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Dive into Earth's climate system components, weather vs. climate, and factors driving climate change. Understand the dynamics of global climate with a blend of lectures, labs, and exams.
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Lecture 1: Introduction • I will introduce: • Me • The course • The book • Chapter 1
Who Am I? • Name: Zong-Liang YANG • Associate Professor • Education:BSc and MSc in Meteorology • PhD in Atmospheric Science • Research:Modeling Global Climate and Hydrology • Biosphere-Atmosphere Interaction • Global Change, Monsoon • Flood Modeling, Air Pollution • Teach: Living with a Planet, Earth, Wind and Fire • Physical Climatology Climate: Past, Present and Future • Office: GEO 5.220DA • Hours: WF 4-5pm or by Appointment • Phone: 471-3824 • Email: liang@mail.utexas.edu
My Personal Biography Tucson: 8 years Austin: 1 week
GEO 302C Climate: Past, Present and Future • Textbook: Ruddiman, 2001. Earth’s Climate: Past and Future 19 chapters • Course website http://www.geo.utexas.edu/courses/302C • Click Schedules for lists of lecture topics and reading assignments • Three mid-term exams, 25% each, with the lowest grade dropped • Up to 10 labs, a total of 25% (TAs: Lindsey Gulden, Lacki Lynch) • Final exam, 25%. • All add up to 100%. • No makeup exam. • Attendance will be counted for each class and lab. • Extra credit opportunities. • Blackboard http://courses.utexas.edu; “login” with your UTEID. From there select “S06 climate: past, present, future”
Chapter 1: Overview of Climate Science • We will discuss: • What are the components of Earth’s climate system? • How does climate change differ from day-to-day weather? • What factors drive changes in Earth’s climate? • How does the climate system work?
Chapter 1: Overview of Climate Science • This lecture discusses: • What are the components of Earth’s climate system? • How does climate change differ from day-to-day weather? • What factors drive changes in Earth’s climate?
The Habitable Earth The earth is the only habitable planet in our solar system. Oceans: 70% of the surface Land: 30% Earth’s climate is favorable to life. In the era of population explosion, climate change is critical to human life.
Weather versus Climate Weather The condition of atmosphere at a given time and place • Short-term (and large) fluctuations that arise from internal instabilities of the atmosphere • Occurs as a wide variety of phenomena that we often experience • Effects are immediately felt • Social and economic impacts are great but are usually localized • Many such phenomena occur as part of larger-scale organized systems • Governed by non-linear chaotic dynamics; not predictable deterministically beyond a week or two
Temperature Scales Fahrenheit: USA Celsius: most other countries Kelvin: scientific calculations Temperature at the Earth’s surface varies just above or below the freezing point of water. Globally averaged surface temperature = 59°F (15°C)
Surface Weather Map Meteorologists may study larger weather patterns with space borne instruments, while ground-based tools often measure a) air temperature b) air pressure c) humidity d) clouds e) precipitation f) visibility g) wind at a single point. Meteorologists generate diagrams of observed weather from ground-based instruments. This surface map overlaps in time with the above satellite image.
