Physics of Atmospheres
Date: 19 - 21 November 2025
Location: online / on-site: Waterloosesteenweg, 72, 1640 Sint-Genesius-Rode, Belgium - near Brussels
About the course
This hybrid course (on-site/online) serves as an introduction to basic principles of the physics of atmospheres, with an emphasis on atmospheric flows. Topics include the general structure of the atmosphere, atmospheric dynamics, boundary layer meteorology, field and lab scale testing, and numerical modeling. This course is continuously updated following the research activities at the VKI.
The course will be delivered by a team of researchers from the VKI, including Senior Test Engineer Gertjan Glabeke, Research Engineer dr. Nicolas Coudou, Research Engineer dr. Simone Gremmo, and Assistant Professor dr. Wim Munters (who also serves as coordinator).
Learning outcomes of the course are for the students to understand:
- Energy balances in the atmosphere
- Driving forces and general circulation structure in atmospheric dynamics
- Concepts of atmospheric stability and its role in the atmospheric boundary layer
- Working principles of instruments used for atmospheric measurements, including their strengths, weaknesses, uncertainties and cost
- Scaling rules applied to model the atmospheric boundary layer experimentally in a wind tunnel
- Strategies for modeling atmospheric flows on a range of scales and fidelity
- How to set up and run a weather model
Programme
Wednesday 19 November 2025
08:30 – 09:00 Registration
09:00 – 10:15 Welcome address and introduction (Prof. Wim Munters)
10:15 – 10:45 Coffee break
10:45 – 12:00 Atmospheric Dynamics 1 (Prof. Wim Munters)
12:00 – 13:00 Lunch Break
13:00 – 14:15 Atmospheric Dynamics 2 (Prof. Wim Munters)
14:15 – 15:30 Boundary Layer Meteorology 1 (Prof. Wim Munters)
15:30 – 16:00 Coffee Break
16:00 – 17:00 Boundary Layer Meteorology 2 (Prof. Wim Munters)
Thursday 20 November 2025
09:00 – 10:15 Measurements & Instrumentation 1 (Ing. Gertjan Glabeke)
10:15 – 10:45 Coffee break
10:45 – 12:00 Measurements & Instrumentation 2 (Ing. Gertjan Glabeke)
12:00 – 13:00 Lunch Break
13:00 – 14:15 Experimental Modeling 1 (Dr. Nicolas Coudou)
14:15 – 15:30 Experimental Modeling 2 (Dr. Nicolas Coudou)
15:30 – 16:00 Coffee Break
16:00 – 17:00 Visit of the VKI Labs / lidar demo (Ing. Gertjan Glabeke)
Friday 21 November 2025
09:00 – 10:15 Numerical Modeling (Prof. Wim Munters)
10:15 – 10:45 Coffee break
10:45 – 12:00 Hands-on session with Weather Research & Forecasting model 1 (Ing. Simone Gremmo & Prof. Wim Munters)
12:00 – 13:00 Lunch Break
13:00 – 14:15 Hands-on session with Weather Research & Forecasting model 2 (Ing. Simone Gremmo & Prof. Wim Munters)
Fee and Registration
- Deadline for on-site registration: 5 November 2025
- Deadline for online registration: 12 November 2025
- Discount of 10% in case of online participation*
- Discount of 30% for citizens from NATO countries*
* applicable on the price listed below
Early Bird Registration until 19 September 2025
- Undergraduate students: €180
- PhD students: €540
- Staff from recognized universities / research center: €1080
- Staff from commercial organizations: €1296
Late Registration after 19 September 2025
- Undergraduate students: €200
- PhD students: €600
- Staff from recognized universities / research center: €1200
- Staff from commercial organizations: €1440