Welcome to the course website for EASC10127, Earth's Atmospheric Composition. It contains all the material you need to complete the course. 

• We will explore the chemical composition of the atmosphere, with an emphasis on the troposphere that includes the air in which we live and breathe, and the surface processes and atmospheric chemistry and transport that determine its variability. 

• We will cover the fundamentals of atmospheric chemistry (kinetics, photolysis, spectroscopy) so there is no chemistry pre-requisite to this course. The course is focused on delivering content using online material, in-class interaction and problem sets. 

• We will make use of current news, as appropriate.

Course administrator: Mr Johan De Klerk (0131 650 7010)

Recent new items

Week 1: Introduction/course overview/atmospheric properties/simple models

Week 2: Stratospheric chemistry

Week 3: Tropospheric chemistry 1 - CO, CH4, nitrogen oxides, ozone

Week 4: Tropospheric chemistry 2 - ozone pollution, acid rain

Week 5: Tropospheric chemistry 3 - emissions & dry/wet deposition

Week 6: Tropospheric chemistry 4 - aerosols

Week 7: Biogeochemical cycles

Week 8: Air quality and human health

Week 9: Atmospheric chemistry and transport

Lecture location and times: 

Monday and Tuesdays 1210-1300, JCMB 6201

Project laboratories: 

Weeks 3, 5, and 7: Tuesdays, 1510-1600, Murchison House, Teaching Studio MH_G.09 

A summary of the 25/26 teaching semester 2 for this course is shown below.

Course learning outcomes will be assessed using a formal exam in the May 2026 diet (worth 60%) and a group-led project (worth 40%) that includes individual components. 

The group-led project will be run throughout the course.

• The purpose of this group assessment is for you and your group to develop some ideas about a topic covered by the Earth’s Atmospheric Composition course.

• You will be asked to choose one of two projects that cover the range of subjects within the course.

• Each subject will be accompanied by 10+ peer-review papers and report that will help you craft

• Given the typical cohort size, we anticipate a group size of five students -- groups will be decided in class.

• The assessed component will include written responses based on a proposal format used by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). As a group, you will be expected to write a summary of your idea (300 words) and to explain how you have designed your work (1500 words). As an individual, you will explain the importance of your proposed research and how it has the potential to advance current understanding (1000 words).

• Further details are available here.

• This assessment will be discussed in class during Week 1 and groups will be assigned in Week 2. We will hold project labs during weeks 3, 5, and 7 so groups can interact with full-time researchers. 

• The submission date for the group project is Wednesday of Week 10 , Semester 2, at midday.

The final exam will contain two (equally weighted) quantitative questions. Past exam papers for this course (listed as EASC10102) include example quantitative questions - the short essay question are not longer used. [Access to the exam papers require you to be on the University network]

I use an inverted lecture model in which core (book-work) material is delivered on-line before the physical lecture that can then focus on understanding material, current science and problem solving (including computer practicals that do not require knowledge of coding). 

• Introduction to Atmospheric Chemistry by Jacob (Recommended) 

• The Atmosphere: A Very Short Introduction by Palmer (Recommended as a short and accessible overview of the subject that puts this course into a wider context)

• Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics by Seinfeld and Pandis (Further Reading).