PGEOG
250 - Earth Systems Science
I - Fall 2005
General Information
Instructor:
Haydee Salmun
Email:
essone@geo.hunter.cuny.edu
Office
hours:
Tuesday and Friday, 12:30 to 1:30 pm, or by appointment.
Room 1041 Hunter North.
Please note: the best way to contact
me is via email AND at the above address ONLY.
Course Description
In this
course we learn to think of our planet as a system. A system consists of
several components that interact with each other, sometimes in very complicated
fashions. The components of the earth system that we will consider include the
atmosphere, the hydrosphere, the lithosphere, and the biosphere. While each of
these components can be studied in more detail in separate courses, here we
focus on interactions between them. Systems-thinking is critical in all areas
of study, and particularly in the fields of environmental studies and earth
sciences. This method of analysis is necessary for understanding virtually any
environmental problem.
Prerequisites
Each student
must have passed at least one 100-level science course, or have permission of
the instructor. Basic familiarity with the Windows operating system, and
Microsoft EXCEL, are assumed. Students will be taught to use additional
software for running computer simulations in the laboratory.
Required Textbook
Kump,
Kasting, and Crane, 2004, The Earth System, 2nd edition, Pearson /
Prentice Hall Publishers. This book has been ordered at the
Lectures
will cover chapters 1-8 in the text. To view the lectures, click on the
appropriate link and open the file. To save the powerpoint files on your own
disk, go to Lecture
Notes, follow onto the appropriate link and save the file.
Exams
Three exams
will be given, including two in-class midterm and one final.
Final
Exam Date:
Tuesday, December 20, 9:00 – 11:00 am, Room C107 Hunter North.
Please be
advised that plagiarism,
dishonesty, or cheating in any portion of the work required for this course
will be punished to the full extent allowed according to
See the following report by the Hunter College Senate for more details:
http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/senate/assets/Documents/Hunter%20College%20Policy%20on%20Academic%20Integrity.pdf
Grades
Grades are
based on homework from text, homework from labs, the midterm and final exams,
as well as class attendance and participation. The proportions are listed below
Homework (labs, text & other) 30%
Midterm Exam
I 20%
Midterm Exam
II 20%
Final Exam 30%
Class
participation will be considered for up to 5% EXTRA of the total grade
The final exam will consist of an in-class part
and a take-home part. It will be comprehensive, with a major portion on the
last part of the course covered after the second midterm exam.
Two types of
homework assignments will be assigned.
(1) Homework will be assigned from the Critical-thinking problems
found at the end of each chapter. (2) Homework assignments to work with
computer models in the computer lab will also be assigned.
6-7 sessions
(see Syllabus for dates) will be held in the computer lab, room 1090 North,
where we will experiment with computer models. STELLA modeling software will be
used in all computer modeling exercises. No previous experience in computer
modeling or STELLA software is expected, although basic familiarity with the
Windows operating system, and MS EXCEL, is expected. The link allows you to
view and save the lab descriptions (pdf files) and the EXCEL and STELLA files
as well.
Attendance
Class
participation is a very important integral part of this course. Attendance is required at all lectures
and labs. Up to two unexcused absences from lectures will be tolerated. No
unexcused absences are allowed from lab sessions. Every unexcused absence after
the second will result in a decrease of a full grade (e.g. from B to C) in the
student’s final grade in the course.