Introduction
The study of climate may be the broadest of all scientific problems.
Harvard and MIT between the two institutions cover many of the major
elements of climate dynamics. Students are encouraged to take
advantage of courses, seminars, faculty and other expertise at both
places. The following listing of available courses here is by no
means exhaustive: both MIT and Harvard have a broad spectrum of
relevant offerings in all aspects of physical, chemical and biological
sciences, mathematics, economy, public health and public policy, that
bear on the understanding of climate change and its consequences.
Students, or prospective students, should consult any faculty member
at either institution for further advice.
The two institutions attempt to remain coordinated in terms of
courses offered, and encourage informal interactions between the
students and faculty at both places.
Courses
Graduate climate courses:
Relevant but not climate-focused graduate courses:
EPS 281r. Great Papers in Earth Sciences
Courses relevant for both graduate and undergraduate students:
Relevant undergraduate courses:
See also, Harvard atmospheric
chemistry and climate web page.
Graduate climate courses:
Relevant undergraduate courses:
A proposed curriculum for graduate students interested in climate
dynamics
First year:
Fall term:
- Applied Mathematics I: ODEs and asymptotic analytic methods
(Harvard APM 201: Physical Mathematics I)
- Introduction to geophysical fluid dynamics (Harvard Earth and
Planetary Sciences 232: Dynamic Meteorology; MIT 12.800)
- Introduction to climate phenomenology (e.g. MIT Climate Physics
and Chemistry; Harvard Physics of climate)
- Elective (e.g. MIT Inference From Data and Models)
Spring term:
- Applied Mathematics II: partial differential equations (Harvard
APM 202: Physical Mathematics II)
- Climate dynamics (Harvard Earth and Planetary Sciences 231:
Climate Dynamics)
- Waves (MIT 12.802: Wave Motions in the Ocean and Atmosphere)
- General circulation of the oceans or general circulation of the
atmosphere (MIT 12.810 Dynamics of the Atmosphere, or MIT 12.801
Steady Circulation of the Oceans, or MIT 12.803 Quasi-balanced
Circulations in Oceans and Atmospheres)
Second year:
- Baroclinic instability
- Time series analysis and inverse methods/ Inference From Data and
Models
- Nonlinear dynamics and chaos
- Turbulence in the Atmosphere and Ocean
- Numerical methods
- Paleoclimate
- Breadth courses: (e.g. Harvard great papers in Earth Sciences)
Faculty doing research in climate dynamics
MIT
Harvard
- Brian
Farrell: dynamic meteorology, origin of the mid latitude
cyclone, jets and turbulence, climate dynamics, generalized
stability theory.
- Peter
Huybers: climate change across space and time scales
- Zhiming
Kuang: tropical convection and large scale dynamics
- Dan
Schrag: climate and climate change over the broadest range of
Earth history, changes in ocean circulation, El Niņo, ice-age
cycles, Snowball Earth.
- Eli
Tziperman: Large scale climate and ocean dynamics, including El
Nino, thermohaline circulation, abrupt climate change, glacial cycles
and equable (warm) climates; advanced methods of ocean data
assimilation.
See also, Harvard atmospheric
chemistry and climate web page, and
- Steve Wofsy: Atmospheric and environmental chemistry.
- Jim Anderson: Chemistry and Physics of Climate and Earth System Change.
- Michael
McElroy: atmospheric chemistry, climate and the impact of human
activity; stratospheric ozone; chemical composition of the
troposphere; past climate changes; Climate and public policy.
last updated July, 2008