| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| GEO2137 | Key Methods for Physical Geographers |
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The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has projected a future, warmer climate, which has the potential to affect everybody on Earth. From extreme weather events, rising sea level, glacier ice loss, land degradation to migrating ecosystems, the impact of climate change on our socio-economic well being will be profound. Still, the most dangerous aspect of our changing climate is the uncertainty in the exact nature and rate of projected climate change. We know from the recent instrumental record, climate has the ability to have a large impact on humans, but records of past climate rarely extend beyond the last 150 years. The problem with this is these records are too short to critically examine the full range of climate behaviour and variability. As a result, there is great uncertainty in how future climate may respond in a warming world.
Palaeoclimatology is the study of climate prior to the widespread availability of records of temperature, precipitation and other instrumental data. It has been key in showing us how Earth's climate system can shift dramatically between different climate states. Understanding the drivers and mechanisms of these switches in climate state over different timescales is critical to anticipating potential human-driven climate change.
The aim of this module is to introduce students to Earth’s extraordinarily broad range of climate variability, and to provide them with an understanding of the mechanisms of climate change. In addition, the module also discusses how we can reconstruct past climate using a range of proxy indicators, the chronological constraints on palaeoclimate records, and how these are integrated to understand climate change and climate sensitivity.
The module will be delivered along the following themes:
1. Orbital climate variability
2. Quaternary environmental change
a. Glacial millennial climate change
b. Interglacial millennial climate change
3. Millennial climate events during the deglaciation
4. Abrupt climate events and tipping points
5. Role of internal modes of climate variability
Within these themes we will explore the palaeoclimatologist’s toolbox to examine strengths/weaknesses of different proxy methods, chronological approaches, and sensitivity of climate to different forcing factors. Delivery of this module will be via a mix of lectures, workshops and inquiry-based learning.
At the end of the module students will be able to:
1. Explain climate change mechanisms and their variability at different temporal and spatial time scales.
2. Be able critically assess proxy records and associated geochronology.
Evaluate the implications of past climate change for understanding our climate trajectory by synthesising multiple proxy records from different environments (terrestrial, marine, ice sheet).
At the end of the module students will be able to:
1. Handle complex concepts and theories.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of uncertainty in scientific investigation.
3. Synthesis and presentation of competing arguments and to make informed judgements.
Oral and written communication of scientific results.
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 10 | 2:00 | 20:00 | 3 scheduled online 7 scheduled pip |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 30:00 | 30:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Practical | 3 | 2:00 | 6:00 | 1 scheduled online 2 scheduled pip |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 1 | 134:00 | 134:00 | N/A |
| Structured Guided Learning | Structured research and reading activities | 3 | 1:00 | 3:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 1 | 3:00 | 3:00 | Poster Presentations |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 2 | 2:00 | 4:00 | pip |
| Total | 200:00 |
Lectures, workshops and inquiry-based learning will complement each other in providing both a theoretical background and practical training in the analysis of palaeoclimatological data, as well as providing breadth of subject area. Lectures are planned to deliver the background to palaeoclimate concepts, with dedicated technique lectures reinforcing the concepts of a palaeoclimatologists “toolbox” i.e. how we use proxies and their limitations, and the inquiry-based learning provides opportunities to handle real palaeoclimate data and to interrogate it.
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poster | 2 | M | 25 | Group work that presents a poster |
| Essay | 2 | M | 75 | 3000-word essay set for submission after poster presentation |
The essay will test theoretical knowledge of the subject and breadth of understanding of palaeoclimate data. The poster presentation will test practical skills and ability to analyse, interpret and report palaeoclimate data.
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Disclaimer: The information contained within the Module Catalogue relates to the 2022/23 academic year. In accordance with University Terms and Conditions, the University makes all reasonable efforts to deliver the modules as described. Modules may be amended on an annual basis to take account of changing staff expertise, developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback. Module information for the 2023/24 entry will be published here in early-April 2023. Queries about information in the Module Catalogue should in the first instance be addressed to your School Office.