Module manager: Trystan Surawy Stepney
Email: T.SurawyStepney@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable
Year running 2024/25
A Level Mathematics OR Physics OR approved Level 1 Maths/Physics equivalent module
| GEOG3669 | The Cryosphere |
| SOEE5515M | Ice in the Earth System |
This module is not approved as an Elective
The cryosphere (comprising snow, sea ice and glaciers) plays an important role in the Earth System, by driving, as well as responding to, global changes. You will engage with current debates in the research literature to improve your understanding of contemporary distributions of snow cover, sea ice, glaciers and ice sheets, and place this within the longer-term context of the past and future evolution of the Earth system and climate. You will explore the primary controls of cryospheric change, and identify the feedbacks that are accelerating these changes in a warming climate. You will also develop skills in remote sensing to assess changes in the cryosphere and forecast its future evolution. By critically examining these data you will also gain understanding of their limitations and how uncertainty in predictions is handled in practical terms.
The objectives of this module are:
1. To establish the past and current distribution of snow, sea ice and glaciers and the role they play within the Earth system
2. To identify the global controls of cryospheric change and the specific processes that will determine its evolution on a local scale
On completion of this module, the student will gain an understanding of:
- The role of sea ice, snow and glaciers within the Earth system and its interaction with climate
- How the cryosphere has evolved over long (tens of thousands of years) timescales.
- Recent changes in the cryosphere, what caused them and the processes that will drive the future evolution of sea ice, glaciers, ice sheets and sea level.
Students will also learn to analyse and interpret remote sensing data of the cryosphere.
Numerical interpretation and presentation of data.
Lectures will cover a range of topics related to ice in the earth system, which may include:
The role of ice within the Earth system.
Fundamental principles of the cryosphere.
Sea ice.
Mountain glaciers.
Past ice sheets.
Observing the current health of the ice sheets.
Future changes in the cryosphere.
During the practical sessions, students will analyse up to date observational data of sea ice and ice sheets to reinforce and develop concepts learn in the lectures and to learn techniques used to analyse and interpret cryosphere data.
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | 12 | 1 | 12 |
| Practical | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| Private study hours | 82 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 18 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 100 | ||
82 hours to include: 4 hours reading per lecture, 18 hours preparation, analysis and write up of computer practical, 16 hours revision for assessment.
Written feedback on each of the assignments will also be provided.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Essay | 1 * 1200 word essay | 50 |
| Computer Exercise | Computer workshop assessed report (1,200 words) | 50 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
The re-sit for this module will be by an essay only.
The reading list is available from the Library website
Last updated: 9/5/2024
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team