have the Earth’s atmosphere undergone in the past? What changes are currently happening? What climate changes are likely to occur in the future? This course will explore these questions by establishing a foundation in climate sci- ence and examining the scientific evidence underlying climate change and global warming using lecture, discussion, data analysis, and climate modeling. The course will also compare past natural fluctuations in the Earth’s climate to our current situation, discuss how scientists study climate using data and climate models, and examine the current thinking on future climate changes. (Laird and Metz, offered annually) GEO 242 The Earth System Planet Earth is an integrated system in which the geosphere (rocky component), hydro- sphere (water), atmosphere (air), cryosphere (ice) and biosphere (life) interact to produce changes in the plan- et’s physical conditions. This course explores how each of these component “spheres” operates to influence and respond to Earth’s overall energy budget and atmospheric greenhouse. The course teaches systems methods and uses quantitative models to explore the interconnections and feedbacks between these “spheres’’ and the emer- gent properties of these feedbacks such as climate and biodiversity change. The course explores how these systems have operated throughout Earth’s geological history to produce dramatic changes in Earth’s surface conditions. This course is designed for students with experience in the Earth sciences and counts toward the Geoscience major and minor. (Arens, offered alternate years) GEO 250 Oceanography This course serves as an introduction to basic oceanography, including physical, chemical, geological, and biological processes and patterns. Emphasis is placed on the physical, chemical and geologic struc- ture of the oceans and their role in the carbon cycle, ocean circulation and global climate change, and the evolution of the oceans through geologic time. We will also explore the different environments of biological productivity from upwelling zones to mid-ocean ridges to coastal dynamics and their susceptibility to environmental change. GEO 255 Global Climates and Oceans The Earth has a large variation of climate regimes that are controlled by both landscape and atmospheric factors. The climate of a particular region is defined by annual and seasonal variations of temperature, precipitation, and winds. Regional climate is also greatly influenced by the spatial distribution of land masses and oceans, as well as ocean water characteristics and ocean circulation. This course examines the physical characteristics, processes, and mechanisms of both the atmosphere and oceans that regulate the Earth’s climate system and the patterns of its variation across both space and time. In this course, students will use discussion and analysis of climate datasets collected from a variety of measurement systems to develop a comprehensive under- standing of global variations of the Earth’s atmosphere and oceans, regional climates (Tropic, Mid-latitude, and Polar regions), and climate teleconnections, such as ENSO. Prerequisite: GEO 182. (Laird, offered alternate years) GEO 260 Weather Analysis Few things capture the public’s attention and influence daily decisions like weather. In this course, we will examine day-to-day weather patterns with an emphasis on understanding the basics of meteo- rological processes and forecasting, independent analysis of weather events and mastery of hands-on data analysis. We will examine and discuss conceptual models of the structure of mid-latitude cyclones and convection weather systems, including the processes of cyclogenesis and frontogenesis. Interpretation of atmospheric kinematic and dynamic processes on weather charts is emphasized along with an introduction to weather prediction. Prerequisite:
- Subject
- ATMO
- Type
- course
- Edition
- 2023-2024
- Source
- www.hws.edu
- Prerequisite
- GEO 184, GEO 186 and CHEM 110 or by permission of the instructor. (Finkelstein, offered spring)