The Atmosphere, the Ocean, and Environmental Change
Yale professor Ron Smith's introductory course covers the physical processes that govern Earth's atmosphere, ocean, and climate, using quantitative methods to build mass and energy budgets. Lectures cover clouds, rain, and severe storms, regional climate patterns, the ozone layer and air pollution, ocean currents and productivity, the seasons, and El Nino. Later sessions turn to the history of Earth's climate, global warming, energy resources, and water resources. Recorded on the Yale campus in Fall 2011 as part of Open Yale Courses, the course consists of a full semester of class sessions held three times a week, given in fifty minute lectures. Materials include the complete video lecture set and associated course readings, offering a full quantitative grounding in atmospheric and oceanic science suitable for students with some physics and math background.