CLIM 710 Introduction to the Physical Climate System
Course Syllabus (Spring 2016)

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Required Reading: Course Notes

Primary Reference Books:

Supplementary Reading:

Student Work Components

There will be a problem set approximately every other week (together 25% of course grade),
midterm (20% of grade),
final exam (30% of grade),
and written and accompanying oral project on a topic relevant to the course (20% of grade).
Subjective elements such as class participation will count for another 5% of the course grade.

Course Outline (subject to modification):

  1. Overview of the Physical Climate
  2. Global Energy Balance
  3. Variations in Energy Balance
  4. Radiative Transmission in the Atmosphere
  5. Thermodynamics Relevant to the Atmosphere
  6. The Hydrological Cycle
  7. Heat Transport and Storage
  8. Atmosphere General Circulation: Meridional Circulation
  9. Atmosphere General Circulation: Zonally-Varying Circulation
  10. Monsoons
  11. Oceans and Climate
  12. Paleoclimate: Observations, Theory and Modeling
  13. Ice Albedo Feedback and Multiple States
  14. Climate Sensitivity and Feedback
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Last Modified: 21 January 2014