Module manager: Steve Arnold
Email: s.arnold@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable
Year running 2025/26
| SOEE3431 | Atmospheric Pollution: Causes, Impact and Regulation |
| SOEE5685M | Weather, Climate and Air Quality |
SOEE5081M Air Quality Drivers and Processes SOEE5009M Air Pollution Modelling at Regional Scales
This module is not approved as an Elective
Millions of people die prematurely every year due to exposure to harmful air pollution. By the end of this module students will develop understanding of the science behind understanding the sources, atmospheric processing, and impacts (health, climate, environmental) of air pollution, and efforts to tackle this major global environmental challenge. This will include a knowledge of the sources, sinks, and impacts of air pollutants on a range of scales, including impact upon human and environmental health; measurement and monitoring techniques; improvement technologies, emissions control strategies, and historic and contemporary changes in air pollution across different regions, including the UK, China, and India. Advanced topics will include state-of-the-art understanding of complex interactions between air pollutants, and between climate mitigation and air pollution policies, which will be covered in-depth during discussion seminar sessions. On completion of the module students should understand and use a pollution box model to predict response of air pollution to different emission changes and environmental drivers, and perform analysis of computer model output and present scientific results focused on pollution control strategies relevant for policy makers or environmental consultancy.
On completion of this module, students should be able to provide students with knowledge and skills needed to understand:
- Key sources and processes of major tropospheric air pollutants.
- Interactions between climate change, air pollution, and human health.
- Stratospheric impacts of air pollutants, in context of historical changes and future climate.
- Air pollution monitoring methods, both from networks and satellites.
- Application of modelling to predicting air pollution trends and responses to emission controls.
- Recent changes in air pollution across different world regions, and drivers of these changes.
- Future challenges associated with energy transitions and decarbonisation in the context of air quality impacts.
On successful completion of the module students will:
1. Understand sources and processing of air pollution in the troposphere and stratosphere.
2. Understand air pollution impacts on human health and ecosystems, and its interactions with the climate system.
3. Critically evaluate different methods and strategies for monitoring air pollution, improvement technologies, emissions control strategies and the economic implications of these.
4. Develop practical knowledge of computer modelling to analyse response of air pollution to different emissions and environmental parameters.
5. Understand and discuss complex interactions between air pollutants, climate change and health, including implications for mitigation through chemical processes and emission mitigation.
6. Apply computer modelling and optimal experimental design to compare and evaluate policy-relevant pollution control strategies.
Skills Learning Outcomes
1. Demonstrate the ability to gather information and perspectives from a range of sources; analyse, and interpret to aid understanding, inform decisions/opinions, and anticipate problems. Use reasoning and judgement to identify needs, make decisions, solve problems, and respond with actions.
2. Demonstrate the ability to use digital technology and techniques to create accessible digital items (such as images, documents and mind maps), and the willingness to engage with new practices and perspectives to solve problems, make decisions and answer questions.
3. Demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively in written form to articulate an argument, supported by relevant evidence and adhering to academic convention.
4. Demonstrate recognition and understanding of how parts of a system work together: analyses complex systems (environmental, economic and social systems and interdependencies across these); considers how systems are embedded within different domains and scales; deals with uncertainty; uses analytical thinking.
5. Demonstrate the ability to select, use, troubleshoot and adapt digital devices, networks, applications, services and assistive technology to achieve specific goals.
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 18 | 1 | 18 |
| Seminars | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Practicals | 6 | 1 | 6 |
| Independent online learning hours | 2 | ||
| Private study hours | 120 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 28 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 150 | ||
- Students will have the opportunity to gain formative feedback on their computer modelling coursework analysis during computer class sessions with module leader and demonstrators.
- Students will gain formative feedback via questions for understanding that will be set as part of the group seminar discussion sessions.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Exercise | Computer modelling exercises and associated assessed write-up. | 55 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 55 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
| Exam type | Exam duration | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Open Book exam | 48.0 Hrs Mins | 45 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Exams) | 45 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
Check the module area in Minerva for your reading list
Last updated: 11/09/2025
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