Climatology

Code:

AMB2002

Acronym:

AMB2002

Level:

200

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Environmental Sciences

Instance: 2020/2021 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Web Page:	https://moodle.up.pt/course/view.php?id=293
Responsible unit:	Department of Geosciences, Environment and Spatial Plannings
Course/CS Responsible:	Bachelor in Environmental Sciences and Technology

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
L:CTA	41	Plano estudos a partir do ano letivo 2016/17	2	-	6	56	162

Teaching language

Suitable for English-speaking students

Objectives

This course aims to describe the climate system analyzing the interactions between its constituent parts and the resulting meteorological and climate phenomena with environmental relevance.

Learning outcomes and competences

After completion of the course the student should be able to:

 
- describe the constitution of the terrestrial climate system;

- understand the interactions between the different components of the climate system;

- understand climate modulation factors;

- understand the basic physical principles of the most common meteorological phenomena;

- understand the most common methods and technologies for measuring meteorological variables;

- describe global atmospheric and oceanic circulation patterns and their relationship to large climate zones;

- understand the important role of solar radiation and terrestrial infrared radiation in the terrestrial radiative balance;

- understand the greenhouse effect, its natural and anthropogenic causes and consequences for global warming;

- understand the difference between variability and climate change;

- formulate simple models of the global Earth climate and to calculate the effective average temperatures of the terrestrial surface and atmosphere for different values of the model’s parameters;

- describe and analyze climate feedback cycles;

- understand Earth’s paleoclimate record and its possible causes;

- analyze the consequences of global warming and describe the necessary preventive and mitigation measures.

Working method

B-learning

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

Mathematics: basics of algebra, trigonometry, differential and integral calculus.

Physics: basic notions of vector calculus, kinematics, dynamics, hydrostatics and thermodynamics.

Program

1. Introduction
    1.1. Weather and climate
    1.2. Climate system
    1.3. Climatology
2. Atmosphere
    2.1. Origin of the Earth's atmosphere
    2.2. Conditions for the maintenance of the Earth's atmosphere
    2.3. Thermal structure and chemical composition
3. Notions of meteorology
    3.1. Description of atmosphere using the ideal gas law
    3.2. Temperature, pressure, density
    3.3. Hydrostatic equilibrium and mass stratification in the atmosphere
    3.4. Hypsometric equation
    3.5. Dry and moist air
    3.6. Saturation vapor pressure
    3.7. Terminology of processes
    3.8. Clouds
    3.9. Precipitation
    3.10. Winds and forces that originate them
    3.11. Air masses and fronts
    3.12. High and low presume centers
    3.13. Meteorological instrumentation
4. Dynamics of the climate system
    4.1. Solar radiation
    4.2. Thermal radiation
    4.3. Seasons
    4.4. Earth’s global radiative balance and greenhouse effect
    4.5. Energy transport in the climate system
    4.6. Global atmospheric circulation
    4.7. Global ocean circulation
    4.8. Water Cycle
5. Simple climate models
    5.1. Zero order climate model
    5.2. Greenhouse climate models
    5.3. Gaia theory
    5.4. Climate sensitivity, stability and feedback
6. Climate change
    6.1. Climate change versus climate variability
    6.2. Climate modulation factors
    6.3. Milankovitch theory
    6.4. Global warming
    6.5. Earth’s paleoclimate record
    6.6. Anthropogenic contribution
    6.7. Future climate scenarios
    6.8. Measures to prevent and mitigate the effects of climate change

Mandatory literature

M. A. Salgueiro da Silva; Apontamentos de Climatologia, 2017

Complementary Bibliography

Pedro M. A. Miranda; Meteorologia e Ambiente, Fundamentos de meteorologia, clima e ambiente atmosférico, Universidade Aberta, 2001. ISBN: 9789726746553
Roland Stull; Practical Meteorology, An Algebra-based Survey of Atmospheric Science, Roland Stull, 2017. ISBN: 13: 978-0-88865-176-1
Dennis L. Hartmann; Global Physical Climatology , Academic Press, 1994. ISBN: 0-88318-712-4
Peixoto José P.; Physics of climate

Teaching methods and learning activities

Lectures to teach syllabus contents and problem solving classes.

Didactic contents, including solutions of proposed problems, are available in Moodle e-learning platform.

A discussion forum in Moodle e-learning platform is open to resolve doubts.

Evaluation Type

Evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

designation	Weight (%)
Exame	100,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	106,00
Frequência das aulas	56,00
Total:	162,00

Eligibility for exams

The rules established by FCUP’s Pedagogical Council apply to attending problem solving classes. The attendance to lecture classes is optional.

Calculation formula of final grade

Final grade = Exam grade

Observations

Following the guidelines of the Director of FCUP / CP, as of May 3, seminar classes started to be taught in person, while lectures were maintained online.

Jury members:

Teresa Monteiro Seixas
Manuel António Salgueiro da Silva
Orfeu Bertolami Neto