GEOS 166(S) Climates Through Time (Same as Environmental Studies 166)

Climate is the result of interactions between the solid Earth, the oceans, the atmosphere, and the biosphere. Changes in these systems are natural causes of climatic variation through time. Other factors, such as biological activity, can also cause climate change. Recent interest in these processes has been spurred by concern about human-induced global warming. This course will examine the biological and physical agents of climate change, and explore both long- and short-term variations in global climate. Topics covered will include icehouse-greenhouse cycles, ocean-atmosphere interactions, weather systems, El Niño-Southern Oscillation, and influence of human activities on climate. We will investigate climate change through geologic time, discuss current climatic trends in the context of historic and prehistoric climates, and critically evaluate the evidence for cause and effect. Student projects will involve constructing models to predict climate and environmental change using recent data and climate modeling software. No prior computer experience is necessary. As part of the Critical Reasoning and Analytical Skills initiative, this course will focus on developing students' abilities to objectively analyze and evaluate predictions of global warming and other climatic issues. Lectures and discussions, three hours per week. One two-hour lab section per week. Evaluation will be based on two hour exams, lab work, and individual projects. Enrollment limited to 48, with preference to first-year students. (This course is part of the Critical Reasoning and Analytical Skills initiative.)

Hour: COX