This course is being offered by the AY03/04 CGC Working Group on Coastal Processes.
Synopsis
Climate models predict at least a 50
cm sea level rise in the present century
as a result of global warming
(melting of ice caps and thermal expansion
of the ocean). Most climate model
projections do
not consider the complicated
geological interactions that are associated
with sea level rise. In this reading/lecture
course
we will introduce
material from both the climate and coastal
science perspective in order to help
bring the two fields
closer together.
The course will consist of some introductory
lectures on global warming/sea level
change, physical and biological
setting of Carolina estuaries, policy
considerations of Carolina coastal development,
response
of coastlines to
rising sea levels and changes in wind
directions, and a geological perspective
of sea level
change over the last
few millennia. We will be paying particular
attention to the Virginia/North Carolina
area because there
is a "natural" rate of sea
level rise over the last few millennia
in this
area that
is comparable to the global rise projected
for the 21st century. We will try to
draw inferences from this case study
of past
rapid sea level
on a low-lying
coast. Students will be involved in group
reading assignments and presentations
and at least
one project that they
will report on.
The course will be offered by:
•Dr. Thomas
Crowley, climatologist,
Nicholas School, Earth and Ocean
Sciences
•Dr.
Brad Murray, coastal geomorphologist,
Nicholas School, Earth
and Ocean Sciences
•Dr. Joseph Ramus, marine ecologist,
Nicholas
School, Coastal Systems
Science and Policy
•Dr. Michael
Orbach,
marine environmental policy, Nicholas School,
Coastal Systems Science and Policy.
Queries
should be
addressed to Tom Crowley at 681-8228
or tcrowley@duke.edu.
