ATM 211: Climate and Climate Change, Spring, 2006, Tad Anderson







day date topics in-class activity handouts assignments






Week 1: Earth System and Global Change


Readings: KKC Chap 1 (all); Popper article "Knowledge without authority"


M 27-Mar Course introduction GW survey syllabus, GW surv, pers surv
T 28-Mar Earth system intro: three global scale problems math/chem quiz HW #1; Popper article
W 29-Mar The nature and role of scientific knowledge T.B.D.

T 30-Mar stratospheric ozone depletion: introduction T.B.D.

F 31-Mar tutorial: math/chem








Week 2: Earth-System Example - Stratospheric Ozone and CFC's


Readings: KKC Chap 17 (all)


M 3-Apr ozone and radiation T.B.D.

T 4-Apr ozone chemistry T.B.D.

W 5-Apr [Rei gone] ozone control T.B.D.

T 6-Apr ozone lessons T.B.D.

F 7-Apr tutorial: math/chem








Week 3: The Science of Systems


Readings: KKC Chap 2 (all)


M 10-Apr [Rei gone] global temperature (GAAST), system basics T.B.D. HW #2 HW #1 due
T 11-Apr daisy world concepts T.B.D.

W 12-Apr feedback loops and self-regulation T.B.D. Mann article

T 13-Apr Charlson lecture: History of Climate Change Science
T.B.D.

F 14-Apr tutorial









Week 4: Greenhouse Effect


Readings: KKC Chap 3 (all)


M 17-Apr [Rei gone] sun, earth, and radiation T.B.D.

T 18-Apr planetary energy balance T.B.D. Lorius article
W 19-Apr atmospheric composition and structure T.B.D.

T 20-Apr greenhouse: chemistry and clouds T.B.D. HW #3, midterm review
HW #2 due
F 21-Apr tutorial









Week 5: Energy balance theory of climate change


Readings: KKC Chap 6 (all); Lorius article "The ice-core record..."


M 24-Apr [Rei gone] climate feebacks, sensitivity, inertia T.B.D.

T 25-Apr [Rei gone] climate modeling T.B.D.

W 26-Apr [Rei gone] climate modeling exercise T.B.D.

T 27-Apr [Rei gone] tutorial: Midterm Review *none*

F 28-Apr [Rei gone] Midterm exam - class split into two sections as normal

paper #1 due






day date topics activities handouts assignments






Week 6: Earth Circulations and Regional Climates


,  Readings: KKC Chap 4 (all),



Chap 5 (p83-top85: intro and wind-driven currents; p88-91: "Ocean Circ. and Sea Surface Temp." - skip "Vorticity"; 

    p91-101: "Circulations of the Deep Ocean", p101: "Ocean Circulation and Climate"; key figs: 5-1,5-2,5-12,5-15),

Chap 7 (p117-118: solid earth intro; p137-139: plate tectonics and radioactive decay, "Heat from the Deep";


    p143-145: "Wilson Cycles"; key figs: Box Figure 5-4 on p.98, 7-12, 7-12, 7-26)
M 1-May atmospheric circulations: earth as a heat engine T.B.D. HW #4 HW #3 due
T 2-May local circulations and weather T.B.D.

W 3-May regional climates T.B.D.

T 4-May ocean and solid earth circulations T.B.D.

F 5-May tutorial









Week 7: Ancient Climates


Readings: KKC Chap 12 (all; key figs: 12-2,12-3,12-5,12-6,12-7,12-8,12-10,12-11,12-14,12-16)

     Chap 11 (p212: Rise of Oxygen; p225-226: "Modern Controls on Atmos. Oxygen"; key fig: 11-22)

M 8-May Earth history, paleo indicators T.B.D.

T 9-May Breakdown of stability: Venus and Mars T.B.D.

W 10-May Snowball Earth T.B.D. HW #5 HW #4 due
T 11-May Earth history, major events T.B.D.

F 12-May Tutorial: Review








Week 8: Recent Climates and Climate Variability


Readings: KKC Chap 14 (p270-280; key figs: 14-2,14-3,14-4,14-5,14-6,14-8,14-9,1-9),

     Chap 15 (p289-292: Intro; p299-302: "Volcanoes and Climate"; p303-305: "Solar Variability";

           p308-312: "El Nino-Southern Oscillation"; key figs: 15-1,15-6,15-7,15-8,15-12,15-18)
M 15-May Astronomical theory of ice-ages T.B.D.

T 16-May Evidence of ice-ages, movie movie

W 17-May Volcanic and solar influences on recent climate T.B.D.

T 18-May El Nino T.B.D. HW #6 HW #5 due
F 19-May Tutorial: Review








Week 9: Global Warming Science


Readings: KKC Chap 8(p147-152:Overview, Residence Time, p153-154:photosynthesis and respiration;
             p162-163:chemistry of carbon in water, p167:Net  Removal of CO2...),
   Chap 16(all);
    IPCC 2001 "Summary for Policymakers"
M 22-May Carbon cycle - natural T.B.D. IPCC 2001 Sum.
T 23-May Carbon cycle - perturbed T.B.D.

W 24-May Climate forecasts T.B.D.

T 25-May Effects of global warming T.B.D.

F 26-May Tutorial: Review








Week 10: Global Warming Debate, Impact, Solutions


Readings: KKC Chap 16(all); Seattle Times Pro/Con debate, Azar and Rodhe article "Targets for CO2 Stabilization"
M 29-May Holiday (Memorial Day)


T 30-May Arguments of the "skeptics" and "alarmists" T.B.D.

W 31-May Detection and attribution of global warming T.B.D.
HW #6 due
T 1-Jun Challenging the current global-warming paradigm course evaluation Azar and Rodhe article
F 2-Jun Tutorial: Review for final








M 5-Jun FINAL, 8:30-10:20, Rm 64 JHN

paper #2 due













additional possible topics:




water and conflict




Geoengineering




Nature of environmental science




Climate impacts in the Pacific NW




IPCC Process and new Findings




Value of Long Range Predictions