Date

Topic

Readings

Th 8/27

Introduction, Overview of Climate System, Climate Change

2-16

Tu 9/1

Review of Earth's Climate System , www.whfreeman.com/ruddiman2e
images

Ch2 on line

Th 9/3

Time, forcing, feedbacks, response time
Begin Ex. 1,

2-16

Tu 9/8

Furlough Day – No Class

Th 9/10

Climate archives, dating, resolution Ch3 images

18-31

Tu 9/15

Climate models

31-38

Th 9/17

Tectonic scale climate change, CO2

44-57 

Tu 9/22

Plate tectonics & climate change (Ex. 1 due) Ch4 images

60-80

Th 9/24

Greenhouse climate

82-95

Tu 9/29

Past 50 million years, Review

98-105

Th 10/1

First Midterm (Freidel at APCG)

Tu 10/6

Tectonics and CO2

105- 114

Th 10/8

Orbital scale climate change

120-129

Tu 10/13

Orbital scale changes, continued

129-135

Th 10/15

Monsoons

138-153

Tu 10/20

Insolation control of ice sheets Ch9 images

156-173

Th 10/22

More on ice sheet controls, UNEP Compendium on Climate Change

 156-173

Tu 10/27

Orbital scale changes in CO2, CH4 Chapter 10 images

176-190

Th 10/29

Wisconsinan glaciation, Last Glacial Maximum Chapt 12 images

210-227

Tu 11/3

Deglaciation, Younger Dryas, Arctic Report Card Chapt 13 images

230-248

Th 11/5

Second Midterm

Tu 11/10

Millennial and shorter oscillations (Ex. 2)

252-268

Th 11/12

Climate & human evolution, civilization Ch15 images IPCC4th Assmt

274-288

Tu 11/17

Climate over past 1000 years

290-308

Th 11/19

Historic climate variations (Ex. 2 due)

310- 324

Tu 11/24

Furlough Day -- no Class

Th 11/26

THANKSGIVING -- no Class

Tu 12/1

Late 20th-early 21st century, Future climate change

326-358

Th 12/3

IPCC Summary for Policy Makers WG 1, 07

IPCC link

Tu 12/8

Th 12/10

IPCC Summary for Policy Makers WG II, 07 James Hansen on NPR

Discussion of assigned readings for final take home essay (Due Tues Dec 15, 11 a.m.)

IPCC link