EARTH SYSTEM SCIENCE ENVST-UA.340.1 PROF. RAMPINO Fall 2015 Class meets Tuesday/Thursday, 3:30 to 4:45 PM, Tisch Hall, LC-7 Lectures: Prof. Michael R. Rampino (Department of Biology and Department of Environmental Studies). Office: 1157 Brown Bldg.; Office phone: 212-998-3743; e-mail: mrr1@nyu.edu Office Hours: 1 to 3 PM Tuesdays and Thursdays or contact me for an appointment. Earth System Science examines our current view of planet Earth as a system involving interactions among the atmosphere, oceans, solid earth, and life. Emphasis is placed on the dynamics and evolution of these systems over time, and predictions for the future. The subject matter includes observations from space; geophysics and plate tectonics; the rock cycle; the circulation of the oceans and 1
atmosphere; cycles of elements essential for life; the co-evolution of climate and life on Earth. The course will include lectures, DVDs and hands-on activities. REQUIRED READING: Skinner, B.J and Murck, B. W. The Blue Planet, 3 rd edition. (Wiley, 2011). COURSE REQUIREMENTS: The grading in the course will be based on performance in three exams (2 quizzes and final quiz) and several homework assignments. A great deal of factual information and a number of new concepts will be introduced in this course; it is essential to keep up in the readings and to attend the lectures. POLICY ON ATTENDANCE: This is a small enrollment course. Students are expected to attend the class, and you are forewarned that some class material will not be covered completely in the readings. Requests for absences for quizzes must be accompanied by a doctor s note of serious illness. SYLLABUS Week 1 September 3 The Earth as a System: Introduction to Earth System Science; Solid Earth, Atmosphere, Hydrosphere and Biosphere; Examples of the Earth as a complex system. Reading: Chapter 1 Origin of the Solar System: How the Planets Formed Week 2 September 8 and 10 Early History of Earth and its Moon. Why is Earth Habitable? The Goldilocks Problem: Why is Earth comfortable, Mars too cold, and Venus too warm? Week 3 September 15 and 17 Geologic Time: The Story in the Rocks: 2
Reading: Chapter 7 The Rock Cycle Reading: Chapter 7 Week 4 September 22 and 24 The Active Earth: Continental Drift and Sea-Floor Spreading Reading: Chapter 5 Common Rock-Forming Minerals Week 5 September 29 and October 1 Igneous Rocks Sedimentary and Metamorphic Rocks Week 6 October 6 and 8 History of Plate Tectonics: The Mobile Earth Reading; Chapter 5 QUIZ 1 Week 7 October 13 and 15 Earthquakes and the Earth s Interior: The structure of the Earth and the distribution of earthquakes Reading: Chapter 6. Volcanism and Volcanic Eruptions: Characteristics of volcanic eruptions and distribution of volcanoes Reading: Chapter 6 Week 8 October 20 and 22 The Atmosphere: Structure and composition of the Earth's atmosphere. 3
Reading: Chapter 11 Winds and Weather: Circulation of the atmosphere; Global wind system. The Earth's present climate. Monsoons, typhoons, and El Niños. Reading: Chapter 12 Week 9 October 27 and October 29 The Oceans: The Water Planet: The composition of the oceans. Basic ocean chemistry. Why the sea is salty. Reading: Chapter 10 The Restless Sea: The surface and deep circulation of the oceans. Ocean current systems. Reading: Chapter 10 Week 10 November 3 and 5 Life: The Biosphere Origins of Life A Brief History of Life: Highlights in the evolution of life on Earth. Changes in biologic diversity over time. Feedback between life and atmospheric composition. Week 11 November 10 and 12 Comet and Asteroid Impacts in Earth History: External vs. internal causes of geologic changes. What killed the dinosaurs? QUIZ 2 Week 12 November 17 and November 19 Long-Term Climate: Snowball Earth. Greenhouse and Icehouse worlds. The effects of continental drift on climate and life. Pleistocene glaciation and Ice Age climate. 4
Reading: Chapter 13 THANKSGIVING Week 13 November 24 Short term Climatic Variability Reading: Chapter 13 Biogeochemical Cycles of Carbon. Oxygen, and Earth s climate. Reading: Chapter 15 Week 14 December 1 and 3 Global Warming and Earth s Future: Some of the problems of population growth, energy use, and the carbon dioxide greenhouse effect Reading: Chapter 19 Week 15 December 8 and 10 Review for final quiz Final Quiz Remember the Quiz dates: October 9, November 13 and December 10. 5