibility of supervision (groups 3, 4; JM/VC)
  • Experiment B (groups 1, 2) 
    • Tuesday 15:15-17:00: Independent work, possibility of supervision (groups 1, 2; SA)
    • Thursday 15:15-17:00: Independent work, possibility of supervision (groups 1, 2; SA)
  • Friday 13:15-15:00: Guest lecture, Samuel Brohede, FluxSense AB, Measurements of VOC emission from oil and gas industries

Week 6 (week number 49):

Week 7 (week number 50):

  • Tuesday 13:15-15:00: Guest lecture: E. Thompson (GU), Experiments on ice nucleation
  • Thursday 13:15-17:00: Mini-workshop: All groups present their reports (all groups)
  • Friday 13:15-15:00: Wrap up and preparations for exam

Experiments and study visit are compulsory, final exam will include questions about lectures, experiments and study visit.

Course design

This is an experimental course with less emphasis in the techniques, and more on the planning, execution, reporting, and use of experimental work.

The course starts with a series of general lectures on measurement techniques, the principles of remote sensing, spectroscopy, and uncertainty analysis. This is used as the foundation for the design and practice of experiments. Knowledge is completed through quizzes and active learning in the classroom.

Experiments are designed to promote the creativity and initiative of the students. The goal is to gain insight on the complexity of all stages of an experiment and how to make use of the results for modelling purposes. Three experiments will be done using in-situ and remote sensing of gases, particles, and biological material under natural conditions.

Reports are essential for the course, they should be formulated clearly, completely, and accurately. They should allow another experimenter to reproduce the results.

Guest lectures and study visits will be offered to expand the views and share expertise related but not identical to what is learned through the experiments.

Supervision will be offered to plan, conduct, and analyze the results of experiments.

A seminar with presentations of results will be organized to compare and discuss the different findings.

The final exam will include questions from lectures, experiments, and the study visit.

Learning objectives and syllabus

Learning objectives:

  • Give examples of important environmental problems and explain the physical and chemical processes involved.
  • List different measurement techniques that are commonly used to address these environmental problems and perform the corresponding measurements.
  • Explain how geophysical information can be extracted from remote sensing and extractive measurements.
  • Describe data evaluation, from measurement to geophysical product.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of how uncertainties in measured data can affect model outputs.

Link to the syllabus on Studieportalen.

Study plan

Course literature

No course textbook, but material for reading will be distributed sequentially with the lectures.

Lecture Reference Details
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Safety considerations

  • The experiments of this course will not include the exposure to dangerous substances, nor the handling of dangerous equipment.
  • All equipment should be used with the consent and following instructions of a teacher.
  • There is also room for creativity in the design of the experiments, but any potential risk must be discussed and approved by the teachers.

Technical information:

Course summary:

Date Details Due