Global Changes

Recommended Prerequisites

Basic knowledge in Geology, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and  Mathematics.

Teaching Methods

Lectures:
Detailed presentation of concepts about the different systems of the Earth, their interactions and about the climatic system;

Theoretical-practical classes:
where students, working in group, develop problem resolving reports and analyze several case studies from the geological record and Recent. 

Learning Outcomes

The main goal of this course is to characterize the climatic system of the Earth, in terms of the different parameters, processes and functioning, as well to inform the changes occurred in the Earth system, natural or anthropogenic, and habilitate the student to interpret them scientifically. Particular attention will be done to the modern environmental problems such as the global warming.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1. Global change and Earth history;
2. Global energy balance: the greenhouse effect;
3. The atmospheric circulation system;
4. The circulation of the oceans;
5. Modeling the atmosphere-ocean system;
6. The carbon cycle;
7. Carbon and oxygen stable isotopes;
8. Pleistocene and Holocene climatic changes;
9. Global warming and anthropogenic effect .

Head Lecturer(s)

Luís Vítor da Fonseca Pinto Duarte

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Synthesis work: 30.0%
Exam: 70.0%

Bibliography

Bibliografia Básica

Kump, L. R., Kasting, J. F. & Crane, R. J. (2004) - The Earth System Prientice Hall, Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, 2.ª edição.

Ruddiman, W.F. (2001) - Earth's climate. Past and future. W.F. Freeman and Company, 465p.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change – Climate Change 2014– The scientific basis (in http://www.ipcc.ch/).

 

Complementar:

Duarte, L. V. (2010) – Mudanças globais no Toarciano inferior de Portugal. Relevância científica e impacto educativo. e –Terra, VIII Congresso Nacional de Geologia, v.15, nº.18, 4p.

Godinho, M. M. (2004) – Isótopos estáveis em mudanças globais – uma introdução.  Texto policopiado, Dep. Ciências da Terra da FCTUC, 52 p.

Apontamentos coligidos pelo docente.