Polar Climate and Sea Ice

This course will cover the principles of polar climate dynamics and will examine the role of sea ice in climate.
The course will provide an extensive overview of:
- the current system and water masses in the Arctic Ocean-Nordic Seas system and Antarctic Ocean;
- the present and projected role of the Arctic in climate;
- sea ice structure and processes.

Fundamentals of physical oceanography.

Lesson plan
no. 1 Welcome to the Arctic Ocean
no. 2 The Arctic system: currents and water masses
no. 3 Pacific Water in the Arctic Ocean
no. 4 Atlantic Water in the Arctic Ocean
no. 5 The role of deep water formation in global climate change / Nordic Seas and Labrador Sea
no. 6 Present and future climate changes in the Arctic
no. 7 Large-scale characteristics of sea ice
no. 8 Sea ice physical processes
no. 9 Modeling sea ice
no. 10 The Antarctic Ocean
no. 11 Antarctic sea ice change and variability
no. 12 Written exercises

Reading assignments will be given in class and include textbook chapters and scientific papers.

The course format will be a blend of lecturing, journal article discussion, and student reports.
Homework and/or class assignments will be given. Students will be lead discussions of journal articles.

English

Grades will be assigned on a combination of oral and written examinations, and will draw on material discussed in lectures or in assigned reading.
The grade breakdown is approximately:
class participation 20%
written examination 40%
journal article discussion 40%