KE4016 - Earth System Science

1. In Lectures, you will learn in more depth about key components of the Earth System and their interaction, and how they can be represented in modelling. This can include hands-on exercises to deepen your understanding of the systems.
2. In Practicals, you will learn through applying the theory from the lectures, meaning that you will be introduced to basic programming (for example in Excel, Matlab, or Python), and you will simulate Earth System components using simple models.

You will be supported academically on this module in the following ways:
- Lectures introducing you to theory
- IT practicals to introduce you to programming and modelling
- Formative feedback on individual modelling projects

Module content and guidance will be made available by your module tutor in lectures as well as via the virtual learning platform, Blackboard. During IT sessions, you will interact closely with teaching staff who will provide formative support (demonstrations are often provided at the start of the class) and feedback on activities leading up to the assessment tasks. You will also benefit from interaction and problem solving with your fellow students in working through guided exercises.

Teaching staff operate an ‘open door’ policy for students meaning you can approach them anytime during normal office hours, or via email, to answer questions, receive feedback and support your learning on the module.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

Knowledge & Understanding:
• MLO 1: Deepen your understanding of Earth System components and their interactions, and their response to Global Warming.
• MLO 2: Based on an understanding of the capabilities and limitations of models to represent the Earth System, gain a better understanding of the central debates in climate research.

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
• MLO 3: Apply computational tools to quantitatively model Earth System components.
• MLO 4: Develop analytical thinking to design, interpret and analyse numerical simulations in the context of your knowledge of the Earth System.

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
• MLO 5: Apply personal interests to start formulating your own modelling and computation application.

Summative:
The assessment for this module is a portfolio-based assessment (100% - 2000 words equivalent). You will create a portfolio from the exercises, demonstrating your results, and interpreting them in the context of the theoretical content of the lectures to demonstrate your analytical thinking (MLO1,2,3,4,5).

Formative:
On an on-going basis throughout the module your tutors will give formative feedback on development of computational skills in guided IT workshops, as well as group and one-to-one supervision of individual projects. This formative feedback throughout the module will help reinforce your learning in a timely manner to support your assessments (MLO3,4,5).

Introduction to Physical Environments.

N/A

This module will deepen your knowledge about the Earth System, its components and their interactions. Building on learning from the first semester, we will introduce you to a key component of earth system science – the computational representation of the earth system . Models can help understand the response of the Earth System to Climate Change, and project potential future trajectories. They range from simple models, e.g., box models, to complex, 3-dimensional general circulation models. In lectures, we will discuss the theoretical aspects of this, while in practicals you will gather hands-on experience with computation and modelling, introducing you to the basics of programming. Throughout the semester, you will develop a portfolio of modelling applications together with an understanding of their theoretical underpinning, and a selection of these will constitute your assessment. Teaching staff will guide your learning and provide you with formative feedback to allow you develop analytical thinking and physical understanding of the Earth System.