Introduce the climate system, the atmosphere and ocean:

Address how the climate system varies and how climate is controlled by radiative forcing;

How the structure of the atmosphere is determined and how the atmosphere circulates;

How the structure of the ocean is determined and how the ocean circulates;

How the atmosphere and ocean vary together in affecting the present and past climate system.

(LO1) Knowledge and Understanding

a. Understand how physical processes operate within the climate system, the atmosphere and the ocean.

b. Appreciate the complexity of the climate system, the effect of radiative forcing, the concept of feedbacks, how rotation affects the circulation; the differences between currents and waves.

c. Gain awareness of the similarities and differences between the atmosphere and ocean.

d. Gain an awareness of policies and strategies to move towards achieving net zero carbon on a national stage.

(LO2) Intellectual Abilities

a. To be able to evaluate the relative importance of different physical processes in the climate systemb.

b. To develop critical skills in transferring insight gained from one problem to another problem, such as how the atmosphere circulates from one planet to another planet.

(LO3) Subject Based Practical Skills

a. Perform simple order of magnitude calculations and make inferences from the results.

b. Understand the use of units and dimensions.

(LO4) General Transferable Skills

a. Application of numbers, involving order of magnitudes and dimensions.

b. Time management.

c. Problem solving.

d. Group work.

(S1) Problem solving skills

(S2) Numeracy

(S3) Digital fluency : ability to think critically and make balanced judgments, and use digital platforms to collaborate and communicate.

Block One: Climate System

Climate system of  the Earth, atmosphere and ocean.
Climate records. Possible causes of climate variability.
Heat transfer and radiation models.
Radiation balance for other planets.  
Feedbacks in the climate system.

Block Two. Atmosphere

Composition and structure of the atmosphere.
Clouds and water vapour.
Understand motion on the rotating Earth.
General circulation in the tropics and mid-latitudes.
Weather systems, fronts and clouds.
Atmospheric circulation for other planets.
Seasonal cycle in the atmosphere.

Block Three. Oceans

Properties of water and seawater.
Observing the ocean
Vertical structure of the ocean.
Seasonal cycle in the ocean.
Formation of water masses.
Deep circulation over the globe.
Upper circulation over the globe:gyres, eddies and fronts.
Waves and tides.

Block Four. Climate variability

Atmospher e and ocean variability including the El Nino and Southern Oscillation and the North Atlantic Oscillation.
Climate states over the history of the planet and the possible connection to different ocean gateways and circulations.  
Conclusions

Hybrid Delivery - asynchronus e-lectures available online via VLE supported by synchronus online workshops and drop in sessions, and on-campus seminars.

All assessments will be completed online.

Teaching Method 1 - E-Lecture (22 hours)
Description: Asynchronus e-lectures available on the VLE.
Attendance Recorded: Yes

Teaching Method 2 - Online Classroom (5 hours)
Description: Synchronus online workshops (1 hour)
Attendance Recorded: Yes

Teaching Method 2 - Online Tutorial (3 hours)
Description: Synchronus online drop in sessions (1 hour) to support students.
Attendance Recorded: No

Seminar - Face to face session (2 hours) - 1 hour at start and end of course
Description: provide a wider context of climate change and provide update as to University research theme Climate Futures and contribution to net zero carbon. This material is not assessed.
Attendance Recorded: Yes