Session 1 The Natural Science Background

a) The carbon cycle. Demonstrate schematically what happens over time with carbon that is emitted into the atmosphere. Describe the sizes of different pools (sinks) of carbon and the flows between them. Show how one can represent the dynamics of carbon with a simple dynamic system and discuss the limitations and possible problems with these models.

Some possibly useful reading:

Nordhaus, “A question of balance”, http://hassler-j.iies.su.se/courses/climate/nordhaus2009.pdf

Archer, Journal of Geophysical Research, 2005, http://hassler-j.iies.su.se/courses/climate/Archer_JGR_05.pdf

Joos, Interdisciplinary Reviews, http://hassler-j.iies.su.se/courses/climate/joos09.pdf

IPCC, FAQ 2007, http://hassler-j.iies.su.se/courses/climate/ipccfaq.pdf

b) Climate models Describe a climate model. Describe the greenhouse effect. Explain the earths energy balance and the concepts of forcing and climate sensitivity. Provide some important examples of feedback mechanisms and why these may cause uncertainty about the strength of global warming. How has the effect of increased CO2 concentration ion temperature been modeled in IAMs so far?

Some possibly useful reading:

IPCC 2007, chap 8. http://hassler-j.iies.su.se/courses/climate/chap8.pdf

IPCC, FAQ 2007, http://hassler-j.iies.su.se/courses/climate/ipccfaq.pdf

Nordhaus, “A question of balance”, http://hassler-j.iies.su.se/courses/climate/nordhaus2009.pdf

Journal of climate, May 2010. http://hassler-j.iies.su.se/courses/climate/JClimateMay10.pdf

c) The climate Define climate and describe how it has already changed. Discuss why climate change is likely to be caused by human activity. Describe forecasts of future climate from “state-of-the art” models. Discuss why different models give different results, and how this depends on assumptions about aerosol forcing.

Some possibly useful reading:

IPCC, FAQ 2007, http://hassler-j.iies.su.se/courses/climate/ipccfaq.pdf

IPCC 2007, chap 3 and 10. http://hassler-j.iies.su.se/courses/climate/chap3.pdf, http://hassler-j.iies.su.se/courses/climate/chap10.pdf

Journal of climate, May 2010. http://hassler-j.iies.su.se/courses/climate/JClimateMay10.pdf

Sinn, “The Green Paradox”, http://mitpress.mit.edu/catalog/item/default.asp?ttype=2&tid=12810

Eklund, ”Vårt klimat”, http://www.norstedts.se/bocker/utgiven/2009/Var/eklund_klas-vart_klimat-kartonnage/

Naturvårdsverket, “En ännu varmare värld --Växthuseffekten och klimatets förändringar”, 2007. http://www.naturvardsverket.se/Start/Klimat/En-varmare-varld/Varlden-blir-varmare/En-annu-varmare-varld/