Handbook

From the humid tropics to the polar deserts, Earth's diverse array of climates are the result of complex physical, chemical and biological processes and their interactions. This unit provides an introduction to the Earth's climate system and its operation. You will gain an appreciation of the climate of the Earth's surface, subsurface and upper atmosphere, and how these vary in space and time. Key processes that regulate the climate on the global, regional and micro-scale will be introduced. The natural operation of these processes and their operation with human influence will be examined. You will be exposed to the techniques and instrumentation used to measure and monitor the atmosphere and the real-world applications for climate monitoring will be described. Practical experience in meteorological measurement will be gained through laboratory classes and a weekend field experience.