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| Earth System Science is an interdisciplinary field that describes the cycling of energy and matter between the different spheres (atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, cryosphere, and lithosphere) of the earth system. The Berkeley Geography Department includes faculty and students who specialize in Earth System Science, including the fields of climate dynamics, atmospheric science, geomorphology, paleoclimatology, biogeochemistry, biogeography, and isotope geochemistry. Along with other departments at Berkeley, the Geography Department offers a range of courses that cover different aspects of this growing field of science. |
| Courses in Earth Systems Sciences: Lower Division: Geog 1: Global Environments (4) Three hours lecture and one 2-hour obligatory laboratory per week. The global pattern of climate, landforms, vegetation, and soils. The relative importance of natural and human-induced change, global warming, forest clearance, accelerated soil erosion, glacial/post-glacial climate change and its consequences. Geog 40: Global Environmental Change (4) Three hours of lecture and one two-hour lab per week. An overview of the interactive processes that result in the mosaic of environments on the earth and the controls on the distribution of ecosystems. Environmental change is explored on a variety of time and spatial scales so as to enhance our capability to distinguish between natural and human-induced climatic, biotic and physical changes. Upper Division: Geog C136: Water in Terrestrial Environment (3) Prerequisites: Chemistry 1A, Math 1A-1B, Physics 7A, or consent of instructor. Terrestrial environment including lower atmosphere, landscape, water, soil, geogases, and nutrient cycles. Hydrologic cycle. Precipitation, physiography, runoff, and erosion. Infiltration, evaporation, and transpiration. Exchange of gases between soil and atmosphere. Groundwater flow patterns, chemistry, and influence on rock and soil formation. Impact of natural resources development and disposal of wastes on environment. Development of quantitative insights through problem solving. Also listed as ESPM C130. Geog C139: Atmospheric Physics and Dynamics (3) Three hours of lecture/discussion per week. This course examines the processes that determine the structure and circulation of the Earth's atmosphere. The approach is deductive rather than descriptive: to figure out the properties and behavior of the Earth's atmosphere based on the laws of physics and fluid dynamics. Topics will include interaction between radiation and atmospheric composition; the role of water in the energy and radiation balance; governing equations for atmospheric motion, mass conservation and thermodynamic energy balance; geostrophic flow, quasigeostrophic motion, baroclinic instability and dynamics of extratropical cyclones. Also listed as Earth & Planetary Science C181. Geog 140A: Physical Landscapes: Process and Form (4) Three one and one-half hours of lecture per week. Prerequisites: 1 or equivalent. Understanding the physical characteristics of the Earth's surface, and the processes active on it, is essential for maintaining the long-term health of the environment, and for appreciating the unique, defining qualities of geographic regions. In this course, we build an understanding of global tectonics, and of rivers, hillslopes and coastlines, and discover how these act in concert with the underlying geologic framework to produce the magnificent landscapes of our planet. Through our review of formative processes, we learn how physical landscapes change and are susceptible to human modifications, which are often unintentional. Geog 140B: Physiography and Geomorphologic Extremes (4) Three hours of lectue and one hour of discussion per week. Prerequisite: Geography 140A (formerly 140), or Geology 117, or equivalent. In this course we review the physical landscapes and surface processes in extreme environments: hot arid regions, glacial and periglacial landscapes, and karst terrane. Using this knowledge, plus an understanding of tectonics and temperate watersheds (gained from prerequisite courses), we explore how unique combinations of geomorphic processes acting on tectonic and structural provinces have created the spectacular and diverse landscapes of North America. Regions to be explored include the Colorado Plateau, Sierra Nevada, North Cascades, Northern and Southern Rockies, Great Plains, Appalachian Highlands and Mississippi Delta. Geog 142: Climate Dynamics (4) Three hours of lecture per week. and one or two computer laboratory projects. This course examines how various components of the climate system--the atmosphere, ocean, land, and cryosphere--interact in determining its observed state. Covered topics: observations of the climate system; the earth's energy balance; atmospheric radiative transfer; the surface energy balance; the hydrologic cycle; atmospheric circulation and its relation to the energy balance; the role of the ocean and the cryosphere. Additional topics, as time permits, will cover climate change, natural and anthropogenic; and computer modeling of climate. Geog 143: Global Change and Biogeochemistry (4) Three hours lecture and 1 hr section per week. Prerequisites: CHEM 1A/1B (or equivalent) and either GEOG 40 or ESPM 2. The field of biogeochemistry offers an interdisciplinary approach to modern global environmental issues, such as climate change feedback effects, stratospheric ozone loss, oxidation capacity of the atmosphere, land use change, and marine ecosystem health. Earth is a complex system where the transformation and flow of chemicals and energy within and between biomes have ramifications for life on this planet. The overall theme of this course will be to explore the imprint of the biota (including humans) on the chemistry of the ocean, land and atmosphere. This course will explore the biogeochemical cycles of terrestrial, freshwater and marine biomes. In addition, the global cycles of environmentally important elements and gases will be explored. Geog 144: Principles of Meteorology (4) Three 1-hour lectures, and one 1-hour obligatory discussion per week. Weather development in relation to different scales of atmospheric circulation including analysis and forecasting with examples from the Northeastern Pacific-Western North American area. Geog 148: Biogeography (4) Three hours of lecture per week. Prerequisites: 1, 40 or a lower division course in Biology or Earth Science. Changing distribution patterns of plants and animals on a variety of spatial and temporal scales. The effects of continental drift, Pleistocene climatic change, agricultural origins and dispersals. The ecology of invasions and extinctions. Island biogeography. Geog 180: Field Methods for Physical Geography (5) Two hour lecture plus six weekend field trips (including Thanksgiving). Prerequisites: Geography 1 (or reasonable substitute) and permission of instructor. Field introduction to geomorphology, biogeography, and California landscapes. Students conduct field experiments and mapping exercises. Results of field projects are analyzed and presented as a technical report. Oral field reports are required for some trips. Geog 183: Cartographic Representation (4) Two hours of lecture and six hours of laboratory per week. Problems in the representation of quantitative and qualitative data on thematic maps. Geog 188: Geographic Information Systems (4) Two hours of lecture, one hour of discussion and two hours of laboratory per week. Prerequisites: Some computer experience. This course introduces the student to the rapidly expanding field of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). It addresses both theory and application and provides the student with a dynamic analytical framework within which temporal and spatial data and information is gathered, integrated, interpreted, and manipulated. It emphasizes a conceptual appreciation of GIS and offers an opportunity to apply some of those concepts to contemporary geographical and planning issues. Also listed as Landscape Architecture C188. Graduate Courses: Geog C241: Glaciology (4) Three hours of seminar and one hour of consultation per week. Prerequisites: Calculus. A review of the mechanics of glacial systems, including formation of ice masses, glacial flow mechanisms, subglacial hydrology, temperature and heat transport, and global flow and response of ice sheets and glaciers. We will use this knowledge to examine glaciers as geomorphologic agents and as participants in climate change. Also listed as EPS C242. Geog 243: Advances in Environmental Change Studies (4) Three hours of seminar and one hour of consultation per week. This course will consist of review and discussion of recently-published advances in environmental change research, with an emphasis on important advances that are either: (1) concerned with spatial phenomena, whether at a watershed scale or planetary scale and/or (2) integrative in nature (meaning they tie together disparate elements to form a coherent view of the operation of earth systems). Geog 245: Topics in Biogeochemistry (4) Three hours of seminar and one hour of consultation per week. Weekly discussions will be held on recent topics in atmospheric, oceanic, and terrestrial biogeochemistry. Students will choose recent or influential papers in these disciplines and will be responsible for presentations and participation in discussions. Sessions may also include roundtable discussions with invited speakers. Geog 246: Geomorphology of California (4) Two major field trips of four days' duration each (12 hrs/day). Numerous tectonic and Earth surface processes act in concert to produce the physical landscapes of our planet. This course examines three major regions of California (the Sierra Nevada, the Basin and Range, and the Southern Coast Ranges) as specific case studies for demonstrating how landscapes can be understood using concepts from tectonics, geomorphology, and geography. Two four-day field trips and preparatory readings for them will illuminate the integrated action of tectonics, geologic structure and lithology, drainage network development, hydraulics, soil production, hillslope transport, fluvial transport, aeolian transport, and glacial/periglacial processes. A term project will be required. Geog 248: Introduction to Field and Laboratory Methods in Earth System Science (4) Three hours of lecture per week, plus weekly laboratory visits or fieldtrips. Earth system science is an interdisciplinary field that probes the interaction between the atmosphere, biosphere, lithosphere, and hydrosphere. This class will introduce essential laboratory and field-based research techniques in earth system science, including material selection, measurement fundamentals, gas collection, gas analyses, field methods, and data storage. This class is designed for graduate students, although upper-level undergraduates may enroll with consent of instructor. Geog 257: Topics in Climatology (4) Course may be repeated for credit. Two hours seminar and one hour consultation per week. Research seminar on selected topics in climatology. |
| Faculty in Earth Systems Sciences: There are several labs within the Geography department under the direction of various faculty that support research and teaching in the fields of atmospheric chemistry, climatology, geomorphology, palaeoclimatology. Roger Byrne's climatology interests involve palynological reconstruction of past environments among other things; John Chiang works on large-scale climate dynamics with emphasis on the tropical atmosphere and oceans; Kurt Cuffey seeks answers to past climates in the cryospheric realm using isotopic and other analytic techniques; Bill Dietrich (affiliate with Earth and Planetary Sciences) Peng Gong (affiliate with Environmental Science, Policy, and Management) Lynn Ingram (affiliate with Earth and Planetary Sciences) specializes in isotopic analysis of terrestrial and oceanic cores as a means to reconstruct past environments; Norman Miller focuses his research on Regional Climate System Modeling and climate variability and Change, as well as water resources. Norman Miller is interested in regional climate system modeling and climate variability and change, and water resources Rob Rhew is interested in terrestrial-atmosphere exchange of trace gases, atmospheric chemistry and composition, halogen biogeochemistry, and stratospheric ozone depletion issues; Several of our faculty (Chiang, Cuffey, Ingram, Miller, and Rhew) are members of the Berkeley Atmospheric Sciences Center that serves to integrate atmospheric sciences research at Berkeley across the various disciplines. Prospective graduate students and postdocs specifically interested in atmospheric sciences research at Berkeley should visit the Center's website (link above). |
EventsBay Area Climate Group Meeting |
LinksNational Weather Service CooperativeObservation Site Bay Area Climagraphs Cloud Images |
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