Global Climatology and Climate Change

Survey of the Earth's climate system and the factors that cause it to change. Study of the most important properties of climate and how they vary and connect geographically and over time. The physical laws governing climate variations and interconnections are explained to build a basic-level understanding of natural climate phenomena as well as the impacts of human industrial and agricultural activities. Examination of the source of the Earth's heat energy, the determinants of temperature near the surface and throughout the atmosphere, and how the observed seasonal and spatial variations are created. Introduction to the various motion systems in the atmosphere and ocean and their governing physical laws. Exploration of the nature and causes of past changes in global climate evident in paleo records. Survey of the current understanding of the ongoing human-caused climate change event and how climate models are used to develop projections of future climate change.

P/NP or letter grading.