Key Information
About the content
This class provides a series of Python programming exercises intended to explore the use of numerical modeling in the Earth system and climate sciences. The scientific background for these models is presented in a companion class, Global Warming I: The Science and Modeling of Climate Change. This class assumes that you are new to Python programming (and this is indeed a great way to learn Python!), but that you will be able to pick up an elementary knowledge of Python syntax from another class or from on-line tutorials.
Syllabus
- Week 1 - Time-Dependent Energy Balance Model
This class is intended to complement a Coursera class called Global Warming I: The Science and Modeling of Climate Change, which presents much of the background to the material here. In this class you'll be using spreadsheets (maybe) and Python (definitely) t... - Week 2 - Iterative Runaway Ice-Albedo Feedback Model
The ideas behind this model were explained in Unit 7, Feedbacks, in Part I of this class. First we get to generate simple linear "parameterization" functions of planetary albedo and the latitude to which ice forms (colder = lower latitude ice). Second, for an... - Week 3 - Ice Sheet Dynamics
Ice flows like extra-thick molasses, downhill. The shape of the ice sheet (altitude versus distance across) is determined by the relationship between ice surface slope and the flow rate of the ice. - Week 4 - Pressure, Rotation, and Fluid Flow
Planetary rotation and fluid flow were explained in Part I of this class, Unit 6, on Weather and Climate. - Week 5 - A Model of Climate Changes Today
Background for this model was presented in Part I of this class, Unit 9, The Perturbed Carbon Cycle.
Instructors
David Archer
Professor
Geophysical Sciences
Content Designer
Platform
Coursera is a digital company offering massive open online course founded by computer teachers Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller Stanford University, located in Mountain View, California.
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