Course content

The IPCC has released several reports warning about a changing climate. This course provides an introduction to the Earth's climate system and covers the physics needed to understand climate change, the composition and structure of the atmosphere, thermodynamic processes, and atmospheric stability. It then discusses the transmission of light and infrared radiation, with a particular focus on the influence of aerosols, clouds, and other variable components, the consequences of climate change, and the current debates surrounding climate change.

This course is available to engineering students as a complementary course (K-emne). It is available to MTFYMA, MSPHYS and MLREAL as an ordinary physics course.

Learning outcome

After completing the course, students should be able to:

• Retrieve and analyze extreme weather data.
• Apply fundamental physics principles to understand basic atmospheric and climate change processes.
• Have an insight into the methods used in predictive models of weather and atmospheric climate change.
• Be familiar with thermodynamic concepts for atmospheres with and without water vapor.
• Understand the processes behind aerosols, clouds, and precipitation, and how particles and clouds affect solar radiation in the atmosphere.
• Describe principles from radiative transfer to gain insight into remotely sensed observations from satellites.
• Describe how knowledge about past climates is obtained through paleoclimatology.

Learning methods and activities

The teaching is delivered through lectures and participation in at least four out of five mini-projects. Academic discussions and other professional interactions are important methods of work and learning. All students are expected to actively contribute to discussions, presentations, and other activities.

Compulsory assignments

• Mini-projects
• Presentation

Recommended previous knowledge

Basic knowledge in physics and mathematics.

Course materials

To be announced at the beginning of the semester.

Credit reductions