Spring 2019  |  GEOG 5426 Section 001: Climatic Variations (56121)

Instructor(s)
Class Component:
Lecture
Credits:
3 Credits
Grading Basis:
Student Option
Instructor Consent:
No Special Consent Required
Instruction Mode:
In Person Term Based
Times and Locations:
Regular Academic Session
 
01/22/2019 - 05/06/2019
Wed, Fri 09:45AM - 11:00AM
UMTC, East Bank
Blegen Hall 225
Enrollment Status:
Open (6 of 12 seats filled)
Course Catalog Description:
Theories of climatic fluctuations and change at decadal to centuries time scales; analysis of temporal and spatial fluctuations especially during the period of instrumental record. prereq: 1425 or 3401 or instr consent
Class Description:
How has our climate changed in the past? What caused those changes, and can understanding the Earth's climate history help us better predict the future? Does the past really matter? In this seminar course, we will examine these questions through the lens of paleoclimatology, which uses physical and cultural evidence to make inferences about climates of the past. We will review the processes that govern our modern climate and explore what paleoclimate records tell us about how these systems respond to (and express) climate change. In the process, we will learn how insights drawn from the past can help inform discussions of contemporary issues linked to climate change, hazards and the management of natural resources. Case studies will be selected to focus on the Holocene (the last 10 ka) and, to a lesser degree, the climate of North America. By the end of the semester, students will be able to explain how paleoclimatology helps address grand challenges in Climatology and Earth Systems Science. They will be familiar with the core techniques used by scientists at the University of Minnesota to make inferences about past climates. They will also be able to provide examples that illustrate how adopting the ?Long View? can support risk assessment and wise stewardship of natural resources. More generally, they will have improved their ability to understand and synthesize scientific articles and will have developed skills to help them communicate about complex ideas in a clear and concise manner.
Grading:
30% Reports/Papers
15% Reflection Papers
30% In-class Presentations
25% Class Participation
Class Format:
35% Lecture
30% Discussion
15% Student Presentations
Textbooks:
https://bookstores.umn.edu/course-lookup/56121/1193
Instructor Supplied Information Last Updated:
4 November 2011

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