Introduction to Environmental Transport Processes

Understanding how pollutants, nutrients, and heat move through our rivers, oceans, and atmosphere is critical for solving modern environmental challenges. This course introduces you to the core physics and mathematics behind environmental transport processes without requiring advanced prior engineering experience. You will develop a solid foundation in predicting how substances disperse in natural water bodies and the air. Through clear written explanations, step-by-step mathematical derivations, and practical problem-solving exercises, you will learn to analyze real-world environmental contamination scenarios. What you'll learn: 1. Understand the core mechanisms of advection, molecular diffusion, and turbulent dispersion. 2. Solve transport equations for rivers, lakes, estuaries, and the atmospheric boundary layer. 3. Analyze pollutant plumes and predict downstream concentrations using analytical models. 4. Apply mass balance principles to control volume systems in natural environments. 5. Explore modern numerical modeling concepts and environmental data integration techniques. 6. Practice solving classic environmental engineering problems with step-by-step written guidance. The course begins with foundational concepts of fluid mechanics, mass transport, and basic terminology. From there, you will progress through one-dimensional, two-dimensional, and three-dimensional transport models, applying these principles to real-world scenarios like river discharge and atmospheric plumes. This course is designed for beginners, students of environmental science or civil engineering, and professionals looking to refresh their knowledge of transport phenomena. No advanced engineering background is required, though basic calculus and physics concepts are helpful. Start reading today to build your expertise in environmental fluid mechanics and transport modeling.