Instructors:

Jackie Huntoonjeh@mtu.edu, and Sue Beske-Diehl, sbeske-d@mtu.edu

Narrative:

Use of a systems approach in earth science requires an understanding of the processes driven by energy derived from the sun. Climate change is an excellent vehicle by which to enter into study of the interaction of processes that occur at the surface of the earth because it is an area of common interest among many different scientific disciplines.

Texts:

Imbrie, J. and Imbrie, K. Palmer, 1979, Ice Ages Solving the Mystery: Cambridge, Harvard University Press, 224 p.

Bradley, R.S., 1999, Paleoclimatology: San Diego, Academic Press, 613 p.

Meeting Times:

Class will meet two times per week for one and one-half hours.

Topics and Reading:
 

Weeks 1-2

During the first two weeks of the course the students will read a "popular" book by Imbrie and Imbrie called Ice Ages Solving the Mystery. This book gives an easily accessible overview of the development of the science of paleoclimatology, the use of different data types in determining the earth's paleoclimatic history, and different models that have been proposed to account for climate change. During the first two weeks lectures will focus on the following topics.

January 15 - Introduction to climate and Earth/Sun configurations. Read Imbrie and Imbrie to page 75 before the next meeting. JEH lecture.

January 17 - Milankovitch cycles, and circulation of the atmosphere and oceans.  Read Imbrie and Imbrie to page 146 before next meeting. JEH lecture.

January 22 - The affect of tectonics on climate. Read the rest of Imbrie and Imbrie before the next meeting. SBD lecture.

January 24 - An introduction to isotopes.  Read Chapters 1 and 2 in Bradley before next meeting. JEH lecture.
 

Weeks 3-10

Lectures and readings from the text will focus on the following topics as they relate to Quaternary paleoclimatology. Students will present lectures on the material in the textbook and, more importantly on an example or "case" study from the primary literature.

January 29 - An overview of greenhouse and icehouse gasses, and long-term changes in the concentration of these gasses in the atmosphere.  Read Chapters 3 and 4 in Bradley before next meeting.  SBD lecture.

January 31 - Dating Methods. JEH lecture.

February 5 - Dating Methods (continued).  Read Chapter 5 before next meeting.  SBD lecture.

February 12 - Ice Cores - student led discussion.  (Student Led)

February 14 - Ice Cores - student led discussion.  Read Chapter 6 before next meeting.  (Student Led)

February 19 - Marine Sediments and Corals - student led discussion.  (Student Led)

February 21 - Marine Sediments and Corals - student led discussion.  (Student Led)

February 26 - Marine Sediments and Corals - student led discussion.  Read Chapter 7 before next meeting.  (Student Led)

February 28 - Non-Marine Geological Evidence - student led discussion.  Read Chapter 8 before next meeting.  (Student Led)

March 12 - Non-Marine Biological Evidence - student led discussion.  (Student Led)

March 14 - Non-Marine Biological Evidence - student led discussion.  Read Chapter 9 before next meeting.  (Student Led)

March 19 - Pollen Analysis - student led discussion.  Read Chapter 10 before next meeting.  (Student Led)

March 21 - Dendroclimatology - student led discussion.  Read Chapter 11 before next meeting.  (Student Led)

March 26 - Documentary Data -student led discussion.  Read Chapter 12 before next meeting.  (Student Led)

March 28 - Paleoclimate Models - student led discussion.  (Student Led)
 

Weeks 11-12

Lectures will focus on the following topics as they relate to pre-Quaternary paleoclimatology. Lectures will be based entirely upon readings from the primary literature.

April 2: Late Pliocene

April 4: Paleocene-Eocene

April 9: Cretaceous

April 11: Pennsylvanian/Early Permian
 

Week13

Week 13 is free for students to work to prepare their final projects.
 

Weeks 14-15

Final project presentations. Students will be asked at the beginning of the course to develop an exercise that targets students at the introductory undergraduate level and should provide information about some aspect of paleoclimatology. Students will be encouraged to use real data - particularly that available on the web - in the construction of their exercise. Exercises will be worked through by all class members. Each exercise should take no more than one hour to complete.

Grading Procedure:

Biweekly quizzes given during the first 12 weeks (6 quizzes total) will count 150 points total. Individual lectures/presentations will count 50 points total. Problem sets will count 50 points total. Class discussion/participation will count 50 points total. The final project will count 100 points total.