ATTENTION STUDENTS!

Please see the Writing and Reading sections for your assignments for our next class meeting Februray 11, 2003.

Saturdays, January 11, February 1 and 8
10am-1pm
Enrollment Code: 58545

 A description of the state of the climate system, its natural and human-induced variability; the impacts of human activities, the predicted long-term changes and impacts and those that are already observed; a presentation and an analysis of the Kyoto protocol and other actions that are proposed or could be taken to limit human-induced greenhouse gases emissions into the atmosphere. The class will be a combination of lectures and active participation by students in the form of software simulations, classroom presentations, student collaboration and discussion on possible climate remediation actions.

Class Objectives
· Expose students to main principles of science of global change
· Present a few topics in some depth to allow students to understand the deep connections between the different components and the complexity of the climate system
· Help students transfer their knowledge to other topics that have not been addressed in class
· Provide students with opportunities to discover the complexity of the topic

January 11 Focus
What is happening to climate and atmosphere? - T and GHG?
What are the possible consequences and impacts? - sea level, snow/ice, precipitation, weather, ecosystems (land, marine), human health?

February 1 Focus
What are the principles that can help us explain why these changes happening?
What type of models and how can they be used to predict future changes?

February 8 Focus
What can be done about the changes? Adaptation: management & individual behavior - Emissions Limitation: international policies, national policies and controls

Grades
Grades will be assigned in the following manner:
Participation in and contribution to class activities
In-class participation (50%)
Writings (30%)
Labs (20%)

Office hours by appointment - Contact instructor

gautier@icess.ucsb.edu

Professor Catherine Gautier, Geography, teaches courses on Global Change and Earth system science, tropical phenomena such as El Niño, hurricanes and Monsoon, and physically-based remote sensing. Her research interests include the observations and modeling of the role of clouds, aerosols and large-scale air-sea interactions on climate, as well as Earth system science education.