CLIM 759 001: Climate Change/Global Warming

Spring 2006

Instructor

E. Schneider (COLA, room 313, 301-902-1250, schneide@cola.iges.org)

Meetings

2-3:30 TR, COLA (course schedule will be adjusted at Jan. 24 meeting for convenience of students).

Texts (purchase not necessary: students will be provided with necessary materials)

Martens, P. and J. Rotmans (ed.), 1999: Climate Change: An Integrated Perspective. Advances in Global Change Research, Vol. I. Kluwar, 414pp.

Houghton, J. T. et al., 2001: Climate Change 2001: The Scientific Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Third Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge, 881pp. (available on line from IPCC)

Trenberth, K. (ed.), 1992: Climate System Modeling. Cambridge, 788 pp.

Course Work Requirements

Research paper, oral presentations.

Course Description

The problem of changing climate, especially with regard to anthropogenic causes, will be examined. Topics covered will include: 1) Overview of the observed climate system, including physical processes and feedbacks; 2) Variability of the climate system as observed in the recent past and inferred for other epochs; 3) Modeling of the climate system response to greenhouse gas forcings, including the carbon cycle; 4) Greenhouse gases, chemistry, and aerosols, 5) Projections of climate change, detection, and impacts on society.