The Atmosphere, the Ocean, and Environmental Change
Published: Fall 2011
Description
This course explores the physical processes that control Earth’s atmosphere, ocean, and climate. Quantitative methods for constructing mass and energy budgets. Topics include clouds, rain, severe storms, regional climate, the ozone layer, air pollution, ocean currents and productivity, the seasons, El Niño, the history of Earth’s climate, global warming, energy, and water resources.
Course Takeaways
- Learn how the air and water on earth move, mix, and influence our planet
- Different kinds of storms and what develop and impact their creation
- Learn how and why climate varies around the globe
- Learn how climates have changed over the history of the earth and how it might change in the future
Meet the Instructors
Ronald B. Smith is the Damon Wells Professor of Geology & Geophysics, and specializes in atmospheric dynamics and physics, regional climate, and remote sensing. He received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in aerospace engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Princeton University and his PhD in geophysics from The Johns Hopkins University. He is a Fellow of the American Meteorological Society and received the Society’s Jule G. Charney Award in 2011.
Full Biography
