Course Syllabus
Climate, Glaciers, and Human Impact |
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| Semester & Location: |
Spring 2024 - DIS Copenhagen |
| Type & Credits: |
Core Course - 3 credits |
| Core Course Study Tours: |
Odsherred, Denmark and Iceland |
| Major Disciplines: |
Biology, Environmental Science, and Geology |
| Prerequisite: |
One course in environmental or earth science at university level. One year of physics or chemistry at university level is recommended. |
| Faculty Members: |
Sebastian Zastruzny Current students use Canvas Inbox
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| Time & Place: |
Mondays and Thursdays 11:40-13:00, Classroom F24-403 |
Description of Course
In this course we will study the main mechanisms governing climate change in the past, the present, and the future. The motivation is that recent trends of climate and other environmental changes, whether due to human activity or natural variability, have focused societal attention on their potential negative impacts on human and environmental health. An understanding of past climate variability and its underlying causes and mechanisms is the basis for separating natural and anthropogenic climate change and for making useful projections of future climate and assessing its impacts.
To get to this understanding, the course takes a journey from deep time through to the present describing periods when the climate was strikingly different than it is today and revealing the mechanisms and feedbacks that govern the climate system.
Students will travel to Iceland, where they will explore the glaciers, the volcanoes and the landscape in Southern Iceland, hike on an outlet glacier and experience first-hand the amazing interaction between ice and geothermal activity. They will experience the local culture and language, delve into the history of Iceland and investigate the links between changes in climate and in society in the past. Furthermore, they will learn how geothermal energy can be harnessed in a renewable way, and maybe take a relaxing swim in the outdoor thermal pools.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this course students should be able to:
- Use evidence of past climate change in order to contextualize current and projected climate change
- Identify and outline important climate feedbacks
- Apply the notion of time scales when discussing the effects of different climate phenomena
- Identify and explain a selection of climate change causes
- Point out similarities and differences between "natural" and "anthropogenic" climate change
- Have a general understanding of the methods applied in paleoclimatology, including different indirect measurements (proxies) and dating methods
- Discuss climate conditions as a key factor in the evolution of modern civilization
- Understand the basis for climate projections and the source of some of the main uncertainties
- Explain the main differences between climate data obtained from natural archives and from historical sources
- Identify the key differences between geothermal energy production and energy production using fossil fuels
Equipment
Students enrolling in this class must bring the following with them to be properly equipped for the activities during the course integrated study tours
- Water proof outer layer (rain jacket and rain pants)
- Water proof footwear suitable for light hiking (e.g. hiking boots)
- Warm clothes (layers) suitable for outdoor activities in all kinds of weather in Denmark and Iceland
Faculty
Sebastian Zastruzny
PhD (Geography-Geosciences, University of Copenhagen). Educated in permafrost dynamics at the Centre for Permafrost, IGN. Research on permafrost cores, water samples, climate data series, process based modelling, and effects of future climate change. Conducted fieldwork and taught field courses in Greenland and Denmark multiple times.
Readings
All textbooks and readings will be provided by DIS. Textbooks are to be retrieved from book pick-up during the arrivals workshop. The readings for each class are listed in the course calendar and come from the required texts. The abbreviations used in the course calendar events are given in parentheses below.
Main textbooks:
William F. Ruddiman: Earth’s Climate Past and Future, 3rd edition, 2013 (EC)
Grotzinger, J., & Jordan, T. H. (2014) Understanding Earth. (UE)
Other required texts:
IPCC, 2023: Climate Change 2023: Synthesis Report.
Readings and Assignments:
Topics will be introduced in class to lay the foundations for the understanding of a topic. Each class has accompanying reading material allowing the students to follow up on the material covered in the classroom and to gain a deeper understanding.
Topics covered in class will further be internalized by home assignments that require studying the reading material to write short papers, answer to questions or prepare a presentation. Some of those assignments include posting in the Canvas course discussion forum on the DIS Canvas course page.
Course Structure:
The course is structured into four segments: Introduction to the topics, scientific basics of climate science, dynamics encountered on Iceland, and the human impact of changing climate.
The plan of topics and assignments is found below, and readings etc. are updated on the Canvas course pages. Assigned readings and other details on the meetings are subject to change but will be updated online with as much notice as possible.
Field studies/study tours/core course week
Core Course Week and Study Tours
Core Course week and study tours are an integrated part of the core course as we take the classroom on the road and see how theory presented in the classroom is translated to practice in the field. You will travel with your classmates and DIS faculty/staff on two study tours; a short study tour to Odsherred during Core Course Week and a long study tour to Iceland later in the semester.
Expectations for study tours
- Participate in all activities
- Engage in discussions, ask questions, and contribute to achieving the learning objectives
- Respect the destination, the speakers, DIS staff, and your fellow classmates
- Represent yourself, your home university, and DIS in a positive light
While on a program study tour, DIS will provide hostel/hotel accommodation, transportation to/from the destination(s), approx. 2 meals per day and entrances, guides, and visits relevant to your area of study or the destination. You will receive a more detailed itinerary prior to departure.
Travel policies
You are required to travel with your group to the destination. If you have to deviate from the group travel plans, you need approval from the program director and the study tours office.
Core course week
Short study tour to Odsherred: This three-day short tour will take you to Odsherred (Western Zealand) to see how glaciers during the last ice age helped shape the current landscape in northwest Zealand. You will explore the Odsherred Geopark, drill sediment cores to investigate past climate in the area, learn about local flora and fauna, and be immersed culturally through various cultural experiences and cuisine.
Student presentations at DIS: The IPCC special reports
Visit to the cloudburst construction site at Kalvebod Brygge, HOFOR, Copenhagen: Here we will introduce and explore how Copenhagen is adapting to increased cloudburst and what demands for infrastructure exist.
Long study tour to Iceland
During this week-long stay in Reykjavik and Southern Iceland, students will explore a diversity of amazing land- and icescapes. The activities include a glacier walk and a visit to an ice tunnel that has been dug into the Langjökull Glacier. We will visit research institutions in Reykjavik where local experts will tell us about their research on the past, present and future state of the Icelandic glaciers and ice caps. We will also visit a geothermal power plant, visit areas of high geothermal activity and relax in the geothermally heated outdoor swimming pools. We will travel along the south coast of Iceland to enjoy the landscapes shaped by glaciers and volcanoes. Furthermore, we will investigate the links between climate, volcanoes and the settlement and history of Iceland.
Evaluation
To be eligible for a passing grade in this class you must complete all of the assigned work. The overall grade will come from the following:
Grading:
30%: 3 written tests during the semester
Multiple choice questions and short text questions covering the topics covered in class. Each of the tests will be announced at least a week in advance and can completed within three days at any location.
0%: Odsherred Field Journal
Short report (2000-4000 words) written in groups of three students reporting on the visited stops of the excursion to Odsherred and a short section covering the theories linked to the visits. The report must be passed to be eligible for a passing grade in the class.
20%: Iceland Field Journal
Medium report (5000-7000 words) written in groups of three students reporting on the visited stops of the excursion to Iceland and a short section covering the theories linked to the visits. The report will graded based on scientific correctness, completeness of requirements and presentation.
30%: Final exam
Oral exam (12min) where two core topics of the course are explained that are chosen at random. More information will follow later during the course.
20%: Participation and Canvas Reading Feedback
We expect and encourage active participation both in class and on the field trips. Active participation consists of
contributing to discussions in class and field
working on the assignments
giving presentations
joining on exercises
contribution to the discussions on the Canvas course discussion forum
Academic Regulations
Use of laptops or phones in class: Focused and constructive contribution in class discussions is encouraged and expected. Laptops, phones and other portable electronic devices can be used for taking notes if in silent mode, but please refrain from writing or checking e-mail and text messages, browsing, or using social networks during class hours. During student presentations and group work, we kindly ask you to turn off or put away electronic devices.
Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website. There you will find regulations on:
DIS - Study Abroad in Scandinavia - www.DISabroad.org
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
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