GY250 EARTH SYSTEMS SCIENCE
Tentative Syllabus
Block 4
Jeff Noblett
Palmer 6, x6516
Date Topic Readings
M Nov 23 Introductions Park-Intro
What is an Earth System Few-Intro, I
Project: Sketch a Natural System
Tu Nov 24 Earth as a Closed System Few-II
PM: Review sketches, Begin Stella Model (Due Wed.
Dec. 16), Select Local System
W Nov 25 Analyzing Environmental Issues through Few-III
Earth Systems Science
THANKSGIVING BREAK
M Nov 30 Philosophical Perspectives on Earth Systems Fox-Keller,
Deep Ecology and Ecofeminism Shiva, Gunn-
PM: Discuss Final Projects, References Allen, King
(Abstract and Poster due Friday) Few-IV
Tu Dec 1 Subsystem 1: Lithosphere and Plate Tectonics Park II (skim 4)
Few V,VI.VII
W Dec 2 Subsystem 2: Atmosphere: Structure and Composition Park III (skim 9,10)
Th Dec 3 Subsystem 3: Hydrosphere: Fluvial Systems, Oceanic Park IV (skim 13,14)
Circulation and El Nino
F Dec 4 Himalayan Example of System Connections
Posters Due: Local System Description
M Dec 7 Subsystem 4: Biosphere Park V (skim 18)
Select Global Pathway for Poster (due Friday)
Tu Dec 8 System Pathways – Biogeochemical Cycles Articles TBA
The Carbon Cycle
W Dec 9 Carbon Cycle (cont’d)
Th Dec 10 Soils as a System/Consultations
F Dec 11 Abstracts and Posters Due: Global Pathways
M Dec 14 Work on Stella, Outline of Final Paper Due
PM: Climate Change in the Pleistocene
Tu Dec 15 The Anthropogenic Factor Hardin, Bartlett
W Dec 16 The Gaia Paradigm Lovelock
Stella Model of System Due
Th Dec 17 Work on Final Paper
F Dec 18 Final Paper Due
Stella Model of Natural System 25
Local System Project 20
Global System Poster 20
Final Paper 35
100
Earth System Science is a fairly new way of studying the Earth as a single system with processes operating at time scales ranging from a second to billions of years. It integrates aspects of geology, meteorology, oceanography and biology. We seek an understanding of the processes involved in the evolving Earth system and of the role and place of humans in this system.
This block class is intended to be an introduction to this very complex topic. We expect each of you will bring background in some part of geology, biology, chemistry, physics or math to this class. We expect each of you to review such class work as you find a need to draw on the basic relationships, equations and data of this field. We will emphasize cooperative projects allowing you to combine your knowledge, much as research groups studying earth systems do.
The course will follow a general outline from considering the earth as a closed system, to considering each of the four major subsystems, to studying the global pathways connecting the subsystems, to the human factor. We will include philosophical thoughts on this paradigm and an overview of Gaia.
The four projects by which you will demonstrate your level of understanding include: 1) a folio containing your progressive work on a natural system – from hand sketches to running a Stella model; 2) a group field project in the local region (stream, soil?) to define and quantify what you can in the system, preparing an abstract and poster for presentation; 3) a group research project on one of the biogeochemical cycles (besides the carbon-cycle presented in class) with an abstract and poster presentation, and 4) an individual final paper on a topic of your choice approved by us.
Earth Systems Science is one of the fastest growing areas of research in science today and is a wonderful, integrative approach to understanding our planet. We cannot hope to do justice to this topic in a block (or even a lifetime), but hope you will share our pleasure in the pursuit of this enterprise.