ES18 Fall 07 Syllabus (Cont.)

SUFFOLK COMMUNITY COLLEGE Department of Physical Sciences

INSTRUCTOR: Scott A. Mandia, Professor, Asst. Chair OFFICE: T-206 E-MAIL: [email protected] PHONE: 451-4104 HOME PAGE: www2.sunysuffolk.edu/mandias/ BLOG E-MAIL: TBA

REQUIRED MATERIALS:

Text: Earth’s Climate: Past and Future, by William F. Ruddiman Labs/HW: Investigations in Atmospheric Science, by Mandia & Smiley Other: Calculator, two writeable disks (flash, CD-RW, 3.5) & colored pencils

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

This is a lab science course that deals with the physics of the earth and atmosphere and how these physical fundamentals apply to the causes of climate and climate change in the past, present, and future. Upon completing this course, you will be able to:

• Navigate the Internet World-Wide Web for research purposes and laboratory assignments. • Use the metric system of measurement, interpret graphical analyses, and do simple statistical analysis. • Find locations using latitude and longitude coordinates. • Determine and analyze atmospheric temperatures, pressure, density, and wind. • Predict past climate using indicators such as oxygen isotopes, pollen, dust, carbon-dating, etc. • Determine and analyze historical evidence showing climate change on the tectonic scale (millions of years.) • Determine and analyze historical evidence showing climate change on the orbital scale (tens of thousands of years.) • Demonstrate the cause and effect relationship between climate and carbon-cycling in the earth- atmosphere system. • Demonstrate the cause and effect relationship between climate and glaciations. • Demonstrate the influence of humans on climate. • Predict the climate change in the next 100 to 1000 years.

EVALUATION OF STUDENT PERFORMANCE:

 Tests (1 Dropped) (60% of final grade)  Term Paper (25% of final grade)  Paper Oral Presentation (15% of final grade)

 Test questions will consist of short answers and some calculations. All writing will be graded for content, spelling, and grammar. Time to complete test: 1 HOUR.  The term paper will consist of a minimum of 5 pages. The grade will be based on research summaries (submitted weekly on disk) and the final version of the paper. The paper must be WRITTEN IN THE STUDENT’S OWN WORDS. Each paper will be carefully checked for plagiarism. Any plagiarized paper will receive a grade of ZERO.

*** There is NO GRADE CURVE. There are NO MAKE-UP TESTS. *** ES18 Fall ‘07 Syllabus (cont.) 2

You may officially withdraw from this course NO LATER than MON. OCT 29. No Ws will be granted after this date without a well-documented emergency. Any student whose name appears on the final grade roster will receive a grade.

The Investigations in Atmospheric Sciences modules are lab assignments that will help your understanding of concepts and material developed in class. The solutions will be posted on my home page, and should be reviewed after you have completed the assignment. Any additional questions you may have regarding any course material should be asked in class or posted to the bulletin board at the course web site.

OFFICIAL RULES AND POLICIES:

• The College defines excessive absence or lateness as more than the equivalent of one week of class meetings during the normal semester. Excessive absence may result in a "W" or “INC” for the course. In addition, if you are late to class more than 2 times, I may ask you to withdraw from the course. • Do NOT schedule ANY appointments during normal class times. • An absence is excused only if I consider it to be an emergency. • Cheating of ANY sort will result in an "F" for the course. • While in lab, discussions will be focused on task at hand and not on “social activities.” • During regular class time do not leave the room for any reason. • If I determine your behavior to be disruptive, you will be excused from class. Phones, beepers, popping gum, etc., are all considered disruptive. The result will be an unexcused absence and no materials will be accepted for that day.

SCHEDULE OF COURSE WORK:

Latitude, Longitude, & Geography (IAS #5/#36) CH.7 – Icehouse: The Last 55 Million Years CH.1 – Overview of Climate Science TEST #4 TEST #1 CH.8 – Astronomical Control of Solar Radiation CH.2 – Earth’s Climate System Today CH.9 – Insolation Control of Monsoons Earth-Sun Relations (IAS #6/#37) Causes of Climate (IAS #1) Köppen Climate Classification TEST #5 TEST #2 CH.10 – Insolation Control of Ice Sheets

CH.4 – CO2 & Long-Term Climate CH.11 – Orbital-Scale Changes in CO2 & CH4 CH.5 – Plate Tectonics & Climate CH.12 – Orbital-Scale Interactions in Climate TEST #3 Causes of Climate Change (IAS #2) CH.6 – Greenhouse Earth TEST #6

If you miss a class, it is YOUR responsibility to ask me for any materials missed. If your absence is unexcused you will NOT be able to make up missed material.