Earth Systems and Climate Science

This course provides an overview of the Earth Systems – geosphere, cryosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere – the dynamic interactions between them, and the unique characteristics that these components display in Patagonia. The course covers Systems Theory, the overall characteristics of each system, and why we should think of the Earth as a system that is more than the sum of its parts. We will examine all systems in detail and find the relationship between them and switch the different time scale over which they operate. The course emphasizes the cryosphere and climate science and how these components interact in Patagonia and what will happen with them under climate change scenarios.