GEOL2357: Earth System and Climate: The Quaternary

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• GEOL3407: Earth System and Climate: The Quaternary

• To introduce the interconnectivity between different components of the Earth System and their relevance to climate, with a focus on modern and Pleistocene climate change and its causes.

• Cycles of climate change: evidence and explanations.
• Understanding present and past climates: moving heat around, forcing functions and feedback, the evidence.
• Atmospheric circulation and hurricanes.
• Understanding the cryosphere - how ice sheets work.
• Milankovitch/Croll pacemaker.
• Evidence for rapid climate change.
• Climate change on geological timescales.
• Radiometric dating of last glacial materials.
• Human/climate interactions.
• Climate archives and proxies.
• The rock record and ancient glaciations.

Subject-specific Knowledge:

• To describe with reference to boundary and threshold conditions the processes governing present and past climates.
• To describe how cryosphere and carbon dynamics influence global climate.
• To critically evaluate the geological proxies for climate change.
• To critically evaluate current hypotheses for rapid climate change.
• To critically evaluate the value of solid Earth and general circulation models in climate simulation, hypothesis generation and testing.
• Will have acquired subject knowledge and understanding in geological principles, terms, definitions and classifications.
• Will have acquired subject knowledge and understanding in the Earth systems science.

Subject-specific Skills:

• Will have acquired intellectual and practical skills to synthesise information/data from a variety of sources.
• Will have acquired intellectual and practical skills to analyse, evaluate/interpret geological data.

Key Skills:

• Evaluate performance.
• Receive, respond to and critically evaluate a variety of information and data sources.
• Communicate effectively in written and graphical form.
• Scientific writing.
• Prepare, process and interpret data using appropriate qualitative and quantitative techniques.
• Use the internet critically in communication and an information source.
• Identify individual and collective goals.
• Recognise and respect the views of other team members.
• Time series analysis.

• The module is delivered through a series of flexible 2-hour class meetings which will be supported by asynchronous lectures, discussions, and practical exercises, supported by, directed reading and web and computer-based assignments.
• The discussions and exercises form an important component of the module encouraging learning and experience of tackling and solving problems individually in class, on-line and in groups.
• Guidance on preparation, key skills and essay skills is provided.

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