September 30, 2002
http://www.atmos.washington.edu/2002Q4/211
Syllabus
Class Meeting Times and Location: Daily (M-F) from 10:30 to 11:20 am in Room 310C in the Atmospheric
Sciences Building
Instructor: Lyatt Jaeglé
e-mail: [email protected]
Phone: (206) 685-2679
Office: Room 306 in the Atmospheric Sciences Building
Office hours: Wednesdays after class (11:30-12:30), or by appointment
Teaching Assistant: Qing Liang
e-mail: [email protected]
Phone: (206) 543-4445
Office: Room 328 in the Atmospheric Sciences Building
Office hours: Tuesday (2:00-3:00) and Thursday after class (11:30-12:30) or by appointment
Course Description
This is an introductory course for non science majors on climate and climate change. The class will be divided in
three parts:
• Climate of the present. We will examine the nature of the global climate system and the main
processes controlling climate. Topics covered will include the global energy balance, atmospheric
circulation, the role of oceans in climate, the carbon cycle, atmospheric composition.
• Climate of the past. In this part of the class we will discuss how climate changed in the past on
timescales ranging from billions of years to thousands of years.
• Climate of the future and the influence of human activities: Is the Earth getting warmer? Why? How
will climate change over the next 100 years? Should we be concerned? These are some of the current
major environmental concerns which we will discuss in class.
Prerequisites
None. Open to all undergraduates.
ATM S 211 – Climate and Climate Change
Fall Quarter 2002
1
September 30, 2002
Grading policy
Your grade will be based on exams (two midterms and one final exam), assignments, a research project, and
class participation:
Assignments 25%
Research project 25%
Midterms 20%
Final exam 20%
Quizzes, class participation 10%
You are expected to attend lectures and participate in class. Assignments are due in class at 10:30 am on the
day indicated. Late assignments will not be accepted without advance arrangement. Assignment 5 will be a
written critique of an article in the non-scientific media about some aspect of climate change. You will have the
opportunity to present your critique orally as a basis for class discussion if you wish. The research projects are
an opportunity for you to learn about a climate-related topic in more depth and to share your knowledge with
classmates and with the instructor. The research project will consist of a written paper and an oral presentation.
Textbook
"The Earth System" by Lee R. Kump, James F. Kasting, and Robert C. Crane, Prentice Hall, 1999.
The lectures will largely follow the textbook. Each week the students will be required to read material of direct
relevance to the class, but the curious student would do well to read the entire book. In addition, after each class,
lecture notes will posted on the web. These notes will summarize the main topics covered and provide additional
material not included in the book (such as web links).
ATM S 211 – Climate and Climate Change
Fall Quarter 2002
2
September 30, 2002
Class schedule
(the details of the schedule may change – please always check the class web site for the latest schedule!
http://www.atmos.washington.edu/2002Q4/211/schedule.html)
Date
Lecture topic
PART 1. CLIMATE OF THE PRESENT
WEEK 1: Climate of the Earth System
Introduction and course overview
Global distribution of temperature and precipitation; Synopsis of
Chapter 1: Global change
W 10/02 Introduction to systems and feedbacks
Th 10/03 Daisyworld
Fri 10/04 Radiation
WEEK 2: Heat transport
M 10/07
Planetary energy balance
Tu 10/08 The greenhouse effect
W 10/09 Convection
Th 10/10 Moist Convection
Fr 10/11
Review session
WEEK 3: Heat transport and global influences on local
climate
M 10/14
no class
Tu 10/15 Poleward transport of heat by atmospheric motions
W 10/16 Global patterns of temperature and rainfall
Th 10/17 Climate zones and their connection to atmospheric circulation
Fr 10/18 Review session
WEEK 4: Global influences on local climate and patterns of
climate variability
M 10/21
Ocean structure; Wind-driven ocean circulation
Tu 10/22 The thermohaline circulation
W 10/23 Patterns of climate variability (El Nino; Arctic Oscillation; Pacific
Decadal Oscillation)
Th 10/24 Review session for midterm #1
Fr 10/25 Midterm #1
PART 2: CLIMATE OF THE PAST
WEEK 5: Carbon cycle
Required reading
Assignt.
due
Chap. 1; Chap. 2 (p.19-25; 30-32);
Chap. 3 (p. 34-44)
M 09/30
Tu 10/01
M 10/28
Tu 10/29
W 10/30
Th 10/31
Fr 11/01
Plate tectonics
Carbon cycle I
Carbon cycle I and Carbon cycle II
The cryosphere; Evolution of the atmosphere; rise of oxygen
no class - work on projects
WEEK 6: Climate change on many time scales
ATM S 211 – Climate and Climate Change
Fall Quarter 2002
Chap. 3(45-53); skim Chapter 4
#1
Chap. 4 (68-77); Chap. 5 (pp 7985, 92-96)
web-based material
#2
guest lecture
Chapter 7 (128-135, 138-140),
Chapter 8 (159-171)
Chap. 9 (173-175, 182- end),
Chap. 10 (201-206), and Chap. 11
3
September 30, 2002
M 11/04
Tu 11/05
W 11/06
Th 11/07
Fr 11/08
M 11/11
Tu 11/12
W 11/13
Earth's astounding history
The past 100 million years
The past 1 million years
The last 20,000 years
no class - work on projects
WEEK 7: Summation: past climate
VETERANS DAY - NO CLASS
"The big chill" BBC documentary
The past 2,000 years; Impact of climate on human history
Th 11/14 Paleoclimate review
Fr 11/15 no class
PART 3: CLIMATE OF THE FUTURE: THE ROLE OF HUMANS
WEEK 8 - Human influence on the composition of the
atmosphere
M 11/18
Review session for midterm #2
Tu 11/19 Midterm # 2
W 11/20 Ozone hole I
Th 11/21 Ozone hole II
Fr 11/22 Human impact on the carbon cycle and other greenhouse gases
WEEK 9 - Human influence on climate in the 20th and 21st
centuries
M 11/25
The great climate debate, Part I: is the Earth really warming?
Tu 11/26 The great climate debate, Part II: are humans responsible?
W 11/27 The great climate debate, Part III: what will the future look like?
Th 11/28 THANKSGIVING - NO CLASS
Fr 11/29 THANKSGIVING - NO CLASS
WEEK 10 - Other aspects of climate change
M 12/02
The great climate debate, Part IV: what will be the impacts
globally and on the Northwest?
Tu 12/03 Actions to slow climate change; policy introduction
W 12/04 International policies to slow climate change
Th 12/05 Climate change and air quality: What are the issues?
Fr 12/06 NOVA Video Part I
WEEK 11
M 12/09
NOVA Video Part II
Tu 12/10 Student discussion of climate change (video; articles about
climate change)
W 12/11 Review session for Final
Fr 12/13 FINAL EXAM 8:30-10:20 am
ATM S 211 – Climate and Climate Change
Fall Quarter 2002
#3
guest lecture
Chapter 12 (229-243)
Symposium
Symposium
project
due
Symposium
Symposium
Chapter 14 (skip nitrogen and
bromine cycles)
Chapter 13 (253-272)
guest lecture
#4
Chapter 13 (273-276)
guest lecture
#5
W papers
4