Do not print this schedule. Dates and topics are likely to change depending on student interests and how quickly we cover the material.
All assignments are due at the start of class on the date indicated, unless shown otherwise.
| Part I: The climate system | ||
| Date | Topic | What's due today? Reading and assignments |
| Jan 10 | Class overview. Introduction, team formation, and topic suggestions. Introduction to climate as a system. | Online textbook: Introduction. Section 1.2.1: Composition and temperature. |
| Jan 12 | Atmospheric composition and structure. Controls on climate: The global energy balance. | Online textbook: 2.1.1 The heat balance at the top of the atmosphere. 2.1.2 The greenhouse effect. |
| Jan 17 | Variations in the global energy balance. | 2.1.4 The heat balance at the top of the atmosphere: geographical distribution Submit project title and description by this date. |
| Jan 19 | Surface energy balance.
Example of a Climate News presentation. |
2.1.6 Heat balance at the surface. |
| Jan 24 | Heat transport by the atmospheric and oceanic general curculation. |
Online textbook: 2.1.5 Heat storage and transport
2.1.5.1 Heat storage 2.1.5.2 Heat transport |
| Jan 26 | The atmospheric general circulation. |
Online textbook: 1.2.2 General circulation of the atmosphere
Supplemental reading: Seidel et al. (2008), "Widening of the tropical belt in a changing climate." |
| Jan 31 | Perturbations to the atmospheric general circulation: Monsoons.
Ocean circulation: Wind driven circulations. Upwelling and downwelling. Composition and properties of ocean water. Team 9 Climate News presentation. |
Online textbook: Online textbook: 1.3.1 Composition and properties.
Rahmstorf, S.: The Ocean Thermohaline Circulation: A Brief Fact Sheet |
| Feb 2 | Ocean circulation: Thermohaline cicrculation and the ocean conveyor belt. | Kent, E.C. and Taylor, P.K. 2006. Toward estimating climatic trends in SST. Part I: Methods of measurement. J. Atmos. Oceanic Technol., 23, 464-475. |
| Feb 7 |
Interlude: A world tour of climates, including extremes.
Team 3 Climate News presentation. |
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| Feb 9 | El Niño and the Southern Oscillation. | Online textbook: 5.2.1 El Niño-Southern Oscillation National Center for Atmospheric Research, El Niño, La Niña, and ENSO FAQ | Feb 14 | El Niño and the Southern Oscillation (continued).
Other major oscillations in the climate system.
Team 5 Climate News presentation. |
5.2.2 The North Atlantic Oscillation
Each team submits three essay questions for the midterm. (See Blackboard for submission form.) Due at start of class. Supplemental reading: Isaac Held, Teleconnections and stationary Rossby waves. Supplemental reading: John Nielsen-Gammon (Texas state climatologist) article on relation of global temperature trends to ENSO phase. |
| Feb 16 | Active review session for midterm exam (questions and discussion). | |
| Feb 21 | Midterm exam | |
| Part II: Climate Effects and Changes | ||
| Feb 23 | Review of midterm exam. Climate of Iowa and its surrounding region. | UN Food and Agriculture Organization summaries: Maize. Wheat. |
| Feb 28 | Climate of Iowa (continued).
Climate and agriculture.
Team 1 Climate News presentation. |
UN Food and Agriculture Organization summaries: Soybean. Sugarcane. |
| March 2 | Climate and agriculture (continued). | |
| March 6 Monday |
METED Module: Understanding the Hydrologic Cycle. | Take the quiz and forward your score report (not the completion certificate) to agron406@gmail.com by 11:59 pm. Late quizzes will not be accepted. |
| March 7 | The hydrologic cycle and water resources.
Team 2 Climate News presentation. |
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| Mar 9 |
The hydrologic cycle and water resources (continued).
Team 8 Climate News presentation. | |
| Mar 14 | Spring Break | Rest and relaxation. |
| Mar 16 | Spring Break | Fun in the sun (or snow, or rain). |
| Mar 21 | No class meeting. Class is replaced with online module (see March 6). | |
| Mar 23 | In-class workday for climate reports. Attendance required. | Readiness quiz for climate reports. |
| Mar 28 | Climate data sources.
Causes of natural climate changes.
Team 7 climate news presentation. |
Readings: NASA, Paleoclimatology: The Oxygen Balance. National Climatic Data Center, Paleo proxy data.
Online textbook: 5.4.1 Variations of the orbital parameters and of the insolation.
5.4.2 Orbital theory of paleoclimates.
Complete plagiarism tutorial and "Post-Test Your Knowledge" quiz by start of class. (Linked under "AGRON 406 Course Content" on Blackboard.) You will have a letter grade deducted from your climate report if you do not achieve a passing score (at least 8/10) on the post-test by this deadline. |
| Mar 30 | Causes of natural climate changes (continued).
Richard Alley lecture: The Biggest Control Knob. Discussion. |
View the Alley video and take notes in preparation for discussion. Annotated bibliography for climate report due by start of class. |
| Apr 4 |
Anthropogenic climate change: Changes to atmospheric composition.
Team 6 Climate News presentation. |
Reading: "Bad Greenhouse"
Materials for class: Summary for Policymakers: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fifth Assessment Report, Working Group I. |
| Apr 6 |
Anthropogenic climate change: Changes to land use.
Team 4 Climate News presentation. |
Materials for class: Summary for Policymakers: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fifth Assessment Report, Working Group I. |
| Apr 11 | Understanding and predicting climate change: Climate models. Projected global climate changes, including changes to extremes. | Materials for class: Summary for Policymakers: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fifth Assessment Report, Working Group I. and Summary for Policymakers: Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation |
| Apr 13 | Understanding and predicting climate change: Scenarios. Sea level rise simulator. | Bring a laptop or tablet to class.
Written climate reports due. Remember, late reports are not accepted for any reason! |
| Apr 18 | Poster presentations of climate reports. | Schedule of presentations |
| Apr 20 | Poster presentations of climate reports. | Schedule of presentations |
| Apr 25 | Projected climate changes for Iowa and the Midwest. | |
| Apr 27 | Farmer adaptation to and attitudes toward climate change. | |
| May 4 Thursday 9:45-11:45 am |
Final exam
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