LAS1028 - Climate Change: From the Ancient Past to Alien Planets

MQF Level

Duration and Credits

Semester 2

4 ECTS

Mode of Study

Part-Time Evening

This Unit breaks down the natural laws that produce the comfortable blanket that is our atmosphere and investigate the process (past and present) that drive its change. It will explore the differences between weather and climate, as well as extreme phenomena such as hurricanes, medicanes and tornadoes. Paleoclimate will be an important component of the Unit, as past catastrophes provide insight into the present as well as the future.

The computer models that provide hint towards potential futures of our planet will be unboxed to understand the true extent of the climate impacts we鈥檙e facing. Finally, the Unit will conclude with a brief description of optical phenomena and exotic climates of other worlds.

Main Reading List

T E Graedel and P J Crutzen, Atmospheric Change: An Earth System Perspective, W H Freeman and Company.
Acherman, S.A. & Knox, J.A. (2007). Meterology: Understanding the Atmosphere (Second Edition). [Thomson Brooks/Cole, a part of The Thomson Corporation].

Supplementary Reading List

Jeremy Colls, Air Pollution 鈥� An Introduction, E & F N Spon.
D J Malan, Physics of Lightning, English Universities Press
McIlveen, R. (2010). Fundamentals of Weather & Climate (2nd Edition). [Oxford University Press]

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This micro-credential is offered as part of the programme for the Liberal Arts and Sciences and will only be offered subject to a minimum number of applications received. More information can be found on the PLAS website.

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Learning Outcomes: Knowledge and Understanding

By the end of the Unit the student will be able to:

Describe the atmospheric composition and circulation patterns that determine the climate;
Explain the ocean and moon鈥檚 influence on our atmosphere;
Discuss extreme events and the impact of climate change on their frequency and intensity;
Describe climate changing process such as volcanoes and the Milankovich cycles;
List catastrophic events (such as mass extinction events) and their impact on ecology;
Describe atmospheric optical properties and how they form;
Explain exotic atmospheric process occurring on other planets.

Learning Outcomes: Skills

By the end of the Unit the student will be able to:

Interpret the difference between weather and climate;
Identify different cloud types and interpret their significance to the local weather patterns;
Interpret weather charts and forecasts;
Interpret climate statistics (especially those described in local media);
Analyze natural and anthropogenic contribution to climate change;
Explain the distinction between climate change and global warming;
Describe the atmospheric and orbital conditions of fictional worlds and their resultant climates.

Non EU Applicants:

EUR180

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Micro-credentials offer the possibility of providing flexible learning pathways to respond to evolving needs and new developments, thus enabling students to tailor their studies to their needs. Micro-credentials may be combined or transferred into larger credentials, such as certificates, diplomas and degrees, provided that the relevant programme requirements are met. Applicants wishing to transfer micro-credentials to a programme of study are encouraged to seek the advice of the relevant academic entity.