SCI 341 Advanced Earth Science

Content

This course deals with the Earth Science challenges currently facing human society in relation to supply and use of natural resources, environmental pollution and degradation, the impact of natural disasters on our ever-growing population concentrations and the question of global change. The course identifies the critical environmental geosciences and sustainability issues facing humankind and goes on to examine the resources, risks and hazards associated with solid Earth systems, surface Earth systems, and with the ocean-atmosphere system. Topics include mineral, energy, water, and soil resources, their depletion and management, and the environmental impact of their exploitation. Natural hazards and their mitigation also receive detailed attention, the focus being placed on seismic hazards, volcanic hazards, flooding, and coastal erosion. The final stages of the course address ocean-atmosphere interaction, climatic change, the evidence for global warming, the possible effects thereof and the necessary human response.

Instructor

Dr. Renata van der Weijden and Dr. Joseph Resovsky

Track

Earth Science

Period

Fall / 2007

Prerequisites

The following course is required in order to take this course:

• SCI 241 Earth System Science II