GEOL403 - Meteorology and Earth's Climate System

This course deals with the study of the two main parts of Earth's climate system, the atmosphere and the ocean. It explores, qualitatively and quantitatively,the physical laws, geological and geographical processes, and mass and energy budgets that govern these two parts and their combined influence on Earth's past and present climate. Main topics covered include, but not limited to, properties of air and water; physical balances; equilibrium states; transport of heat and mass; clouds; precipitation; storms; regional and global climate; ozone layer; seasons and climate; weather forecasting; atmospheric optics; ocean currents; ocean bathymetry, salinity, and atmospheric forcing; history of Earth's changing climate in the geologic record, global warming, and how climate impacts humans and how do humans impact climate.