Time Schedule:
Dennis L Hartmann
ATM S 571
Seattle Campus
Physical processes that determine the climate of Earth and its past and future changes. Greenhouse effect. Climate modeling. Radiative and dynamical feedback processes. Orbital parameter theory. Critical analysis of climate change predictions. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Offered: A.
Class description
The course will cover our current understanding of climate, its past variations and its likely future course. In addition to a basic textbook introduction, the course will survey recent literature in the most interesting areas of this interdisciplinary research problem.
Student learning goals
General method of instruction
The format of the class will be lecture/discussion. Students will read a textbook introducing the broad outlines of the subject of physical climatology, but the major emphasis of the course will be to understand where the research frontiers lie in this broad interdisciplinary topic. We will address current themes or problems in climate research and spend time reading papers from the current scientific literature and discussing them in class.
Recommended preparation
Students should have a strong beginning graduate student level understanding of atmospheric sciences, oceanography, or related science.
Class assignments and grading
Some problem sets of an elementary nature More reading of current scientific literature an analysis and criticism of it.
Homework: 4 or 5 20% Quizzes: 2 or 3 25% Class Presentations: 25% Final Exam 30%
