Dr. John A. Klasik

Dr. Klasik's  Home

Classes

 

GSC 320  STUDIES OF A BLUE PLANET

John A. Klasik

PREREQUISITES:  A course from Area A1, A2, A3 and B1, B2 and B3

RECOMMENDED TEXT:  MacKenzie, Fred, T., 1998, Our Changing Planet An Introduction to Earth System Science and Global Environmental Change, 2nd Ed., Prentice Hall.

GRADING:    Midterm Exam                        100 Points

                        Final Exam                            100 Points

                        Pre-Topic Essays                      5 Points Each, 15 Pts.

                        Content Essays/Oral Rpt.       35 Points each, 105 Pts.

                        Total Points                         320 Points

                        Exams are objective format (multiple choice & true / false).

MAKE UP EXAMS ONLY BY PRIOR AGREEMENT OR DOCUMENTED EMERGENCY.

CONSULT CLASS HANDOUT PACKAGE FOR CONTENT ESSAY EXPECTATIONS AND FORMAT.  ANY WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS WILL LOSE 1 POINT PER DAY LATE.

OFFICE:        Building 8, Room 242                        Phone:  (909) 869-3453/3454

                        FAX:  (909)-869-2920                        email:  jaklasik@csupomona.edu

       TENTATIVE CLASS SCHEDULE     

Week One

               Introduction:  The Blue Planet

               Earth History:  Origin of Ocean & Atmosphere    

               Earth History:  Origin of Ocean & Atmosphere

               Impact of Human Activity 

Week Two

               Ocean / Atm System:  Nature of the Ocean:  Distribution of Water

               Structure of the Oceans

Pre-Topic Essay #1:  El Nino / La Nina Due

               Circulation of The Atmosphere  

Week Three

               Ocean Circulation

               Structure of the Atmosphere

               Role of the Ocean in Global Earth Processes

               END TEST ONE

Pre-Topic Essay #2:  Global Warming / Climate Change

Week Four

               El Nino / La Nina:  Introduction   

               El Nino / La Nina:  Scientific History

               Test 1:  Day One Through Role of Ocean In Global Earth Processes

Week Five

               El Nino / La Nina:  Origin, Monitoring: 

Pre-Topic Essay #3:  Ozone & The Ozone Problem

               El Nino:  Consequences & Impacts

               Global Warming / Climate Change:  Earth History   

Week Six

               Global Warming:  How We Know of Past Climates

               Global Warming:  Current Assessment

Content Essay #1:  El Nino / La Nina Due

               Global Warming:  Consequences / Impact

Week Seven

                Global Warming:  International Efforts

                Ozone:  Ultra Violet Radiation

Week Eight

               Ozone:  Origin & Distribution:  Ozone Photochemistry   

Content Essay #2:  Global Warming / Climate Change Due

               Ozone & The Problem: Distribution of Ozone; Good Ozone / Bad Ozone

               The Ozone Problem:  Mitigation & Monitoring

Week Nine

               Depletion of Ozone & The Ozone Hole

               Ozone: International Efforts

Week Ten

                The Coastal Zone & Coastal Processes

                Nature of Coastal Processes Coastal Engineering Structures

Content Essay #3:  Ozone Due

                Living / Coping with The Coastal Zone:  Case Studies

                               Final Exam: El Niño to the end of the Quarter.

 

ORAL REPORTS WILL BE IN SUBSTITUTION FOR ONE OF THE THREE REQUIRED WRITTEN CONTENT ESSAYS.   

1.  You must tell me in writing for which essay your talk will be in substitution.

2.  The talk will be worth 35 points.

3.  Grading will be based on how well you convey an understanding of the topic, clarity of presentation, organization of presentation, your ability to respond to questions, how well it fits into the overall topic.  Feel free to use my handout collection and to consult with me with regard to other visual aids, Internet sites and what should/should not be included or covered in your talk.

4.  The oral presentations will take place throughout the quarter.  I want your presentations to mesh with the topical progression of the class.  Thus, once you select a topic you should immediately begin preparation, especially if it is one of the topics scheduled to be covered early in the course.

5.  The listed topics vary in complexity and thus length of presentation.  In general I am hoping for a presentation to be about 15 - 20 minutes in length.  Presentations, especially what may be the more lengthy ones, can be longer and done in teams of two.  A

6.  At the time of your talk, you should provide me and the class with three multiple choice or true / false questions related to your talk and/or how it fits into the overall topic.  These questions (not every one of them) can and will be used on the final exam. 

 

Suggestions for Oral Presentations

1.  El Nino:  Monitoring El Nino / La Nina Events E.g. TAO/Triton Array & The Topex - Poseidon Satellite Monitoring System

2.  Local / National Impacts of El Nino / La Nina 

3.  Global Impacts of El Nino / La Nina

4.  Natural Causes of Climate Variation 

5.  Milankovitch Cycles 

6.  Oxygen Isotopes, Climate History, Ice Cores

7.  Deforestation

8.  The Kyoto Conference of December 1997, etc. 

9.  Nature of Ultra Violet Energy

10.  Distribution & Abundance of Ozone

11.  Monitoring Ozone Levels & What’s a Dobson Unit?

12.  Tropospheric Ozone, Origin, Hazards, etc.

13.  History of Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s). 

14.  Alternatives or Substitutes for Chlorofluorocarbons.

15.  Montreal Protocol (1987) & Amendments, Timeline, etc. 

16.  Ozone Holes in the Arctic? 

17.  Storm Surges

18.  Case Studies:  1)  Ocean City,Maryland  2)  The Santa Barbara & Santa Monica Breakwaters 

 _______________________________

I AM CERTAINLY OPEN TO OTHER TOPICS YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN.  JUST DISCUSS THEM WITH ME SO THAT WE CAN SEE HOW YOUR SUGGESTION FITS INTO THE COURSE AND SO THAT WE CAN SET UP A DATE FOR YOU TO PRESENT YOUR TOPIC

_______________________________

    

Todd Klasik :: Webmaster :: tklasik@chs.cusd.claremont.edu