Earth's climate is changing over a vast range of time scales in response to varied and coupled processes acting in the atmosphere, oceans and deep mantle. In this module you will explore how the dynamics of the ocean and cryosphere contribute to the remarkable climate variability observed primarily over the last 10,000 years. You will look at data sets and investigate how this variability is (or is not) identified. Following a few weeks of mostly learning to write and to ask a question that is actually the one you want to ask, beginning with this module we will start to look closely at data sets. We will also investigate models applied to understand or at least explain these data sets.
Learning Goals for This Module (TBA)
Reading:
Why do we care about anthropogenic climate change?
Overview of some issues (more background to go with Alley and Bender): Collins
A look at some of the data over various time scales: Alley and Bender
A very real assessment of the consequences: Rahmstorff1
Some of the processes that matter
Atlantic deep water production, freshening and rapid cooling: How does it work?
Rahmstorff2
Evidence of profound rapid climate change in the recent past
Has Atlantic deep water production ever ceased? What are some effects?
Broecker
Bay
Yasuhara
Writing:
ASSIGNMENTS
Some observations: Over short time scales of a couple of human lifetimes
Some observations: Over millennial time scales
Some observations: Over 100 kyr time scales
Some observations: Over long (i.e., geological) time scales
