Course syllabus adopted 2021-02-17 by Head of Programme (or corresponding).
Overview
- Swedish nameJorden som system
- CodeSEE060
- Credits7.5 Credits
- OwnerTKGBS
- Education cycleFirst-cycle
- Main field of studyGlobal systems
- ThemeEnvironment 5 c
- DepartmentSPACE, EARTH AND ENVIRONMENT
- GradingTH - Pass with distinction (5), Pass with credit (4), Pass (3), Fail
Course round 1
- Teaching language Swedish
- Application code 74123
- Maximum participants65
- Open for exchange studentsNo
Credit distribution
Module | Sp1 | Sp2 | Sp3 | Sp4 | Summer | Not Sp | Examination dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0120 Written and oral assignments, part A 1.5 c Grading: UG | 1.5 c | ||||||
| 0220 Examination, part B 6 c Grading: TH | 6 c |
|
In programmes
Examiner
Patrick Eriksson- Full Professor, Geoscience and Remote Sensing, Space, Earth and Environment
Eligibility
General entry requirements for bachelor's level (first cycle)Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.
Specific entry requirements
The same as for the programme that owns the course.Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.
Aim
The course describes the main physical and chemical processes that govern the climate on our planet. A special emphasis is put on the most important natural cycles and how they can be interpreted as interconnected systems with varying time constants. The course shall give the basic knowledge to analyse human activities from an environmental and climate perspective.Learning outcomes (after completion of the course the student should be able to)
describe the concepts of system steady state and feedbacks, structure and circulation of the atmosphere and oceans, plate tectonics, Earths basic radiative balance, importance and depletion of the ozone layer, the water and carbon cycle, cause and speed of natural causes of climate change, the impact on climate of fossil fuels, deforestation and agriculture. To solve numerical problems around e.g. hydrostatic equilibrium, time constants and radiative balance. To perform and interpret simple simulations of the climate system or parts of it.Content
The main themes of the course are: Basic aspects of systems
The atmosphere, oceans, the cryosphere and the lithosphere
Earths radiative balance
The main natural cycles (water, carbon, nitrogen and phosphor)
Naturally occurring climate changes
Human-induced changes, such as depletion of the ozone layer, greenhouse gas emissions, degraded air quality and extraction of natural resources
Organisation
The course consists of lectures, reading literature and problem solving classes, as well as mandatory assignments covering simulations tasks.Literature
The Earth System av Kump, Kasting och Kump (third international edition), ISBN 1-292-02163-2, and provided material.Examination including compulsory elements
Written exam (6 credit points ) and compulsory assignments (1.5 credit points). The final grade is solely based on exam results.The course examiner may assess individual students in other ways than what is stated above if there are special reasons for doing so, for example if a student has a decision from Chalmers on educational support due to disability.