Ocean, Atmosphere, Climate

The "Ocean, Atmosphere, Climate" module presents the fundamental principles of atmospheric dynamics and ocean dynamics, and provides a critical and well-documented perspective on climate change. The course is based on the analysis of official documents describing global change, documented lessons on key issues, and applications to case studies in different global contexts.

• Enable students to develop their understanding of the relationships between climate change and atmospheric and oceanic processes, as well as some of their impacts on the Earth system.
• Encourage students to develop critical thinking skills with regard to climate change issues.

Training programs that include this module in their offering are committed to establishing a portfolio of knowledge/skills that will be carefully documented in this module.

Final exam: 1-hour written exam taken in person

• Presentation of the IPCC and its reports
• Causes of past climate change (Milankovitch, e.g., Little Ice Age)
• Current climate change (observations, modeling, causes)
• Radiative balance, greenhouse effect (greenhouse gases, ozone layer), sensible and latent heat coupling
• General atmospheric circulation, geostrophic winds, fronts, jets, low pressure/high pressure systems,
•  Impact of climate change on extreme events (e.g., cyclones, Mediterranean episodes)
• Societal impact and policy choices (conventions, COPs)
• General ocean circulation (drivers, Munk, major ocean currents, numerical models)
• North Atlantic circulation
• The conveyor belt
• Ocean-atmosphere interactions. Energy and heat transport. Water cycle.
• The regionalization of climates
• Carbon and CO2 Cycles in the Atmosphere, Ocean, and Lithosphere
• What if the Gulf Stream disappeared!
• Sea level rise, processes and trends.                                        
• TD: El Niño, North Atlantic Ocean, Indian monsoon, equatorial convergence, sea level rise (paleoclimatic evidence)