450009 VU Environmental Modeling (2016S)

This class will cover mathematical methods for describing environmental systems. Simple models for lakes rivers, streams, populations, and atmospheric systems will be presented in the context of mass balances. Students will acquire a tool box of expressions for describing chemical reactions, biological growth, and mass transfer. Adsorption, biological oxygen demand, gas transfer, particle aggregation, settling, and other common phenomena encompassing reactions and mass transfer occurring in environmental systems will be described. Expression for mass flux to and from basic geometric shapes (Cylinders, flat plates and spheres) will be introduced as the basis for describing diverse environmental elements such as sediment beds, leaves, water-air interfaces, bacteria and engineered systems. Time permitting, an introduction to fluid flow and mass transfer will be presented with an overview of Navier-Stokes and the Advective-Diffusion equations.