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Dynamical Paleoclimatology

Summer Semester 2005, University of Bremen, Physics Department

In attempting to account for long-term paleoclimatic variations, we are led to broaden our view of the climate system and to restructure our approach to a fuller theory of climate. We begin by describing the external forcing of the climate system and the observed response, as represented by proxy evidence for paleoclimatic variations. One focus of the course is to identify driving mechanisms for climate change. This is done through numerical models of the Earth system and statistical analysis of instrumental and proxy data. Special areas: feedback mechanisms in the climate system; the role of the global oceanic thermohaline circulation for paleo and recent climate variations; deglaciation; Holocene climate; Glacial climate; Climate modes like ENSO and NAO; Milankovitch theory of the ice ages. Practicals complement the lessons.

Literature:

  • Dynamical Paleoclimatology - A generalized theory of global climate change, B. Saltzman, Academic Press, San Diego, 2002, 354 pp.
  • The nature of mathematical modeling, N. Gershenfeld, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2003, 344 pp.
  • Earth's Climate Past and Future, by William F. Ruddiman

 

Structure:

0. Lesson, 14 April 2005 Warming up, overview (only slides available) ppt1 (10,2 MB), ppt2 (11,1 MB), ppt3 (6 MB), ppt4 (8,4 MB), ppt5 (14,1 MB), ppt6 (5,4 MB)

1. Lesson, 21. April 2005 Climate modes, upscaling techniques ppt1 (14 MB), ppt2 13,3 MB), ppt3 (11,2 MB), ppt4 (10,6 MB)

2. Lesson, 28. April 2005 Vegetation dynamics (Claudia Kubatzki) ppt1 (14,5 MB), ppt2 (14,4 MB), ppt3 (7,8 MB)

3. Lesson, 9. May 2005 Upscaling, NAO, ENSO ppt (10,5 MB)

Homework: Analyse three time series ppt (580 KB)

  • Red Sea Coral data doc (40 KB), choose a time series out of the list in the upsc programme, choose one index region (e.g. Nino3 and SST) from the preselected areas
  • Plot the associated SST, SLP fields, and discuss them in terms of known climate modes!

 

4. Lesson, 23. May 2005 Astronomical theory of ice ages ppt (10,4 MB)

Homework: Evaluate the radiation at 65N, 30N, 30S, 60S for June and December ppt (2,8 MB)
Fortran programme, matlab programme doc (56 KB)

background material, orbital parameters doc (860 KB), matlab programme for spectrum doc (32 KB), start with matlab doc (28 KB)

5. Lesson, 26. May 2005 Theory of ice ages ppt (5,5 MB)

Homework: recification of the previous previous calculated radiation ppt (128 KB)
background material: Ice age toy models pdf (2,5 MB)

6. Lesson, 2. June 2005 Biogeochmical cycles ppt (6,5 MB)

Homework: Some budget calculations

7. Lesson, 9. June 2005 14-C cycle and clocks (Martin Butzin) pdf (3 MB)

Homework

8. Lesson, 16. June 2005: The thermohaline circulation

Homework: Practicals with matlab pdf (12 KB), ergänzend doc (80 KB), mat (268 KB)

9. Lesson, 23. June 2005:

EOF.pdf (16 KB)
EOF s-mode.pdf (48 KB)
EOF t-mode.pdf (20 KB)
EOF analysis.pdf (12 KB)
EOF spatial correlation.pdf (60 KB)
EOF sinus.pdf (129 KB)
EOF manual.doc (32 KB)

Time series analysis.pdf (12 KB)
Time series Fourier.pdf (32 KB)
Time series estimating.pdf (48 KB)
Time series singular.pdf (48 KB)
Time series coherence.pdf (24 KB)

 

Written exam pdf (68 KB)

Skript TS pdf (96 KB)

Links for Teaching
International Postgraduate-program Enviromental Physics (PEP) (Lecture table, Staff)

Climate System Seminar of the AWI


 
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