ATOC 1060 (001) Fall 2009 Our Changing Environment: El Nino, Ozone, and Climate.

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overview | textbook | syllabus

page for class members

A schematic depiction of the climate system.

Overview

The Earth’s climate has been changing since its formation 4.6 billion years ago. Climate varies on all time scales and is known to experience periods of glaciation as well as warmer periods. Since the industrial revolution, humans have burned large amounts of fossil fuels changing the composition of the atmosphere, cleared large forested regions for agriculture and caused climate to change.

Discusses the Earth's climate focusing on the role of the atmosphere, oceans, and land surface. Describes the water cycle, atmospheric circulations, and ocean currents, and how they influence global climate, El Nino, the ozone hole, and the human impacts from climate change. This class can be taken by nonscience majors.

Instructor: David Noone<dcn@colorado.edu>

When: Fall 2009; Tuesday and Thursday 12:30-1:45pm

Where: Duane (Physics) lecture theater G1B20

Prerequisites: ATOC 1050

Grading: homework (40%), in-class problems and clickers (10%), midterm exam (20%) final exam (30%)

Office hours:
Prof. David Noone: 2-5pm Tuesdays by appointment, Ekeley S234
TA: Derek Brown: Wednesday 12-2pm, Ekeley W225, S231 (double check availability email: Derek.brown@colorado.edu)

Exam: Wednesday, 16 December 1:30 pm - 4:00pm

Textbook

Kump, L. R., J. F Kasting and R. G. Crane, The earth system, Prentice Hall, 2nd edition, 2004.

Download syllabus (PDF file)

Course outline

• Overview of the climate system and global change (1 week)

• Radiation and energy balance (2 weeks)

• Atmospheric circulation (2 weeks)

• Oceanic circulation (2 weeks)

• Modeling the climate system (1 week)

• The carbon cycle (2 weeks)

• Climate of the past (2 weeks)

• Observed climate variability (1 week)

• Contemporary climate change (1 week)

• Ozone depletion and mitigation policy (1 weeks)