This class examines tools, data, and ideas related to past climate changes as seen in marine, ice core, and continental records. The most recent climate changes (mainly the past 500,000 years, ranging up to about 2 million years ago) will be emphasized. Quantitative tools for the examination of paleoceanographic data will be introduced (statistics, factor analysis, time series analysis, simple climatology).

Assignments

1. 2-3 problem sets throughout the term.
2. Lec #8: a 3-5 page term paper "proposal" due. The goal of the paper is to discuss and perhaps even answer a paleoceanographic question.
3. Lec #11: first draft of the paper. This deadline is firm; the papers will be given to one of your classmates (selected at random) for a written review.
4. Lec #13: a review of someone else's draft paper. This deadline is firm; the review is used by the author for final revisions. At this point, I will assign a grade to the student who does the review but not to the writer of the draft paper.
5. Lec #15: a final term paper (10-15 pages) due.

Grading

Grades will be based on these assignments, roughly weighted for the amount of time devoted to each task:

Readings

Reading lists will be provided in class. The reading will be divided into two categories:

1. "Discussion Papers," you should read carefully and try to understand thoroughly and be prepared to discuss in class, and
2. "Reference Papers," which present background information you should scan so that you know some of the literature.

3. Calendar

    

    

   Course calendar.

   Lec #	Topics
   1	Major Paleoceanographic and Paleoclimatic Events of the Past 2 Million Years
   2	Oxygen Isotope Paleoclimatology
   3	Oxygen Isotope Paleothermometry
   4	Paleo-ecological Temperature Estimates
   5	Sea-Level and Climate Change: Coral Reefs on Stable and Emerging Islands
   6	Glacial/Interglacial 'Oscillations': Why? Time-series Analysis
   7	Ice Core Evidence for Climate Change
   8	Ice Core Evidence for Climate Change (cont.)
   9	Deep-ocean Paleoceanography and Ocean Chemistry: Links to Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide and 14C/12C
   10	Atmospheric CO2, Ocean Chemistry, and Mechanisms of Climate Change
   11	Continental Evidence for Glacial Climate Change
   12	Lifestyles of the Small and Calcareous
   13	Coral Evidence for Temperature, Salinity, and Nutrient Changes
   14	Introduction to Cenozoic Palenoceanography
   15	Newer Tracers