GEOS 103
Global Warming and Natural Disasters Fall 2015
Division III
Cross-listed ENVI 103
This is not the current course catalog

Class Details

The destruction caused by recent storms such as Irene and Sandy, devastation of prolonged drought in the African Sahel, catastrophic flooding and mudslides in SE Asia and sea level encroachment on the Alaska coast are visible examples of natural disasters that may be modulated by climate change. Global climate change, together with environmental degradation and the explosive growth of urban areas, has the potential to increase the severity and impact of natural disasters. In this course we globally examine geological and climatological processes that “set up” natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods, landslides, droughts, extreme temperatures, and coastal surges, as well as the processes that condition availability of water resources. We study in detail the causes and anticipated consequences of human alteration of global climate and its impact on the spectrum of natural hazards and resources. During laboratory sessions we use local field sites and computer models to analyze recent disasters/hazards, trends in weather and climate and options for mitigating future impacts.
The Class: Format: lectures, 3 hours per week; laboratory, 2 hours per week
Limit: 20
Expected: 20
Class#: 1144
Grading: yes pass/fail option, yes fifth course option
Requirements/Evaluation: evaluation based on written reports from laboratories, class participation, two hour exams and a final exam
Prerequisites: none
Enrollment Preferences: first-year and sophomore students
Distributions: Division III
Notes: This course is cross-listed and the prefixes carry the following divisional credit:
GEOS 103 Division III ENVI 103 Division III
Attributes: ENVI Natural World Electives
ENVS Group EB-B Electives
ENVS Group EG-A Electives
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