NIGB15037U Paleoclimate
BSc Programme in Geology-Geoscience
The course deals with Earth’s deep time climate history through the study of climate proxies (sedimentary and geochemical) and dynamics of forcing mechanisms at an introductory level. The course uses a qualitative principle oriented approach with a few simple quantitative treatments and exercises. The course introduces the global energy balance, greenhouse effect, the coupled climate system (atmosphere-ocean circulation and heat transport), the carbon cycle and cycling of elements in the ocean, role of the biota in climate change, long-term climate regulation, and Milankovitch cycles.
The presentation of climate-sensitive proxies and stratigraphic archives will be discussed together with the relations to sea-level variation and geo- and oceanographic chemical principles. Presentation of Earth’s paleoclimate may include examples from Greenhouse and Icehouse paleoclimates, Snowball Earth, mass extinction and Cenozoic climate deterioration.
In the exercises and on the field trip we will primarily work with one time period/event as a case illustrating the application of different methods, proxies and their interpretation. In the exercises we introduce and use a numerical computing programming environment (such as MatLab or R) for graphic presentation of climate proxies, statistic correlations, and perform simple calculations of element cycles including stable isotopes.
The course couples a dynamic process understanding of the climate system (ocean-atmosphere-cryosphere) with the geobiochemical feedbacks that amplify climate change. Importantly the concept of coupled systems, systems analysis, and feedback loops are used throughout the course. Finally, examples of past climate change are related to present and future climate change.
Knowledge:
• climate-sensitive proxies and archives
• deep time climate history
• greenhouse effect, energy balance, the coupled climate
system (atmosphere-ocean circulation and heat transport),
storminess, Milankovitch cycles, carbon cycle
• coupled climate system and geobiochemical feedbacks
• coupled systems and feedback analysis
• correlation tools and dating methods
• Danish and Scandinavian key localities
• future environmental conditions and climate change
Skills:
• sedimentological, geochemical, geobiological working
methods
• deduce the paleoclimate evolution from paleoclimate proxies
and successions
• graphic presentation of geochemical and sedimentological
proxies.
• quantitative correlation analysis
• qualitative feedback analyses
• Perform basic mathematical operations in a numerical
computing programming environment
• Make figures, graphs and correlation analysis in a numerical
computing programming environment
Competences:
• qualitatively explain the first order processes controlling
climate, the large scale atmospheric-ocean circulation, sea-level
changes and ice sheet development
• explain and use feedback mechanisms between the climate system
and geobiochemical cycles
• use sedimentological, geochemical, biological and dating methods
in a paleoclimates context and evaluate the usefulness of these
methods and tools in different contexts
• deduce the paleoclimate evolution from paleoclimate proxies and
successions
• explain how orbital changes may influence the climate
development, ocean and atmospheric circulation and how these
changes may be amplified by feedbacks
Please see Absalon course page.
- Category
- Hours
- Excursions
- 60
- Lectures
- 27
- Preparation
- 104
- Theory exercises
- 15
- Total
- 206
As
an exchange, guest and credit student - click here!
Continuing Education - click here!
- Credit
- 7,5 ECTS
- Type of assessment
- Oral examination, 20 minutesThe students draws an exam question and is examined without any preparation time and without aids.
- Aid
- Without aids
- Marking scale
- 7-point grading scale
- Censorship form
- External censorship
- Re-exam
Identical to the ordinary examination form.
Criteria for exam assesment
Please see learning outcomes
Course information
- Language
- English
- Course code
- NIGB15037U
- Credit
- 7,5 ECTS
- Level
- Bachelor
- Duration
- 1 block
- Placement
- Block 4
- Schedule
- C
- Course capacity
- 64 students (4 classes of 16)
- Continuing and further education
- Study board
- Study Board of Geosciences and Management
Contracting department
- Department of Geoscience and Natural Resource Management
Course responsibles
- Christian J. Bjerrum (3-7279714f78767d3d7a843d737a)