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GEOL 5700-4 - Super-Problems in Quaternary Climate

800 kyr of Antarctic temperature and atmospheric CO2

Course description: A yearly investigation, in seminar format, of major problems in the study and understanding of Quaternary climate variation. Each year one or two major topics will be addressed, which may include: physics and chemistry of the glacial ocean circulation; theory and mechanics of glacial/interglacial atmospheric CO2 change; the origin of the 100 kyr climate cycle; and reconciling snowlines, sea surface temperatures, moist thermodynamics, and winds during the last glacial maximum.

In Fall ’08, we will focus on the theory and mechanics of glacial/interglacial atmospheric CO2 change.

Expectations and grading: Students will be required to make presentations on assigned readings from both the historic and current research literature. There will be one or two discussion leaders per week, but everyone is responsible for reading the papers and participating in the discussion. Presentations should go beyond the papers at hand by providing relevant background material that helps to place the papers in the context of previous studies. We are not looking for an exhaustive summary of the reading, but rather a framework from which the group can discuss and better understand the papers. Grades will be based on the quality of presentations (60%) and on overall participation, which includes attendance (40%).

Readings will be available either as online pdfs or as hardcopies on reserve in the INSTAAR Reading Room and the Geology Library.

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Meets: Wednesdays 10am-12pm, RL1 room 233
Instructors:, scott.lehman@colorado.edu; , tom.marchitto@colorado.edu
Office Hours: By appointment
Credits: 2

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Preliminary class schedule (subject to change)

Papers in brackets are placeholders meant to convey the historical progression of the course

Week 1 (W 8/27, 4 pm): Organizational meeting

Week 2 (W 9/3): and (instructor presentations)
Required Reading: (stop when you reach "Historical and Recent CO2 Budget" (p. 937) which is now outdated)
Supplemental Reading: provides a good overview of the Earth's current carbon budget

Week 3 (W 9/10): Continental shelf hypothesis
Required Reading: (Sean)

Week 4 (W 9/17): Coral reef hypothesis
Required Reading: (Ben)
Required Reading: (Caroline)

Week 5 (W 9/24): Polar dominance (Harvardton Bears)
Required Reading: (Katie)
Required Reading: (Sophie)
Required Reading: (Sophie)

Week 6 (W 10/1): Nutrient deepening and polar alkalinity
Required Reading: (Whitney)
Required Reading: (Sean)

Week 7 (W 10/8): Rain ratio hypothesis
Required Reading: (Sophie)
Required Reading: (Katie)

Week 8 (W 10/15): Polar nutrient utilization
Background Reading: (brief discussion, no presentation)
Required Reading: (Ben)

Week 9 (W 10/22): Polar stratification and gas exchange
Required Reading: (Caroline)
Required Reading: (Caroline)
Required Reading: (Whitney)
Required Reading: (Whitney)

Week 10 (W 10/29): Deep ocean chemical divide
Required Reading: (Sean)

Week 11 (W 11/5): Nitrogen fixation and denitrification
Required Reading: (Sophie)
Required Reading: (Sophie)

Week 12 (W 11/12): Paleo-atmospheric d13C
Required Reading: (Katie)
Required Reading: (Katie)

Week 13 (W 11/19): Paleo-atmospheric and oceanic D14C
Required Reading: (Whitney)
Required Reading: (Whitney)

Week 14 (W 12/3): Silicate weathering thermostat
Required Reading: (Ben)
Required Reading: (Ben)

Week 15 (W 12/10): Long-term fate of fossil fuel CO2
Required Reading: (Caroline)
Required Reading: (Caroline)