ST 215 Weather, Climate, and Society

Syllabus Course web page http://www.colby.edu/sts/st21509

ST 215 Teams

June 21

Sept. 22

Dec. 21

Mar. 20

June 21

Oceans Continents Clouds Ice Sheets Deserts Mountains Life (O2) Precipitation Temp. differences Winds Lightning Aurora Moon (tides) Natural Greenhouse Effect Orbit “wobbles” long-term Stratospheric Ozone Artificial satellites Air pollution Political boundaries

It’s your atmosphere Only planet with abundant O2 atmosphere. Oceans cover 2/3 of planet. Surface temperatures 40 to -40 C allow 3 phases of water. Hydrologic cycle (recycles fresh water for the biosphere). Atmosphere protects earth from UV, meteorites, solar wind. “Ocean of air” is very thin; can’t breathe above 10 km.

Air is absolutely necessary for life: Eat 3 x per day, can survive without food for 40 days. Drink 6 x per day, can survive without water for 7 days. Breathe 22,000 x per day, can live without air only 3-5 min. 1022 molecules in every breath of air 1044 molecules in the entire atmosphere 1022 breaths of air in the atmosphere.

Social Dimensions Humanity is not in harmony with the environment. Socio-technical Hybrids: Air Pollution Ozone Depletion Global Warming El Niño and La Niña Environmental Health Energy Use Weather and Climate Control A critical study of weather, climate, and society calls into question the entire trajectory of civilization.