Radiation and Climate Change
The format of the course will consist of both lectures and tutorials.
The lectures and tutorials are intended to take place in physical form.
There is also a Piazza page associated with this course for further discussion possibilities.
The aim of this course is to develop a thorough understanding of the fundamental role of radiation in shaping Earth's climate and driving climate change. The course covers the following topics: Basic radiation laws; sun-earth relations; radiation in the atmosphere; radiation as driver of climate change over Earth's history (faint sun paradox, Milankovic ice age theory, solar cycles); radiation balance of the Earth (satellite and surface observations, modeling approaches); anthropogenic perturbation of the Earth radiation balance: greenhouse gases and enhanced greenhouse effect, air pollution and global dimming/brightening. Implications of dimming/brightening for climate change.
Intro / Physical Basis of Radiation 23.2. 2024
- Download of protected pagelecture slides
Physical Basis of Radiation 1.3.2024
- Download of protected pagelecture slides
- Download solutions of Lecture Exercices from 1.3.
Sun Earth Relationships 8.3. 2024
- Download of protected pagelecture slides
- Download solution of Lecture Exercice from 8.3.
Sun Earth Relationships ff / Shortwave Radiation in the Atmosphere 15.3. 2024
- Download of protected pagelecture slides
Longwave Radiation in the Atmosphere / Radiation in Climate Models 22.3. 2024
- Download of protected pagelecture slides
Further Reading
- Greenhouse effect in Antarctica: protected pageSchmithüsen_et_al.
- Radiative-convective model application: protected pageHansen et al.
Present state of Earth Radiation Balance: TOA Radiation Balance 26.4.2024
- Download of lecture slides
Further Reading
- Cloud radiative forcing: protected pageRamanathan et al
- CERES satellite mission: protected pageWielicki et al and protected pageCERES Brochure
Present state of Earth Radiation Balance: Surface Radiation Balance / Changes over Earth's history 10.5.2024
- Download of lecture slides
Changes over Earth's history and decadal climate change 24.5.2024
- Download of lecture slides
Further Reading
- Earth radiative Imbalance (I): protected pagevon Schuckmann et al.
- Earth radiative Imbalance (II): protected pageHansen et al
- Decadal variations in TOA radiation budget protected pageWielicki et al
- Global dimming and brightening: protected pageWild et al SCIENCE
- Global dimming versus greenhouse warming: protected pageWild et al GRL
- Global Dimming and Brightening: A review: protected pageWild JGR
- Enlightening Global Dimming and Brightening: protected pageWild BAMS
- Global dimming and terrestrial carbon uptake: protected pageMercado et al. Nature
The tutorials will take place in the same room as the lectures, i.e. HG D5.2 They are designed to aid and put into practice your understanding of the course material.
The teaching assistants for the exercices are Boriana Chtirkova and Vishnu Selvakumar.
Written semester exam to obtain credit points (3) (Benotete Semsterleistung / graded semester performance)
31.5.2024: Starts 8.15. Takes place as physical written exam in the usual lecture room HG D5.2. Covers all material discussed in the lectures and the tutorials. Closed book exam, no supporting material allowed (keine Hilfsmittel), except a simple non-programmable pocket calculator with trigonometric and power functions (no calculators on smartphones, no pocket computers). Emphasis is on understanding of concepts. If you do not intend to participate in the exam please de-register from the course beforehand.
