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The Discovery of Global Warming

Online Course/Reading

This E-learning course is a website of the Center for History of Physics, American Institute of Physics, created to supplement the book titled, ‘The Discovery of Global Warming” by Spencer Weart. The original book provides a history of scientific discovery into climate change as a single story. The website provides each chapter as a separate essay which is downloadable and is updated annually.

It consists of the following chapters that detail each topic under climate change:

  1. Introduction and Summary
  2. Influences on Climate
    1. The Carbon Dioxide Greenhouse Effect
      1. Roger Revelle’s Discovery
    2. Other Greenhouse Gases
    3. Aerosols: Volcanoes, Dust, Clouds
    4. Biosphere: How Life Alters Climate
    5. Changing Sun, Changing Climate?
    6. Ocean Currents and Climate
    1. Climates Observed
      1. The Modern Temperature Trend
      2. Rapid Climate Change Abrupt climate change
        1. Uses of Radiocarbon Dating
      1. Past Climate Cycles and Ice Ages
        1. Temperatures from Fossil Shells
    1. Theory
      1. Simple Models of Climate Change
        1. Chaos in the Atmosphere
        2. Venus & Mars
      1. General Circulation Models of Climate
        1. Basic Radiation Calculations
        2. Arakawa’s Computation Device
    1. Climate and Society
      1. Impacts of Climate Change
        1. Ice Sheets, Rising Seas, Floods
      1. The Public and Climate Change
        1. Wintry Doom
      1. Government: The View from Washington
        1. Climate Modification Schemes
        2. Money for Keeling: Monitoring CO2 Levels
      1. International Cooperation
        1. Climatology as a Profession
    1. Conclusions: A Personal Note
  1. Introduction and Summary
  2. Influences on Climate
    1. The Carbon Dioxide Greenhouse Effect
      1. Roger Revelle’s Discovery
    2. Other Greenhouse Gases
    3. Aerosols: Volcanoes, Dust, Clouds
    4. Biosphere: How Life Alters Climate
    5. Changing Sun, Changing Climate?
    6. Ocean Currents and Climate
    1. Climates Observed
      1. The Modern Temperature Trend
      2. Rapid Climate Change Abrupt climate change
        1. Uses of Radiocarbon Dating
    1. Past Climate Cycles and Ice Ages
      1. Temperatures from Fossil Shells
    1. Theory
      1. Simple Models of Climate Change
        1. Chaos in the Atmosphere
        2. Venus & Mars
      1. General Circulation Models of Climate
        1. Basic Radiation Calculations
        2. Arakawa’s Computation Device
    1. Climate and Society
      1. Impacts of Climate Change
        1. Ice Sheets, Rising Seas, Floods
    1. The Public and Climate Change
      1. Wintry Doom
    1. Government: The View from Washington
      1. Climate Modification Schemes
      2. Money for Keeling: Monitoring CO2 Levels
    1. International Cooperation
      1. Climatology as a Profession
    1. Conclusions: A Personal Note

Students will learn about climate change sciences and history from the time of Ancient Greeks to the modern period. They will be introduced to scientific methodologies used to prove how modern climate change is due to anthropogenic activities. Additionally, students will also be able to access all resources used to study about the scientific experiments for themselves.

Use this tool to help your students find answers to:

  1. What is anthropogenic climate change?
  2. Name some prominent climate change theories and how they were proven/disproven?
  3. What are some of the simple climate change models that draw the connection between Earth’s Climate System and human activities?
About Tool
Tool Name The Discovery of Global Warming
Discipline Physics, Earth Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Geography 
Topic(s) in Discipline Climate Change Overview, Greenhouse Effect, Global Warming, Climate Physics, Earth System, Earth’s Climate System, Earth’s Climate
Climate Topic Introduction to Climate Change, Greenhouse Effect
Type of tool Online Course; Reading
Grade Level Middle School, High School
Location Global
Language English
Translation      –
Developed by Spencer Weart 
Hosted at Center for History of Physics, American Institute of Physics
Link
Access Online/ Offline
Computer Skills Basic

All maps & pedagogical tools are owned by the corresponding creators, authors or organizations as listed on their websites. Please view the individual copyright and ownership details for each tool using the links provided. We do not claim ownership of or responsibility or liability for any of these tools. Images copyrights remain with the respective owners.
TROP ICSU is a project of the International Union of Biological Sciences and Centre for Sustainability, Environment and Climate Change, FLAME University.

Copyright © 2023 TROP ICSU, All rights reserved. Design and Developed by DWPlaceSolutions

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