GLOBAL WARMING FOR GLOBAL LEADERS

Global Warming will dominate civic discourse and inform economic, social, and governmental policies throughout the 21st century, in all walks of life. This course will cover the basics of climate science, anthropogenic global warming, proposed solutions and policy challenges facing society in response to our changing planet. This course will increase your confidence and ability to engage in public discourse on the subject of climate change, climate change solutions, and public policy concerning our collective future.

• TR 11:40 a.m.-12:55 p.m.
• 3 points

GEOLO EXCUR TO DEATH VALLEY,CA

GEOLO EXCUR TO DEATH VALLEYCA

The trip is restricted to first-years and sophomores from Columbia College/General Studies, Barnard College, and the School of Engineering and Applied Science. Early application is advised, please visit the course website below for the application deadline. A spring-break excursion focused on the geology of Death Valley and adjacent areas of the eastern California desert. Discussion sessions ahead of the trip provide necessary background. Details at: 
https://eesc.columbia.edu/content/eesc-un1010
.

• F 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m.
• Instructor: Folarin Kolawole
  Info
• 2 points

EARTH'S ENVIRO SYST: CLIM SYST

Prerequisites: high school algebra. Recommended preparation: high school chemistry and physics; and one semester of college science. Origin and development of the atmosphere and oceans, formation of winds, storms and ocean currents, reasons for changes through geologic time. Recent influence of human activity: the ozone hole, global warming, water pollution. Laboratory exploration of topics through demonstrations, experimentation, computer data analysis, and modeling. Students majoring in Earth and Environmental Sciences should plan to take EESC W2100 before their senior year to avoid conflicts with Senior Seminar.

• T 4:10 p.m.-7 p.m.
• W 4:10 p.m.-7 p.m.
• 4.5 points

EARTH'S ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS: THE SOLID

The Solid Earth

Recommended preparation: high school chemistry and physics; and one semester of college science. Exploration of how the solid Earth works, today and in the past, focusing on Earth in the Solar system, continents and oceans, the Earth's history, mountain systems on land and sea, minerals and rocks, weathering and erosion, glaciers and ice sheets, the hydrological cycle and rivers, geochronology, plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanoes, energy resources. Laboratory exploration of topics through examination of rock samples, experimentation, computer data analysis, field exercises, and modeling. Columbia and Barnard majors should plan to take W2200 before their senior year to avoid conflicts with the Senior Seminar.

• T 4:10 p.m.-7 p.m.
• 4.5 points

EARTH'S ENVIRO SYST: LIFE SYST

Prerequisites: high school algebra. Recommended preparation: high school chemistry and physics.

 Role of life in biogeochemical cycles, relationship of biodiversity and evolution to the physical Earth, vulnerability of ecosystems to environmental change; causes and effects of extinctions through geologic time (dinosaurs and mammoths) and today. Exploration of topics through laboratories, data analysis, and modeling. REQUIRED LAB: EESC UN2310. Students will be expected to choose a lab section during the first week of class from the options listed in the Directory of Classes. Co-meets with EEEB 2002

• MW 11:40 a.m.-12:55 p.m.
• 4.5 points

EARTH ENVIR SYST-LIFE SYST-LAB

This three hour lab is required of all students who enroll in EESC UN2300. There are currently five lab sections.

• W 4:10 p.m.-7 p.m.
• 0 points

EARTH ENVIR SYST-LIFE SYST-LAB

This three hour lab is required of all students who enroll in EESC UN2300. There are currently five lab sections.

• W 4:10 p.m.-7 p.m.
• 0 points

EARTH ENVIR SYST-LIFE SYST-LAB

This three hour lab is required of all students who enroll in EESC UN2300. There are currently five lab sections.

• W 4:10 p.m.-7 p.m.
• R 4:10 p.m.-7 p.m.
• 0 points

EARTH ENVIR SYST-LIFE SYST-LAB

This three hour lab is required of all students who enroll in EESC UN2300. There are currently five lab sections.

• R 4:10 p.m.-7 p.m.
• 0 points

FIELD GEOLOGY

This is a field geology course focusing on the Apennine Mountains of central Italy, where a developing “accretionary prism” (associated with oceanic crust subduction) can be observed directly. Students will learn how to interpret the evolution of paleo-environments from the sediment lithologies, textures, fossils, compositions; and the tectonic history from the present day spatial and structural relationships. The rocks range from early Mesozoic oceanic crust and sediments to late Cenozoic sediments impacted by the rise of the Alps. The course visits several classic geological localities, including the Gubbio site of the discovery that the dinosaur extinction was caused by a meteorite, a Carrara Marble quarry (favored by Michelangelo for his sculptures), evaporite sediments from the dry-down of the Mediterranean, the magnificent Frasassi Cave, and effects of recent earthquakes.

Priority: This course has a limited number of spaces, and enrollment requires the instructors' permission. Students interested in enrolling are instructed to contact the instructors by email. Priority is given to Columbia College and General Studies senior and junior majors and minors in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, and Barnard senior and junior majors and minors in Environmental Science. Barnard students must receive permission from the Barnard Environmental Science department chair in order to receive the subsidy.

• T 7:30 p.m.-9:20 p.m.
• 3 points

CLIMATE PHYSICS

Climate Physics

This is a calculus-based treatment of climate system physics and the mechanisms of anthropogenic climate change. By the end of this course, students will understand: how solar radiation and rotating fluid dynamics determine the basic climate state, mechanisms of natural variability and change in climate, why anthropogenic climate change is occurring, and which scientific uncertainties are most important to estimates of 21st century change.

This course is designed for undergraduate students seeking a quantitative introduction to climate and climate change science. EESC V2100 (Climate Systems) is not a prerequisite, but can also be taken for credit if it is taken before this course.

• TR 10:10 a.m.-11:25 a.m.
• Instructor: Adam H Sobel
  CULPA: 6 Wikipedia Info
• 3 points

SOLID EARTH DYNAMICS

Prerequisites: any 1000-level or 2000-level EESC course; MATH UN1101 Calculus I and PHYS UN1201 General Physics I or their equivalents. Concurrent enrollment in PHYS UN1201 is acceptable with the instructors permission. Properties and processes affecting the evolution and behavior of the solid Earth. This course will focus on the geophysical processes that build mountains and ocean basins, drive plate tectonics, and otherwise lead to a dynamic planet. Topics include heat flow and mantle circulation, earthquakes and seismic waves, gravity, Earths magnetic field, and flow of glaciers and ice sheets.

• TR 11:40 a.m.-12:55 p.m.
• Instructor: Meredith Nettles
  CULPA: 3 h-index: 31 Info
• 3 points

SENIOR SEMINAR

Guided, independent, in-depth research culminating in the senior thesis in the spring. Includes discussion about scientific presentations and posters, data analysis, library research methods and scientific writing. Students review work in progress and share results through oral reports. Weekly seminar to review work in progress and share results through oral and written reports.

• R 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• 3 points

INTRO TO GEOCHRONOLGY

An overview of approaches to estimating ages of sedimentary sequences and events in Earth history-to be-co listed at Stony Brook and Rutgers. Intended for students with good backgrounds in the physical sciences, who want to use geochronological techniques in their studies. Because of the hands-on nature of geochronology and thermochronology, we are going to run the course as a series of 5 workshops held on Saturdays (possibly a Sunday depending on scheduling)

• S 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Sidney R Hemming
  CULPA: 13 Wikipedia h-index: 52 Info
• 3 points

GEOPHYSICAL FLUID DYNAMICS

Prerequisites: APMA E3101, APMA E3201 or equivalents and APPH E4200 or equivalent or the instructors permission. Fundamental concepts in the dynamics of rotating stratified flows. Geostrophic and hydrostatic balances, potential vorticity, f and beta plane approximations, gravity and Rossby waves, geostrophic adjustment and quasigeostrophy, baroclinic and barotropic instabilities.

• TR 8:40 a.m.-9:55 a.m.
• Instructor: Dhruv Balwada
  Info
• 3 points

THE EARTH'S DEEP INTERIOR

An overview of the geophysical study of the Earth, drawing upon geodesy, gravity, seismology, thermal studies, geomagnetism, materials science, and some geochemistry. Covers the principal techniques by which discoveries have been made, and are made, in deep Earth structure. Describes fundamental properties and features of the crust, mantle, and core.

• TR 10:10 a.m.-11:25 a.m.
• Instructor: Goran Ekstrom
  CULPA: 10 h-index: 76 Info
• 3 points

THE ECOLOGY OF TREELINE IN A CHANGING CL

ECOLOGY TREELINE CHANGE C

Prerequisites: Introductory Biology. Earth Science and one course in ecology recommended. Treelines are the boundaries between forests and low stature alpine and tundra vegetation, thought to be controlled by climate and therefore likely to respond to climate change. In 1807 Alexander von Humboldt and Aimé Bonpland described treeline as a global phenomenon and a bioclimatological reference that all other vegetation could be referenced against. Despite being clearly linked to climate, the mechanisms that control treeline formation and persistence remain an active area of scientific research and debate. The lack of a complete mechanistic understanding of how climate controls the location of treeline opens the important question of how treeline will respond to climate change. Furthermore, while physical site characteristics determine the potential location of treeline, trees may be absent for a variety of factors, complicating the predicted ecosystem response to a changing climate. These factors include local peculiarities of the environment, a regional lack of capable species, or a multitude of disturbances, including those caused by humans. This course is focused on the ecology treeline in light of global climate change and will provide students with a foundational understanding of fundamental ecological concepts as they pertain to this important ecological boundary between ecosystems and biomes. In addition, students will learn to (1) find, read, and discuss the primary scientific literature, and (2) communicate their findings via written, oral, and audio-visual formats. Topics include ecophysiology, population ecology, community ecology, biogeochemistry and ecosystem ecology.

• TR 11:40 a.m.-12:55 p.m.
• Instructor: Kevin L Griffin
  CULPA: 6 h-index: 59 Info
• 3 points

CHEMISTRY OF CONTINENTL WATERS

Prerequisites: Recommended preparation: a solid background in basic chemistry. Introduction to geochemical cycles involving the atmosphere, land, and biosphere; chemistry of precipitation, weathering reactions, rivers, lakes, estuaries, and groundwaters; students are introduced to the use of major and minor ions as tracers of chemical reactions and biological processes that regulate the chemical composition of continental waters.

• TR 11:40 a.m.-12:55 p.m.
• Instructor: Robert Anderson
  h-index: 77 Info
• 3 points

PALEOCEANOGRAPHY

Prerequisites: Compliments GU4937 Cenozoic Paleoceanography, intended as part of a sequence with GU4330 Terrestrial Paleoclimate. For undergrads, UN2100 Earth System: Climate or equivalent, or permission of instructor The course examines the ocean's response to external climatic forcing such as solar luminosity and changes in the Earth's orbit, and to internal influences such as atmospheric composition, using deep-sea sediments, corals, ice cores and other paleoceanographic archives. A rigorous analysis of the assumptions underlying the use of climate proxies and their interpretations will be presented. Particular emphasis will be placed on amplifiers of climate change during the alternating ice ages and interglacial intervals of the last few million years, such as natural variations in atmospheric greenhouse gases and changes in deep water formation rates, as well as mechanisms of rapid climate change during the late Pleistocene. The influence of changes in the Earth's radiation distribution and boundary conditions on the global ocean circulation, Asian monsoon system and El Nino/Southern Oscillation frequency and intensity, as well as interactions among these systems will be examined using proxy data and models. This course complements W4937 Cenozoic Paleoceanography and is intended as part of a sequence with W4330 Terrestrial Paleoclimate for students with interests in Paleoclimate.

• TR 10:10 a.m.-11:25 a.m.
• Instructor: Jerry F McManus
  CULPA: 8 h-index: 56 Info
• 3 points

INTRO TO ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY

Prerequisites: Physics W1201, Chemistry W1403, Calculus III, or equivalent or the instructors permission. EESC W2100 preferred. Physical and chemical processes determining atmospheric composition and the implications for climate and regional air pollution. Basics of physical chemistry relevant to the atmosphere: spectroscopy, photolysis, and reaction kinetics. Atmospheric transport of trace gas species. Atmosphere-surface-biosphere interactions. Stratospheric ozone chemistry. Tropospheric hydrocarbon chemistry and oxidizing power. Legacy effects of photochemical smog and acid rain. Current impacts of aerosol pollution and climate impacts of pollution reduction.

• TR 11:40 a.m.-12:55 p.m.
• Instructor: Roisin Commane
  h-index: 25 Info
• 3 points

PLATE TECTONICS

What produced the change from the hothouse to the ice house Earth in the last ~60 million years? What caused earlier ice ages and huge swinges in sea level that covered so much of the continents with marine sediments? The possible answers, from weathering of rocks during periods of enhanced mountain building to changes in the rate of CO2 release at mid-ocean ridges, all involve plate tectonics. We review the development of the plate tectonic theory, including role Columbia researchers played in making the break-throughs that first confirmed the theory. We will discuss ideas about what might control plate motions on Earth as well as what we know about different kinds of tectonics on other planets. Researchers working on cutting-edge observations and models relating tectonics and climate will be invited to air their views to the class.

• TR 2:40 p.m.-3:55 p.m.
• Instructor: W R Buck
  CULPA: 1 h-index: 43 Info
• 3 points

EARTH SCIENCE COLLOQUIUM

Current topics in the Earth sciences.

• Instructor: Kaleigh B Matthews
  Info
• 1 points

MASTERS RESEARCH

Individual research in the students field of specialization at the masters level. DEES PhD students register for this in the semester in which thay take their Masters Exam.

• Instructor: Kaleigh B Matthews
  Info
• 4 points

GEOPHYSICAL INVERSE THEORY

Basic techniques of linear and non-linear inverse theory, and the validation of numerical models with sparse and noisy data. Includes discussion of genetic algorithms and evolutionary programming, theories of optimization, parameter tradeoffs, and hypothesis testing.

• MW 3:30 p.m.-4:45 p.m.
• Instructor: William H Menke
  CULPA: 14 Info
• 3 points

MAGMATISM & VOLCANISM

Prerequisites: One year each of Chemistry, Physics, Calculus and Earth Sciences Overview This course explores the origin of magmas and their subsequent movements; their ascent, stalling and eruption; their transport of heat and mass through the earth; their formation of crust and creation of volcanoes. The course will explore magmatism itself - its chemical and physical underpinnings - and also develop magmatic tools used to understand other earth processes. Topics will be focused around Grand Questions. Example questions include: What do magmas tell us about the thermal structure of the earth? Why do magmas store and stall where they do? What drives the largest eruptions on Earth? Does continental extension drive melting or melting drive extension? Questions will evolve to reflect the state of the field and student interest. The course is designed to serve as an accessible breadth course for Earth Science graduate students in any discipline.

• MW 10:10 a.m.-11:25 a.m.
• Instructor: Terry A Plank
  CULPA: 6 Wikipedia Info
• 3 points

RSRCH COMPUTING EARTH SCI

Prerequisites: Graduate student status, calculus, or instructor permission Priority given to first year PhD students in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences. Computing has become an indispensable tool for Earth Scientists. This course will introduce incoming DEES PhD students to modern computing software, programming tools and best practices that are broadly applicable to carrying out research in the Earth Sciences. This includes an introduction to Unix, programming in three commonly used languages (Python, MATLAB and Fortran), version control and data backup, tools for visualizing geoscience data and making maps. Students will learn the basics of high performance computing and big data analysis tools available on cluster computers. Student learning will be facilitated through a combination of lectures, in-class exercises, homework assignments and class projects. All topics will be taught through example datasets or problems from Earth Sciences. The course is designed to be accessible for Earth Science graduate students in any discipline.

• TR 1:10 p.m.-2:25 p.m.
• Instructor: Daniel Westervelt
  Info
• 3 points

TROPICAL METEOROLOGY

Prerequisites: EESC W4008,EESC W4210/APPH4210 and EESC G6927, or some prior exposure to linear equatorial wave theory. An introduction to the physics governing the large-scale behavior of the tropical atmosphere. Topics covered include the Hadley and Walker circulations, monsoons, atmospheric equatorial waves, the Madden-Julian oscillation, tropical cyclones, and El Nino. Principles of atmospheric dynamics and thermodynamics will be introduced as needed.

• TR 2:40 p.m.-3:55 p.m.
• Instructor: Adam H Sobel
  CULPA: 6 Wikipedia Info
• 3 points

RACE, CLIMATE CHANGE, AND ENVIRONMENTAL

RACE, CLIMATE, ENV JUSTIC

Climate change and environmental catastrophes are on the rise, and it has been well- documented by now that those facing the heaviest impacts have largely been communities of color and / or working class. Many of these communities are also survivors of colonialism’s deeper ongoing legacies of dispossession as well as of capitalist extraction projects; yet these same communities have long had much to teach on how to be in better relations with our planet and each other. The purpose of this seminar is to train students in how to ask critical questions when it comes to the production of knowledge or when doing science.

“Community-based research” and “co-production” are increasingly popular frameworks and methods that often struggle to address the power differentials between researchers in powerful institutions and the dispossessed communities in which they work. As such, we will interrogate these concepts while simultaneously learning from several examples of decolonial research methods.

We begin by examining the colonial foundations of the sciences, with a special focus on the geo- and climate sciences. The ideological underpinnings of these sciences assume the earth to be an inert object ripe for exploitation; this legacy of European modernity is often at odds with the worldviews of indigenous peoples and their relations with nature. We then explore several anti-colonial and critical science scholars’ works and ask: what would it mean to revisit the foundations of our disciplines with a decolonial lens? How do we know (study) and relate to a place in a non-extractive and mutually respectful way that centers local communities and indigenous knowledge and practices? We will explore this through several examples, including an in-depth dive into this seminar’s ongoing collaborative community project with The Black School, a New Orleans based community organization facing lead contamination on their land within the context of a long legacy of environmental racism.

Students taking the seminar for 3 credits and who aim to decolonize their own research will be trained in ethnographic methods by developing an anthropological lens - first through a self-ethnography workshop that focuses on the positionality and then through their own mini-ethnography projects.

• M 3 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Hadeel K Assali
  Info
• 2-3 points

SEM IN ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCE

6th Assess Report of IPCC

Prerequisites: the instructors permission. Current research developments in atmospheric sciences including tropical climate variability, stratospheric dynamics, atmospheric chemistry, remote sensing of the Earths atmosphere, and global climate modeling.

• F 1 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
• Instructor: Lorenzo M Polvani
  CULPA: 6 h-index: 69 Info
• 1-3 points