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Large-scale climate variability
Last Updated: 2026-02-05 15:25:09
Abstract
This course deals with processes related to large-scale climate variability (El Niño, hemispheric to global climate interactions, solar variability, volcanic eruptions) as well as their importance in climate history of the past 500-1000 years.
Objective
The goal of this course is to understand variations and disturbances of the global climate system as well as their importance for climate history.
Content
This course deals with processes related to large-scale climate variability as well as the climate history of the past 500-1000 years. The main topics are, on the one hand, external causes of large-scale climate variations such as changes in solar activity or volcanic eruptions. On the other hand, variations in the coupled ocean-atmosphere system such as El Niño, interactions between tropics and extratropics and between troposphere and stratosphere, as well as regional to hemispheric climate patterns (Pacific North American Pattern, North Atlantic Oscillation) are discussed. The second main topic is the role of these processes in recent climate history. Scientific methods such as data analysis, model simulations, and climate reconstructions are introduced. In the exercises, the main topics of the course will be further deepened by means of presentations.
Resources
Lecture Notes
Lecture notes are provided.
Literature
A bibliography will be provided.
General Information
- Language
- English
- Levels
- DR , MSC
- Frequency
- Yearly recurring
Examination
- Type
- graded semester performance
Course Components
| Type | Title | Time & Place | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| lecture | Large-scale climate variability |
|
2 h weekly |
| exercise | Large-scale climate variability |
|
1 h weekly |