GEOGG132 Oceans and Atmosphere

CORE GEOGG132 - Oceans and Atmosphere
(15 credits)

Term 1 (2011)


Staff:

Amelia Shevenell, Mark Maslin, & Jon French

Aim:

To introduce the fundamental physical, chemical and biological processes of Earth’s oceans and atmosphere.

Content:

Interactions between the oceans and atmosphere drive Earth’s climate system. This module will provide a foundation in atmospheric science and oceanography that is critical for understanding the science of Climate Change. Topics covered draw on the research strengths of the department and include:
·    Vertical structure of Earth’s atmosphere and oceans
·    Fundamentals of atmospheric, surface ocean, and deep ocean circulation
·    Physical and chemical evolution of the atmosphere and oceans
·    Biogeochemical cycling in the oceans (C, P, Si, N)
·    Atmospheric greenhouse gasses and oceanic buffering
·    Coastal oceanographic processes
·    Environmental issues and concerns (Ocean acidification, carbon mitigation, marine pollution, sea ice reduction, ice sheet melting/sea level rise)

Assessment:

·    Problem Sets
·    Up to 3500 word research paper on a topic of current interest in Atmospheric Sciences or Oceanography.
·    10 min oral presentation of research paper findings

Format:

The module is based on lectures, class discussion and project work.

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of the course students should be able to:
·    -Understand the physical, chemical and biological processes of both the atmosphere and oceans
·    Understand the evolution of Earth’s atmosphere and oceans.
·    Enter, manipulate, and plot oceanic or atmospheric data in Excel.
·    Be aware of the role of the oceans and atmosphere in anthropogenic climate change.
·    Critically evaluate a topic of current interest in atmospheric sciences and/or oceanography.