Course Details

To better understand the key factors that control the earth’s present and future climate, this course examines episodes in the earth’s past when extreme climate conditions existed. Dramatic changes in the earth’s climate have resulted from natural variations in solar insolation, atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases, rates and pathways of ocean circulation, plate tectonics, and the evolution of vascular plants and, in modern times, the burning of fossil fuels. The impact of these factors on climate through interactions between the atmosphere, oceans and land will be evaluated. Using these lessons from the past, students will learn what currently controls climate on our planet and why dramatic climate changes occur. The processes that produced past climate changes will be discussed primarily as a framework to evaluate modern and future climate change resulting from human activity. The class will utilize lectures, in-class problem solving, discussion of scientific papers and weekly homework to learn the material on both a qualitative and quantitative level. Students are expected to have had sufficient science-based coursework to feel comfortable solving quantitative in-class and homework problems using basic algebra and, in some cases, using the spreadsheet program Excel.

Honors Project: Honors students will conduct individual literature research on a specific climate topic. The result of this individual research will be a succinct summary of a complex  climate issue written for a general audience, in the form of a “letter to the editor” which they  will contribute to a media source, including regional newspapers. More details about this  project and milestones will be provided to honors students.