| INSTRUCTORS |
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Professor Jin-Yi Yu Office: 3315 Croul Hall Phone: (949) 824-3878 Email: jyyu@uci.edu http://www.ess.uci.edu/~yu/
Professor Michael Prather |
| DESCRIPTION |
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This course develops an understanding of the physical basis behind global climate change, examines how human activities cause it, looks to future rates and impacts of global warming, and reviews the international conventions, protocols and scientific assessments of climate change. The first two-thirds of this course uses the Philander text to develop the scientific basis for climate change and what controls it. This section introduces the global warming driven by greenhouse gases as just one part of climate change. A scientific understanding of the climate system (atmospheric physics, radiation budget, and circulation) as well as a basic knowledge of the atmospheric chemistry of greenhouse gases is taught. Students will be tested on definitions, physical and chemical processes, and simple numerical problems. The last third of the class will introduce the current international conventions (U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change) and protocols (Kyoto), discussing what they say, the nomenclature, and their current status. It concludes with a reading of the summaries for policy makers (SPMs, ~10-page documents) of the most recent international science assessments (IPCC, 2001). These SPMs review past and projected 21st century climate change, their impacts on society, and the costs of mitigation. Students will be tested on their basic knowledge of the science behind the Earth's climate system and current climate change, and also on their understanding of the current issues, including impacts, mitigation, and policy. |
| TEXTS |
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| GRADES |
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Homework (30%), Hour Exams (20%+20%), Final Exam (30%)
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| SYLLABUS |
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Introduction (Powerpoint) (Classnote) [Ch.1&2] Is Our Planet Fragile or Robust? (Powerpoint) (Classnote) [Discussion] Santa Ana Wind (Powerpoint)
[Ch.3] Light and Air (Powerpoint) (Classnote) [Ch.4] Why the Peak of a Mountain Is Cold (Powerpoint) (Classnote) [Discussion] "Earth's Energy Balance" (Powerpoint) (Classnote) [Homework #1 (due 27 Jan.)]
[Ch.5] Capricious Clouds (Powerpoint) (Classnote) [Discussion] "Sea Ice and Land Ice" (Powerpoint) (Classnote) [Homework #2 (due 3 Feb.)]
[Ch.6] The Climate Tapestry (Powerpoint) (Classnote) [Reviews of Chapters 1-6] [Homework #3 (due 10 Feb.)]
Hour exam [Chapters 1-6] [Ch.7] Weather, the Music of Our Sphere (Powerpoint) (Classnote) [Discussion] "Climate Archive" (Powerpoint) (Classnote)
[Ch.8] The Ocean in Motion (Powerpoint) (Classnote) [Ch.9] El Nino, La Nina, and the Southern Oscillation (Powerpoint) (Classnote) [Discussion] "Ocean Mixed Layer" (Powerpoint) (Classnote) [Homework #4 (due 24 Feb.)]
[Ch.10] Faint Sun Paradox / Why Summer Is Warmer? (Powerpoint) (Classnote) [Ch.11] Why Summer Is Warmer? (Powerpoint) (Classnote) [Ch.12] The Ozone Hole, a Cautionary Tale (Powerpoint) (Classnote) [Ch.13] Global Warming, Risky Business (Powerpoint) (Classnote) [Reviews of Chapters 7-13] [Homework #5 (due 2 Mar.)]
Hour exam [Chapters 7-13) The UN FCCC and the Kyoto Protocol (both docs) IPCC Third Assessment Report [WG1 SPM] [Homework #6 (due 9 Mar.)]
Scientific basis for Climate Change [WG1 SPM] (Powerpoint) (Classnote) Impacts, Adaptation & Vulnerability to Climate Change [WG2 SPM] (Powerpoint) (Classnote) [Homework #7 (due 16 Mar.)]
Mitigation of Climate Change [WG3 SPM] What are the key questions for policy makers? [Synthesis Report SPM] [Homework #8 (due 23 Mar.)]
Final exam - Tuesday March 23 8-10 a.m. |