Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Physics

Getting to know us weekend

● We apply Math, Physics, and computing to study complicated systems related to the Earth, and other planets

○ Strong link between fundamental research in Physics (Fluid Dynamics, Spectroscopy, numerical methods, etc.) with practical applications

● Many Real World Applications:○ Stratospheric Ozone Loss○ Present and Future Climate Change○ Mantle Convection○ Exoplanet Identification

What we do

Why study in EAPP? ● Lots of fantastic faculty and students ● Fantastic Research Infrastructure available

○ Eureka Lab○ Spectroscopy Lab○ Atmospheric Observatory○ Advanced Research Computing: Scinet ○ Seismology Lab

● Strong community with many seminars/activities○ Brewer Wilson Student Seminars○ Atmospheric Physics Seminars○ Noble Lectures○ J. Tuzo WIlson Lectures ○ Centre for Global Change Studies Seminars

● Many Career Paths possible (research, industry, professional)

Can I study in EAPP?● Yes!

○ The most important thing is that you have a strong background in math and physics

○ If you’re sitting here then you have the background to join the group!● Typically students take courses in a wide array of areas

○ Fundamental Physics○ Data Analysis ○ Subject Specific Courses

● Many professors have multiple active research projects and are seeking students

○ Talk to them!○ Many things are possible!

Atmosphere/Ocean/Climate Dynamics

● Geophysical Fluid Dynamics:○ Fundamental Turbulence Modelling○ Internal Waves○ Simplified Modelling ○ Field Measurements

● Climate Modelling ○ Ice Age simulations○ Climate Change simulations○ Sea Ice○ Hydrological Cycle

● Experimental:○ Space-based remote sensing○ Instrument and mission development○ Calibration and validation of satellite

instruments ○ Field campaigns, observatories, and

networks, laboratory● Data assimilation, inverse modeling:

○ Exploitation of satellite data sets○ Chemical data assimilation○ Inverse modeling of carbon fluxes

Atmospheric Composition

Planetary and Geophysics● Geophysics

○ Pattern Formation○ Inverse Modelling ○ Mantle Convection

● Planetary Physics○ Structure and Composition of

Exoplanets ○ Planetary Development ○ Planetary Atmospheres

My Thesis:Experimental Side

Experimental: Constrain city emissions

Want to know concentration of a gas

Measured spectra

Remote sensing

y=f (x)

Experiment

Results

Monitor emissions of greenhouse gases from Toronto

We have made measurements of CO2, CH4, CO, and N2O for 4 months.

We found that CH4 (methane) has strong wind direction dependence, suggesting a nearby source. Possibly a natural gas leak?

My Thesis:Numerical Side

Numerical: Constrain global CO2 fluxes

FLUX

Want to know flux

Measure atmospheric CO2

Data assimilation

y=f (x)

Observations will be assimilated

FLUX

Want to know flux

y=f (x)

--Experiment

Assimilate atmospheric CO2 observations to improve biosphere flux estimates

Data assimilation

Results● We estimate anomalies in fluxes

of CO2 from the terrestrial biosphere in the summer of 2013.

● We find that there is an anomalous flux of CO2 to the atmosphere in California, over the same period as a drought conditions and a warm summer

Numerical: Constrain global CO2 fluxes

Measure atmospheric CO2

Join the EAPP group!

Come visit us and talk with faculty in MP713 from 1:00-2:30pm and learn

more about research in EAPP