The Earth's Climate System

This class provides a broad, quantitative introduction to the science underlying our understanding of the Earth’s climate system. Students will first learn the basic, fundamental concepts of energy transfer, the greenhouse effect, and general circulation in the climate system. We will then build on these ideas to explore more specialized topics, including climate variability now and in the past, the signs of climate change, climate models, extreme events, and projections of future climate. Lectures and slides will draw from the scientific literature, as well as the latest IPCC Assessment Report (AR6). By the end, students will have a working knowledge of the climate system, giving them the knowledge and skills to evaluate statements and claims in the media and from their peers. Limited math (basic algebra) will be necessary for some of the assignments. All lectures will be recorded, and all slide decks will be uploaded to Courseworks after class.