NGEK11004U Past Climate and Sea Level - Processes and Proxies (1)

Volume 2013/2014
Education
MSc Programme in Geology and Geoscience
Content

This 7,5 ECTS course is constituted by block 1 of the 15 ECTS course "Past Climate and Sea Level - Processes and Proxies (1+2)".

The aim of the course is to provide an overview of past climate and sea-level changes focused on how these changes are observed in the sedimentary and isotope records; what processes, interactions and feedbacks between the components of the climate system may have led to the signal in sedimentary archive. The course is composed of theory and case-studies. The theory part comprises an introduction to the climate system, climate archives and marine and terrestrial system processes. Important sedimentary, biotic and geochemical proxies including isotopes are covered and students are trained in critical reading of literature. Cases may deal with past climate change, landscape change, long carbon cycle and seawater geochemical change and on time scales from millions to hundreds of years.

Learning Outcome

Knowledge:

The main knowledge outcomes of the course are that the student should be able to :

  • Describe the main drivers and patterns of the Climate system of the Earth
  • Understand what controls sea-level changes
  • Relate sea-level change and climate evolution at different timescales
  • Describe some of the most important Marine and terrestrial system processes
  • Apply sedimentary, biotic and geochemical proxies to reconstruct past climates

Skills:

Upon completion of the course, students should be able to:

  • Critical evaluate scientific literature
  • Interpret geological climate signals
  • Place interpretations of climate archives or climate systems in a wider perspective

Competences:

Upon completion of the course, students should be able to:

  • Read scientific literature on climate systems and geological climate archives
  • Use relevant definitions and terms
  • Describe data from geological climate archives
  • Give professional-style oral presentation
  • Write a concise report
Literature
Please see Absalon course page.
BSc in Geology and Geoscience or equivalent
Teaching in block 1 will be in the form of class teaching with active participation of students by means of student presentations, group-work etc. There is a 3-day field trip to Jutland followed by the preparation of a short field trip report. At the end of block 1, students read key papers and produce a review report.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Preparation
  • 136
  • Project work
  • 35
  • Theory exercises
  • 35
  • Total
  • 206
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written assignment
...
Exam registration requirements
Submission of written report before exam
Marking scale
passed/not passed
Censorship form
No external censorship
Several internal examiners.
Criteria for exam assesment

See description of learning outcome