Session 8:
Physical Meteorology and Visibility

How does rain form? What effects does airborne pollution have on precipitation formation? What factors affect visibility? How do we measure visibility? In Session 8 we will discuss answers to these questions, and continue the discussion of the impact of air pollution on the atmosphere.

Session Objectives

How much of this do I already know?

Part 1: More About Aerosols
• Categorization of Aerosols and Their Sources
• Global Distribution of Aerosols


Part 2: Cloud Physics

• The Role of Aerosols in Cloud Formation
• Droplet Growth Processes
  • The Diffusion Process
  • The Collision-Coalescence Process
• Ice Formation
• Clouds and Air Quality
  • Cumulous and Cumulonimbus Clouds
  • Stratus and Nimbostratus Clouds


Part 3: Visibility

• Scattering Light
• Fog
• Haze (Special Feature: Gallery of Visibility Images)
• Smog


Part 4: Measuring Visibility

• Extinction Coefficient (bext)
• Visual Range (vr)
• Deciview (dv)
• Cumulative Frequency


Focus On Air Quality

Session Questions

Critique This Session

Begin This Session Part 1: More About Aerosols

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