Course syllabus adopted 2024-02-14 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 74112
- 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
Hans Chen- Assistant 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, cause and effects of aerosols and air quality, the water and carbon cycle, cause and speed of natural causes of climate change, and the impact on climate of fossil fuels. Moreover, to solve numerical problems around e.g. hydrostatic equilibrium, time constants and radiative balance, and to perform and interpret simple simulations of parts of the climate system.Content
The main themes of the course are: Basic aspects of system thinking
The atmosphere, oceans, cryosphere and lithosphere
Earths radiative balance
The main natural cycles (water and carbon)
Naturally occurring climate changes
Human-induced environmental changes, such as depletion of the ozone layer, greenhouse gas emissions and degraded air quality
Organisation
The course consists of lectures, reading literature, and exercise 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 about disability study support.