Download ATMOS 5400: The Climate System 01. Introduction

ATMOS 5400
The Climate System
00. Introduction
01. Introduction
About you
• Graduate and undergraduate students in
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Anthropology
Atmospheric Sciences
Biology
Biotechnology
Engineering (Mechanical, Civil, Chemical)
English
Environmental Science / Studies
Geology
Geography
Geoscience
Mathematics
Russian
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• Secondary School Teachers (MSSST) in the Physical Sciences cohort
About me
Court Strong
Research: climate (especially the frozen part)
Associate Professor in Atmospheric Sciences
Postdoc UC Irvine (2006-2008)
PhD University of Virginia (2005)
About the course
• All materials are on our Canvas page
https://utah.instructure.com
Goals of this course
• The purpose of this course is to provide you with
scientific understanding of Earth's climate system.
• Our goal is to understand how climate depends on
physical processes within, and interactions among, five
climate system components: atmosphere, oceans, land
surfaces, biosphere, and sea ice.
• Students completing the course will be able to
interpret observed climate variability, assess climate
sensitivity to human and natural influences, and to
critically evaluate projections of climate change.
Organization of course
Module 1
• Introduction and global energy balance (Ch. 1 and 3) Assg. 1
• Thermal response of climate system (Ch. 4) Assg. 2
• Exam 1
Module 2
• Atmospheric general circulation and climate (Ch. 6) Assg. 3
• The hydrologic cycle (Ch. 5) Assg. 4
• Exam 2
Module 3
• Natural climate change (Chs. 8 and 11) Assg. 5
• Anthropogenic climate change (Ch. 12) Assg. 6
• Exam 3
Organization of course
• Course organized into three modules, each
with:
– Two sets of lecture notes
– Two assignments
– One exam
• See Canvas homepage for latest version
Climate in public policy
Climate in the public consciousness
“The Climate System”
• Climate is the "average weather," or more rigorously, the
statistical description in terms of the mean and variability of
relevant quantities over a period of time ranging from months
to thousands or millions of years. –IPCC, WMO
• Greek κλίμα meaning inclination (tendency toward a certain
condition)
• Climate is a beautiful system,
exceedingly rich in interconnections
and
complexities. - A. H. Oort
• Climate is what you expect;
weather
is what you get.
–Robert
Heinlein (Lazarus Long)
“The Climate System”
• Entity whose components interact in an orderly
manner according to the laws of physics,
chemistry, and biology.
• Components have
– Structure
– Behavior
– Interconnectivity
• Universe divided
into system and
its environment
System
Environment
Environment
The five entities
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Atmosphere: layer of gases surrounding planet
Hydrosphere: water
Cryosphere: water in solid form
Lithosphere: planet’s rigid outer layer
Biosphere: all living things
Complexities of interaction
Fig. 1.1
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