Polar Climate Dynamics

Catalog description

This course explores some of the key physical processes that govern Earth?s cold, high-latitude regions and their impacts on our global climate. Topics of interest include the ocean circulation in the Arctic and Southern Ocean, sea ice dynamics and variability, deep water formation and upwelling, the transport and uptake of heat and carbon at high latitudes, polar amplified warming, ice sheet mass balance, and internal modes polar climate variability. We will discuss these topics in the context of past, present, and future climate change. Classes will be a mix of lectures and paper discussions. Lectures will focus on fundamental concepts while assigned readings and in-class discussions explore their application in active research. Students will take turns presenting papers and leading discussions. Evaluations will be based on homework, in-class presentations, and a final report. There are no assigned textbooks. Recommended prerequisites: a course that introduces ocean or atmospheric circulation (e.g., Earthsys 146A/ESS 246A, Earthsys 146B/ESS 246B or CEE162D) and prior exposure to multivariable calculus (e.g., MATH 51 or CME100). Undergraduates who have the recommended prerequisites are welcome to enroll.