625-332 Climate: Mechanisms & Variability

Earth sciences 625-227, 625-228; mathematics 620-141, 620-142, 620-143 or equivalent.

Earth sciences 625-331 is recommended.

Topics include the global climate as a holistic system; convection, radiation and cloud processes; remote sensing of the climate system; climate variability on various time scales, climate shifts and global warming; El Niño-Southern Oscillation in the historic period and relationships with longer time-scale variability; and the role of ice-sheets, Antarctic mass balance and large-scale water mass formation.

On completion of this subject, students should have an understanding of the workings and connectedness of the climate system as a whole, and of climate variability.

Weekly written reports of practical work of up to 500 words each during semester (35%); written assignments totalling up to 3000 words due during semester (10%); a 3-hour written examination in the examination period (55%).