The lecture gives an overview over physical properties, flows and transport phenomena in stratified water bodies (reservoirs, lakes and the oceans). The focus is on oceans, their currents and the role of the seas in the global climate system. Students completing the course are able to interpret basic flow equations and apply them to phenomema.

The human-induced emissions of carbon dioxide has led to atmospheric CO2 concentrations that Earth likely has no’t seen for the last 30 million years. This course aims to investigate and understand the impact of humans on Earth's biogeochemical cycles with a focus on the carbon cycle and its interaction with the physical climate system for the past, the present, and the future.

Students work in teams to develop an interdisciplinary question, research the literature required to answer it and create an overview of the scientific facts. On this basis, they then create information material for a non-scientific audience in a selected media form (video or infographic).