METO 123 Course Outline Document

(*) 123
(GEOG/GEOL/METO 123)

Causes and Implications of
Global Change

Departments of
GEOGRAPHY
GEOLOGY
METEOROLOGY
University of Maryland

Course Web Page, Spring, 2001
http://meto.umd.edu/~owen/METO123/

This course qualifies as CORE Physical Sciences, Non-lab (PS)

Please "RELOAD" to assure you have the latest version

Goals and Objectives

Description

Text and References

Course Faculty

Graduate Teaching Assistants

Grading and Exam Policy

Students with Disabilities

Syllabus

Assignments

Climate Conference

Exam 1 Review

Exam 2 Review

Final Exam Review

Dr. Kaufman's PowerPoint Presentations

On-Line Educational Information

Printing Lecture Outlines

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

At the end of the course students will:

Be familiar with scientific methodology and how it is applied in the context of the global environment.
Understand that the climate of Earth is the result of a complex interplay between living organisms, geologic processes, the oceans, and the atmosphere.
Know how Earth’s climate has changed in the past, how human activities may affect climate and what some of the implications of climate change are for life on the planet
Be able to critically evaluate arguments made in the public debate about the global environment and to effectively express their own perspectives.
Understand how their personal activities may contribute to global change and what can be done by individuals and governments to lessen such impacts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION
Responsible policy and decision making on issues related to the global environment requires understanding of the basic scientific issues, relationships between the geophysical and biological sciences, the impacts on regional and global endeavors, and the political manner in which humans respond. This course embodies an integrated introduction to the broad scientific and social aspects of the global change "problem." It is targeted at the first college years so as to establish a context for advanced disciplinary learning for students in a variety of major fields - non-scientific as well as scientific.

TEXT MATERIALS

MacKenzie, Fred T., 1998, Our Changing Planet: An Introduction to Earth System Science and Global Environmental Change, Prentice Hall Inc., Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. 2nd Edition (ISBN 0-13-271321-7)

Course packets containing additional readings can be purchased at BSOS copy center, 1105 Tydings Hall

Articles from the journal "Consequences: The Nature and Implications of Environmental Change" are available on-line at:
http://www.gcrio.org/CONSEQUENCES/intro.CON.html. Students may wish to view the articles on line if graphics are not clear in the copies contained in the course packet.

COURSE FACULTY

Dr. Ruth DeFries

Office hours: Tues 10-11 am or by appointment, 1127 Lefrak Hall
Phone: ext. 54884
Email: rd63@umail.umd.edu

Dr. Andrew Dessler

Office hours: By appointment, 3405 Computer and Space Sciences Bldg
Phone: ext. 55337
Email: dessler@atmos.umd.edu

Dr. Alan J. Kaufman

Office hours: Mon 10-11, 0226 Chemistry Building
Phone: ext. 50395;
Email: kaufman@geol.umd.edu

Dr. Owen Thompson

Office hours: Mon 1-2, 2413 Computer and Space Sciences Bldg
Phone: ext. 55383
Email: owen@atmos.umd.edu

GRADUATE TEACHING ASSISTANTS

Barbara Kearney, Geography Dept.

Office hours: Thursdays, 10am - Noon, 1111A LeFrak
Email: bkearney@glue.umd.edu

Michael Varni, Geology Dept

Office hours:
Email: varni@geol.umd.edu

Scott Weaver, Meteorology Dept

Office hours:
Email:sweaver@atmos.umd.edu

COURSE GRADING AND EXAM POLICY

On the basis of 1000 points, grades will be assigned as follows:

	POINTS (OUT OF 1000)
EXAM 1	100
EXAM 2	100
FINAL EXAM	300
PAPER NO. 1	100
PAPER NO. 2	100
8 STUDY QUESTION ASSIGNMENTS	80
7 POP QUIZZES	70
DISCUSSION SESSION PARTICIPATION	150

Any request for regrade of exams must be made in writing, and must be submitted within one week of the exam return date. Regrading of exams may lead to increase or decrease from the original grade.

There will be NO make-up exams unless you make arrangements BEFORE the examination data, AND have an official documented excuse.

Late assignments will lose 1 point for each day late. Late papers will lose 10 points per day.

Students will be permitted to use class notes for the pop quizzes.

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

Please see the course director and register with Disability Support Service in Shoemaker Hall.

		SYLLABUS
CLICKABLE LINK TO ON-LINE OUTLINES CLICKABLE LINK TO ON-LINE ESSAYS CLICKABLE LINK TO ASSIGNMENTS

SECTION I: INTRODUCTION

Lecture no.	Date	Title	Lecturer	Assignment
1	M 1/29	Introduction and logistics	RD
2	W 1/31	The process of science: Unraveling the Earth system	RD	READ OCP pp. 1-8 OUTLINE
3	M 2/5	The role of science in managing the global environment	AD	OUTLINE

SECTION II: A SIMPLE EXAMPLE OF GLOBAL CHANGE: STRATOSPHERIC OZONE DEPLETION

4	W 2/7	Stratospheric ozone and the evolution of life	JK	READ OCP Chap. 6 pp. 181-205 OUTLINE Study Questions
5	M 2/12	The science of stratospheric ozone depletion	OT	READ OCP pp. 402-416 DO ASSIGNMENT 1: study questions OCP p. 417, nos. 13-15 OUTLINE ESSAY w/links
6	W 2/14	The impacts of stratospheric ozone depletion	OT	READ Consequences by DeGruijl (1995, Vol. 1, No.2) OUTLINE ESSAY
7	M 2/19	Policy responses to stratospheric ozone depletion	AD	DO ASSIGNMENT 2: paper for Diamondback OUTLINE

SECTION III: A COMPLEX EXAMPLE OF GLOBAL CHANGE: THE SCIENCE OF THE ENHANCED GREENHOUSE EFFECT

8	W 2/21	Fundamentals of the climate system	OT	OCP chap. 3 pp 65-88 only OUTLINE
9	M 2/26	Composition of the atmosphere and the greenhouse effect	OT	DO ASSIGNMENT 3: study questions p. 118, nos. 3,6,8,12 OUTLINE
10	W 2/28	Geologic evolution of the global carbon cycle	JK	REREAD OCP Chap. 6 DO ASSIGNMENT 4: study questions p. 205 nos. 2,6,7,8 OUTLINE
11	M 3/5	The present day carbon cycle	RD	READ OCP Chap. 5 (only 155-166) READ Consequences article by Kasting (1998, Vol. 4, No. 1) DO ASSIGNMENT 5: study questions p. 178 nos. 1-3, 16a OUTLINE
12	W 3/7	Changing composition of the atmosphere from human activities	RD	READ OCP Chap. 7 (pp. 372-390) DO ASSIGNMENT 6: study questions p. 417 (7,9) OUTLINE
13	M 3/12	EXAM 1

14	W 3/14	Climate variability in the geologic past	JK	READ OCP chap. 11 (p. 351-363) READ Consequences article by Crowley (1996, Vol. 2, No. 1) OUTLINE
15	M 3/26	Climate variability in the last millennium	JK	DO ASSIGNMENT 7: study questions p. 417 (1, 2, 10, 11) OUTLINE
16	W 3/28	The recent climate record	OT	READ Consequences article by Karl et al (1995, No. 1, Vol. 1) OUTLINE
17	M 4/2	Predicting the future climate	OT	READ Consequences article by Barron (1995, Vol. 1, No. 3 OUTLINE
18	W 4/4	Future predictions and uncertainties	OT	OUTLINE
19	M 4/9	Energy resources and implications for future atmospheric composition	JK	READ OCP chap. 7 (pp. 228-236) READ Consequences article by Rockwell (1998, Vol. 4, No. 1) OUTLINE
20	W 4/11	Future emissions from human population growth and consumption	RD	READ OCP chap. 7 (pp. 209-243) READ Consequences article by Haub (1995, Vol. 1, No.2) READ Consequences article by Ashford and Noble (1996, Vol. 2, No. 2) DO ASSIGNMENT 8: study questions p. 243 (1,2,10,11,12,15) OUTLINE

SECTION IV: A COMPLEX EXAMPLE OF GLOBAL CHANGE: IMPACTS ON SOCIETY OF THE ENHANCED GREENHOUSE EFFECT

21	M 4/16	Impacts of climate change on natural ecosystems and agriculture	RD	READ Consequences article by Rosenzweig and Hillel (1995, Vol. 1, No. 2) READ Consequences article by Janetos (1997, Vol. 3, No. 1) DO ASSIGNMENT 9: research on your country for climate convention OUTLINE
22	W 4/18	Impacts of climate change on sea level rise	RD	READ OCP chap. 11 (p. 394-398) OUTLINE
23	M 4/23	Impacts of climate change on human health	RD	READ Consequences article by Epstein (1997, Vol. 3, No. 2) OUTLINE
24	W 4/25	EXAM 2
25	M 4/30	Impacts of other global changes on the earth system	RD	OUTLINE

SECTION V: A COMPLEX EXAMPLE OF GLOBAL CHANGE: POLICY RESPONSES TO THE ENHANCED GREENHOUSE EFFECT

26	W 5/2	Making decisions	AD	READ OCP chap. 12 (p. 422-437) DO ASSIGNMENT 10: Paper No. 2 OUTLINE
27	M 5/7	Policy responses to a changing planet	AD	OUTLINE
28	W 5/9	The *123 Climate Convention: Reports from discussion sessions		OUTLINE
29	M 5/14	Wrap up and final exam review	RD	OUTLINE
	W 5/23 8:00-10:00 am	FINAL EXAM

ASSIGNMENTS

ASSIGNMENT NO. 1 (10 points), DUE 2/15-16: Study questions OCP p. 417, nos. 13-15

ASSIGNMENT NO. 2 (100 points), DUE 2/22-23:

Consider the following hypothetical case:

The University is considering a conversion of existing air conditioners in all its vehicles to newer, CFC-free models out of concern for stratospheric ozone depletion. This could only be achieved at considerable expense and the proposal has stimulated heated debate. Your assignment is to write a short article (2 to 4 double spaced pages) for the Diamondback so that its readers can develop informed opinions on whether or not they agree with the proposal. Do NOT give your opinion about whether you do or do not agree; you are striving to provide information so that others can understand the scientific issues involved in stratospheric ozone depletion. Assume that your reader knows nothing about the issue. Your paper should include:

A brief summary of the atmospheric processes involved in stratospheric ozone depletion, including how, where, and why stratospheric ozone depletion occurs
A description of the sources of stratospheric ozone depletion
What is known about the impacts of stratospheric ozone depletion on humans and other living creatures
What steps have been taken to reduce stratospheric ozone depletion and how effective we can expect them to be.

Feel free to use lecture notes, your text book, and any other sources for information. You can find vast amounts of information on the web. Do a search on "stratospheric ozone." Or you can start by pointing to:

http://www.nas.nasa.gov/NAS/Education/TeacherWork/Ozone/Ozone.homepage.html

Remember, this is about stratospheric (not tropospheric) ozone.

ASSIGNMENT NO. 3 (10 points), DUE 3/1-2: Study questions p. 118, nos. 3,6,8,12

ASSIGNMENT NO. 4 (10 points), DUE 3/1-2: Study questions p. 205 nos. 2,6,7,8

ASSIGNMENT NO. 5 (10 points), DUE 3/8-9: Study questions p. 178 nos. 1-3, 16a

ASSIGNMENT NO. 6 (10 points), DUE 3/8-9: Study questions p. 417 nos. 7,9

ASSIGNMENT NO. 7 (10 points), DUE 3/29-30: Study questions p. 417 nos. 1, 2, 10, 11

ASSIGNMENT NO. 8 (10 points), DUE 4/12-13: Study questions p. 243 nos. 1,2,10,11,12,15

ASSIGNMENT NO. 9 (10 points), DUE 4/19-20:

See Background Information for The 123 Climate Conference

Assignment No. 9 is to collect the necessary background data to develop your country’s position on climate change. See "Types of Data You Might Find" for the kind of data you should be looking for. Suggested references are provided in the background information. Your goal is not to gather all possible background information, nor to duplicate the published positions of your country, but to gain enough information that your stated position is realistic for the country you represent.

For this assignment, you need to compile the necessary background information and summarize it in 1 to 3 pages. The compilation need not be a formal written essay. A list of pertinent facts is an acceptable format. Be sure to reference your sources.

Each student must submit this assignment individually, but your group may wish to coordinate to avoid duplication of effort. All pertinent information need not be included in each individual assignment so long as you have coordinated within your group.

ASSIGNMENT NO. 10 (100 points), DUE 5/3-4:

See Background Information for The 123 Climate Conference

Assignment No. 10 is a 4-5 page (double spaced) paper. Consider that you are an advisor to the head of state in your assigned country. You are briefing him/her on the basic scientific facts about climate change and your recommendations for your country’s position on participating in the climate convention. The paper should begin with a summary of the climate change issue including the following:

What is the "greenhouse effect"
Which gases contribute to the greenhouse effect, where do they come from, and why are we so concerned with carbon dioxide in particular
What predictions have scientists made about climate change and how much confidence can we have in these predictions
Why is there so much concern about climate change

The second part of the paper should include:

A brief summary of your recommendations for your country’s position on climate change, specifying what (if any) greenhouse gas reductions it should commit,
A timetable for achieving these reductions and an explanation of how they will be achieved.

The position paper must be realistic (i.e. a likely position for the country to take given what is known about it) and persuasive. The paper must contain referenced facts.

Each student must submit a paper. This is not a group assignment.

Course Web Page, Spring, 2001 http://meto.umd.edu/~owen/METO123/

Course Web Page, Spring, 2001
http://meto.umd.edu/~owen/METO123/