Engs43 Syllabus - Winter 2012

Course description

Introduction to movement and transformation of substances released in the natural environment. Fundamentals of advection, dispersion and reaction. Aggregation and parameterization of various mixing processes, leading to dispersion at larger spatial and temporal scales. Importance of heterogeneity, anisotropy and stratification in natural media. Basic principles are illustrated by application to atmospheric, river and estuarine pollution problems. Case studies include urban smog, acid precipitation, Chernobyl and Fukushimafall-out, and stratospheric ozone depletion.

Prerequisites

MATH-13 (Calculus of vector-valued functions)
ENGS-37 (Introduction to Environmental Engineering)
or permission of the instructor

Instructor

Benoit Cushman-Roisin
134 Cummings Hall
Telephone: 1-603-646-3248
Email: Benoit.Cushman.Roisin@dartmouth.edu

Teaching Assistants

Samuel Hui

Primary Source of Material:

Professor's notes, posted on this website at
http://thayer.dartmouth.edu/~d30345d/courses/engs43.html

Reference Textbooks

Introduction to Environmental Engineering and Science
by Gilbert M. Masters and Wendell P. Ela
Prentice-Hall, 3^rd edition, © 2008

Environmental Modeling - Fate and Transport of Pollutants in Water, Air, and Soil
by Jerald L. Schnoor
Wiley-Interscience, © 1996

A Basic Introduction to Pollutant Fate and Transport
by Frank M. Dunnivant and Elliot Anders
Wiley-Interscience, © 2006

Course Objectives

• 1. Knowledge of the main forms of outdoor pollution, in both air and water
• 2. Ability to discern whether a form of outdoor pollution is serious or benign
• 3. Understanding of the various forms of dispersion in environmental fluids
• 4. Ability to estimate diffusivities in environmental fluids
• 5. Knowledge of the basic types of possible chemical and biological
  transformations naturally occurring in outdoor air and water
• 6. Basic understanding the role of meteorology on air pollution
• 7. Basic understanding of environmental hydraulics

Course Format

• Lectures by instructor (132 MacLean, MWF, 11:15-12:20)
• Occasional use of X-hour to make up for holidays(132 MacLean, Tuesday 12:00-12:50)
• Weekly graded homeworks (Friday to Friday)
• TAs will run review sessions (to be scheduled, likely in the evening)
• Group term project
• Take-home mid-term examination (2+ days, open books)
• Final Examination (several days, open books)

Grading

• 25% Homeworks
• 20% Group project
• 25% Mid-term exam
• 30% Final exam

Academic Honor Code

As always, students are expected to observe all aspects of Dartmouth's Academic Honor Principle, as defined in Organization, Regulations and Courses. In this course, collaboration is allowed during homework preparation, although students have to turn in their individual answers. No collaboration whatsoever is allowed during the mid-term and final examinations. During those assignments, questions can only be directed to the instructor or the TAs.

Dartmouth College policy requires that any apparent violation of the Honor Code be reported to the Committee on Standards. The professor does not have another choice, regardless of how he/she may feel.

Note on laptop use in class

Use of laptop computers is forbidden during class. The only granted exception is to students with documented writing disabilities who need a computer for note taking.

Note to students with disabilities

Students with any type of disability are encouraged to contact the instructor to discuss their needs and what accommodations are necessary. Such contact should be made at the beginning of the term or, in the case of a new condition, as soon as it occurs.