GEOGRAPHY 211 – Fall 2014
Introduction to Climate and Climate Change
Instructor: Steve May
Office: Room 41
Hours: 10:30 - 11:20 MTWF.
Lectures: Daily 11:30 – 12:20, Room 220
Phone: 527-4278
Email: steve.may@wwcc.edu
Class Website: wwcc.edu then click on the CANVAS button (or enter through MyWWCC Portal)
Description: An introductory course in climatology, the study of Earth's present, past, and future climate. Examine
natural and anthropogenic (human-caused) climate change on various timescales (from tens of years to hundreds of
millions of years). Included are the effects of atmospheric greenhouse gases, tectonic climate forcing, orbital cycle
variations, deep ocean circulation, and biological feedbacks.
Intended Learning Outcomes
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Explain how scientific knowledge is gained through application of the Scientific Method.
Describe natural archives (biological, geological, and chemical) in which climate information is preserved.
Explain natural and anthropogenic causes of climate variations over a broad range of scales.
Describe the Greenhouse Effect and its impact on global climate change.
Explain earth's orbital cycles; cause and effects of ice ages.
Describe human's effects of climate and climate's effects on humans.
Text: Required – Earth’s Climate: Past and Future, 3rd Edition, William Ruddiman
Tests: The 3 lecture tests given will consists of a variety of question types including: T/F, Multiple Choice, Matching,
and Short Answer.
A comprehensive final exam will be given during finals.
Make-Up Tests will only be given when I have been notified in advance concerning the reason for
absence during the test. The reason will have to be very good in order to be excused from the exam.
Homework: Each day there will be several questions from the reading that will be turned in before class begins. It is
essential that you do the reading for this class. Questions are graded on a 3 point scale. Correct answers will
receive 3 points; good efforts to answer a question will get 2 points, and just about any attempt at the question
will get you 1 point.
Homework will NOT be accepted after the beginning of class, so here are two extremely important keys to
remember if you plan to do well in this class:
1. Do your reading and homework everyday.
2. Make sure you get to class a few minutes before 11:30 each day so that you can hand in the homework.
Homework solution will be available on CANVAS after they are graded.
Daily Reports: At the end of each class you will be given the opportunity to make comments or ask questions
regarding the materials presented that day, or anything else within the bounds of the class. You will be given 2
points for this report each day. I find this a productive way of checking attendance and it allows me to open
each day’s class by discussing your comments and/or questions.
Grading:
Exams
60%
Homework
30%
Daily Reports
10%
(all the above percentages are approximate)
Letter grades will be assigned using a modified curve.
Disability Identification and Accommodations: If you have a disability for which you are or may be requesting an
accommodation, you are encouraged to contact Claudia Angus, Coordinator of Disability Support Services, at 5274262 or by email at claudia.angus@wwcc.edu, as early as possible in the quarter.
Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Date
Sept. 22
23
24
25
26
29
30
Oct. 1
2
3
6
7
8 Weds
9
10
13
14
15
16
17
20
21
22
23
24
27
28
29
30
31
Nov. 3
4
5
6
7
10
11***
12
13
14
17
18
19***
20
21
24 – 28***
Dec. 1
2
3
4
5
8
11 Weds
Topic
Introductory Remarks
Time and Temperature Scales; What is Science?
Overview of the Earth’s Climatic System
Radiation Received and Thermal Energy Moving on Earth
Earth’s Cryosphere (Ice) and Biosphere (Life)
Climate Archiving, Dating, and Resolution
Climatic Data
Climatic Models
Greenhouse World; Faint Young Sun Paradox
Chemical Weathering and Carbon
What Controls Earth’s Thermostat?
Review Day
Exam 1 – Chapters 1 – 4
Plate Tectonics; Glaciations and Continental Positions
Pangaea’s Climate; Tectonic Control of CO2 (Oceans)
Tectonic Control of CO2 (Continents)
Earth’s Orbit Today
Long Term Changes in Earth’s Orbit
Insolation Changes; Orbital Changes and Climate Data
Milankovitch Theory; Modeling Ice Sheet Behavior
Modeling Ice Sheet Behavior (cont.); Oxygen isotopes
Ice Sheet History; Return to Milankovitch Theory
Ice Cores; Orbital-Scale CO2 Changes
Carbon in the Deep Ocean; CH4 cycles
Review Day
Exam 2 – Chapters 5, 8, 10, 11
Glacial World 21,000 Years Ago
Pollen as a Proxy; Data-Model Comparison
Melting of the Last Major Glacial Episode Ice
Other climate effect caused by ice melting
Millennial Oscillations: Effects & Causes
Climate and Human Evolution
Climate Impact on Humans/Human’s Impact on Climate
The “Little Ice Age”; Ice Cores from Mountain Glaciers
More Temperature Proxies; El Nino; Past Temp. Trends
Proposed Causes of Climate Change from 1000 – 1850
Veteran’s Day Holiday
Catch-Up Day
Review Day
Exam 3 – Chapters 13, 14, 15, 17
Reconstructing Changes in Sea Level
Instrumental Recordings of Climate Data since 1800
Advising Day – No Class
Recent Rises in Sea Level; Short-Term Oscillations
Natural Causes of Recent Warming
Thanksgiving Vacation
Anthropogenic Causes of Recent Warming
Sensitivity to Greenhouse Gases; Actual Global Warming
Future Human Impacts on Greenhouse Gases
Future Climate Change w/Increases in CO2
Final Review
Final Review
Comprehensive Final Exam
Reading: Ch:PP
Review Questions Due
Ch. 1: 1 – 8
8 – 16
Ch. 2: 19 – 29
45 – 53
Ch. 3: 55 – 64
64 – 69
69 – 76
Ch. 4: 79 – 84
84 – 89
89 – 95
Ch. 1: 1, 2
3, 5, 6
Ch. 2: 1, 2, 3, 4
11, 12, 13, 14
Ch. 3: 1, 2, 3, 4
5, 6
7, 8
Ch. 4: 1, 2
5, 6
8
Ch. 5: 97 – 105
106 – 109
110 - 118
Ch. 8: 157 – 161
161 – 169
169– 175
Ch. 10: 195 – 203
203 – 206
207 – 214
Ch. 11: 215 – 222
222 – 231
Ch. 5: 1, 2, 4
6, 7
11, 12
Ch. 8: 1, 2
4, 5
No homework
Ch. 10: 1, 3
4
6, 8
Ch. 11: 2, 5
9, 10
Ch. 13: 251 – 259
260 – 271
Ch. 14: 273 – 283
283 – 293
Ch. 15: 295 – 313
Ch. 16: 315 – 320
320 – 332
Ch. 17: 335 – 340
341 – 350
350 – 355
Ch. 13: 1, 3
4, 5, 7, 8
Ch. 14: 1, 2, 4
5, 6, 7
Ch. 15: 2, 3, 5, 7
Ch. 16: 1, 2
3, 4
Ch. 17: 1, 2
4, 6, 7
8, 9, 10
Ch. 18: 357 – 362
362 – 369
Ch. 18: 1
2, 3, 5
369 – 372
Ch. 19: 375 – 378
378 – 385
385 – 392
Ch. 20: 393 – 397
397 – 410
6, 7
No homework
Ch. 19: 1, 2, 3
5, 7, 8
Ch. 20: 1, 2, 3, 4
5, 6, 7, 8
All Chapters Covered