Learning Outcomes:
On completion of this module, students should:
(i) appreciate the extent to which Geoscience resource issues impact on models for Environmental Sustainability
(ii) know that Earth's resources are finite and require careful assessment and management in the context of sustainable development
(iii) understand that renewable energy resources are variably sensitive to climate change, depending on location and the time-frame under consideration
(iv) be able to explain the resource-related factors that must be taken into account when planning renewable energy installations such as wind farms, solar farms and wave energy convertor deployment
(v) appreciate the nature of geohazards and some of the links between geoscience and human/animal health
Indicative Module Content:
Earth’s Internal Cycles and Energy Flows:
• Earth’s internal structure and Energy
• Plate Tectonics
• Introduction to use of a learning diary
• Introduction, and some resources for Week 1 essay.
• Introduction to Earthquakes
• Introduction to Volcanoes
Earth’s External Cycles and Energy Flows:
• Shallow ocean Circulation
• Deep ocean circulation
Introduction to Earth’s Climate System:
• Past natural climate variability
• Climate forcing mechanisms
• Evidence for recent climate change
• Attribution of recent change (natural versus anthropogenic)
• Climate models; how do they work
• Climate Sensitivity, resolution and other issues in climate models
Geohazards:
• Earthquakes and Induced Seismicity
• Landslides and bog bursts
• Natural Radioactivity and Radon gas
Renewable Energy:
• Geothermal Energy
• Water Resources and Hydropower Assignment 3 due end of week 9
• Wind Energy
• Wave and Tidal Energy
Earth’s Finite Resources and Sustainability:
• Earth’s hydrocarbon resources
• Earth’s metal and non-metallic resources
Pollutants in the Environment:
• Metals and organometallic compounds in the environment
• Behaviour of organic compounds in the environment