ESS 220: Earth System Climatology (Fall 2010) [syllabus]
Lecture: Tuesday & Thursday 9:30-10:50, Croul Hall 1103
INSTRUCTOR

Professor Jin-Yi Yu
Office: 3315 Croul Hall
Phone: (949) 824-3878
Email: jyyu@uci.edu
http://www.ess.uci.edu/~yu/
DESCRIPTION

This course offers an overview of Earth's climate system by describing the major climatological features in the atmosphere and oceans and by explaining the physical principals behind them. The course begins with an introduction of the global energy balance that drives motions in the atmosphere and oceans, then describes the basic structures and general circulations of the atmosphere and oceans, and finally look into major climate change and variation phenomena.

TEXTBOOKS

  • Lee R. Kump, James F. Kasting, Robert G. Crane, "The Earth System", Prentice Hall
    • SYLLABUS

    Week 1: Overview & Global Energy Balance
  • Atmosphere Composition
  • Planetary Energy Balance
  • Greenhouse Effect
  • Role of Cloud
  • [classnote #1: Atmosphere Composition] (powerpoint) (PDF) (handout)
  • [classnote #2: Global Energy Balance] (powerpoint) (PDF) (handout)
  • Suggested Reading: The Earth System (Ch3)

    Week 2: Atmospheric General Circulation
  • General Circulation in the Troposphere
  • General Circulation in the Stratosphere
  • Jetstreams
  • [classnote #3: Atmospheric General Circulation] (powerpoint) (PDF) (handout)
  • Suggested Reading: The Earth System (Ch4)

    Week 3: Ocean
  • Basic Structure
  • Mixed layer, Ekman Layer, Barrier Layer, and Thermocline
  • Water Mass Formation, Ekman Pumping, and Subduction
  • Surface Ocean Circulation: Wind-Driven
  • Deep Ocean Circulation: Density-Driven
  • Cryosphere
  • [classnote #4: Ocean Circulation] (powerpoint) (PDF) (handout)
  • Suggested Reading: The Earth System (Ch5 & Ch6)

    Week 4: Climate Variation
  • Tropical, Extratropical, and Coupled Atmosphere-Ocean Climate Variations (ENSO, NAO, Arctic Oscillation)
  • [classnote #5: Climate Variations] (powerpoint) (PDF) (handout)

    Week 5: Past and Future Climate Changes
  • Tectonic-Scale Climate Change
  • Orbital-Scale Climate Change
  • Future Climate Projections
  • [classnote #6: Climate Changes] (powerpoint) (PDF) (handout)
    Final Exam - 10/26 (9:30am)