220 Rowland Hall; (949) 824-8794
Ellen R. M. Druffel, Chair
Faculty
Ralph J. Cicerone, Ph.D. University of Illinois, Chancellor, Professor of Earth System Science and Chemistry, and Daniel G. Aldrich Jr. Chair (atmospheric and analytical chemistry)
Ellen R. M. Druffel, Ph.D. University of California, San Diego, Department Chair and Professor of Earth System Science (geochemistry)
Sarah Gille, Ph.D. Massachusetts Institute of Technology-Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint Program, Assistant Professor of Earth System Science (oceanography)
Michael L. Goulden, Ph.D. Stanford University, Assistant Professor of Earth System Science (biosphere-atmosphere exchange, physiological ecology)
Gudrun Magnusdottir, Ph.D. Colorado State University, Assistant Professor of Earth System Science (atmospheric dynamics)
Michael Prather, Ph.D. Yale University, Professor of Earth System Science (mathematical modeling of atmospheric chemistry and radiation)
William S. Reeburgh, Ph.D. The Johns Hopkins University, Professor of Earth System Science (geochemistry and biogeochemistry)
Susan E. Trumbore, Ph.D. Columbia University, Associate Professor of Earth System Science (geochemistry and biogeochemistry)
Laurel L. Wilkening, Ph.D. University of California, San Diego, Chancellor Emerita and Professor Emerita of Earth System Science (planetary science)
Affiliated Faculty
Carl A. Friehe, Ph.D. Stanford University, Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and of Earth System Science (fluid mechanics, turbulence, micrometeorology, instrumentation)
F. Sherwood Rowland, Ph.D. University of Chicago, Research Professor of Chemistry and Earth System Science, and Bren Chair (atmospheric and analytical chemistry, and radiochemistry)
The goal of the Department of Earth System Science is to increase the scientific understanding of the Earth as a coupled system of atmosphere, ocean, and land. At the undergraduate level, courses are designed to educate both science and non-science majors in the physical, chemical, and biological principles underlying global environmental problems, and a minor in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences is offered. At the graduate level, the Department offers a program leading to the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Earth System Science. Graduate study emphasizes laboratory, field, and modeling studies of global change in the environment from the perspective of physical, chemical, and biological processes occurring in and linkages among the atmosphere, the ocean, and terrestrial systems.
The Department of Earth System Science offers an interdisciplinary minor in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. The minor consists of a three-course upper-division core and four electives. The core courses are offered by the Department and focus on the application of physical, chemical, and biological principles to understanding the complex interactions of the atmosphere, ocean, and land through climate and biogeochemical cycles. Topics covered include climate change, ocean circulation, and stratospheric ozone, with emphasis on how human activities are changing them. The elective courses are drawn from the course offerings of Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Mathematics, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Physics, and Social Ecology, as well as Earth System Science. (NOTE: All of these courses have prerequisites. Students pursuing the minor should plan to fulfill all prerequisites prior to enrolling in these courses.) The minor is open to all students, but is designed primarily for students in the natural sciences and engineering who wish to explore interdisciplinary problems and broaden their studies to include the application of their field to understanding the Earth System.
Earth System Science 101A-B-C, plus four courses selected from the following lists:
Physical Sciences: All Earth System Science courses with numbers greater than 101 (Earth System Science 199 may be used no more than once); Chemistry 130A (Chemical Thermodynamics), 151/151L (Quantitative Analytical Chemistry), 152 (Advanced Analytical Chemistry), 170 (Radioisotope Techniques); Mathematics 105A (Numerical Analysis), 112A, 112B (Mathematical Methods for Engineering and Science), 131A-B-C (Mathematical Statistics); Physics 115B (Thermodynamics), 120 (Electronics for Scientists), 134 (Introduction to Modern Optics), 137 (Introduction to Cosmology), 144 (Stellar Astrophysics), 145 (High-Energy Astrophysics).
Biological Sciences: Biology 96 (Ecology), 122 (General Microbiology), 126 (Physiological Ecology; part of the White Mountain Research Supercourse), 133 (Field Ecology; part of the White Mountain Research Supercourse), 134 (Plant Physiology), 166 (Field Methods in Ecology), 178 (Ocean Ecology), 179/179L (Limnology and Freshwater Ecology), 186 (Population and Community Ecology).
Engineering: Engineering CEE130 (Geology for Engineers and Scientists), CEE164/164L (Chemistry for Environmental Engineering), CEE171 (Introduction to Hydrology), CEE172 (Groundwater Hydrology), CEE174 (Contaminant Transport in Environmental Systems), CEE185 (Numerical Methods and Mathematics); Engineering MAE91 (Introduction to Thermodynamics), MAE130A (Introduction to Fluid Mechanics; same as CEE170A), MAE 162 (Engineering Meteorology; same as Earth System Science 162), MAE164 (Air Pollution and Control), MAE180 (Instrumentation and Data Analysis), MAE185 (Numerical Analysis in Mechanical Engineering).
Social Ecology: Environmental Analysis and Design E160/E160L (Microbial Ecology of Natural and Polluted Waters).
Other courses may also be approved by petition.
Applicants to the Earth System Science Ph.D. program should have a broad quantitative scientific background, with an undergraduate degree in natural science or related fields such as applied mathematics and engineering. Undergraduate preparation should involve mathematics including differential equations, a year-long sequence of physics and of chemistry, and courses in general biology, ecology, or geology. Entering graduate students plan their courses and research with the help of the Earth System Science Advisory Committee of academic and research faculty. Students are admitted to the Ph.D. program only; the Master's degree is awarded upon progress to the Ph.D.
To complete the course requirements for the Ph.D. program, a minimum of 10 approved graduate-level courses, including the core curriculum, must be completed with an average grade of B or better. All courses must be approved by the student's Advisory Committee. The core curriculum consists of: Earth System Science 201A-B-C (Earth Systems), 202 (The Principles of Atmospheric Chemistry), 210 (Geoscience Modeling), 212 (Atmospheric Dynamics), and at least one quarter of either 231 (Topics in Biogeochemistry) or 233 (Topics in Climate Dynamics). These courses are described below. Students are also expected to participate in the Earth System Science seminar. Additionally, Ph.D. students are required to complete a teaching assistant training program and to have a minimum of two quarters of experience as a teaching assistant, provided opportunities are available.
Academic Senate regulations specify a minimum period of residence of six quarters for Ph.D. candidates. Enrollment in a minimum of 12 units of graduate/upper-division course work per quarter is required. Registration in every regular academic session is necessary until all requirements for the degree have been completed, unless a formal Leave of Absence is granted by the Office of Graduate Studies. All Ph.D. requirements must be completed within 15 quarters in residence, excluding summer quarters. Exceptions must be put to a vote of the Earth System Science faculty.
A single departmental Qualifying Examination for all eligible Earth System Science students is administered during the fall quarter. This examination determines the student's readiness to begin research for the dissertation and should be taken following completion of the core course work and summer research, during the fall quarter of the second year. The Qualifying Examination consists of both written and oral parts. The written portion of the examination emphasizes breadth, general knowledge, and the ability to integrate and use information covered in the core curriculum and other course work. The oral examination provides an opportunity to clarify questions arising from the student's performance on the written examination.
Following completion of the Qualifying Examination, those students who receive a recommendation to continue Ph.D. work will pursue research on a potential dissertation topic and then take the Advancement to Candidacy Examination. This oral examination is given by a faculty committee, including extra-departmental faculty. Concurrent with this examination, the Ph.D. candidates present a research seminar to the entire Earth System Science Department outlining their proposed dissertation work.
A dissertation based on original research and demonstrating critical judgment, intellectual synthesis, creativity, and clarity in written communication is required for the Ph.D. degree. The dissertation must summarize the results of original research performed by the student under the supervision of a faculty member of the Department. The criterion of acceptability of a dissertation is that its contents be judged by the committee as suitable for publication in a peer-reviewed scientific journal of high editorial standards. The dissertation may be a compilation of published papers or manuscripts accepted for publication, so long as a major proportion of the material has been produced independently by the candidate. The format and content are approved by the Dissertation Committee, and University requirements for style, format, and appearance are met.
The Master's degree is awarded only to students admitted to the Ph.D. program who have completed a total of 10 courses, met the three-quarter residency requirement, and completed the Qualifying Examination.
A summary of the requirements follows.
1. Completion of course work (10 courses, including core courses)
2. Six quarters in residence at UCI
3. Completion of the teaching and seminar requirements
4. Completion of the Qualifying Examination, with recommendation to continue for the Ph.D.
5. Pass the Advancement to Candidacy Examination
6. Presentation of an open research seminar
7. Submission of an acceptable doctoral dissertation and formal defense
1. Completion of course work (10 courses, including core courses)
2. Three quarters in residence at UCI
3. Completion of the teaching and seminar requirements
4. Completion of the Qualifying Examination
Lower-division undergraduate course offerings emphasize an understanding of the basic science involved in global change of the Earth's atmosphere, oceans, and biosphere and soils. Any three courses selected from Earth System Science 10, 14, 15, 20E, 20F, Physics 18, 20A, 20B, 20C, and 20D will satisfy the natural sciences breadth requirement. Lower-division Earth System Science courses also are core or elective courses in the interdisciplinary minor in Global Sustainability; see the Interdisciplinary Studies section of this Catalogue for information.
Upper-division courses are particularly appropriate as electives for students majoring in the physical or biological sciences, or engineering, with an interest in applying physics, chemistry, and biology to study the Earth's atmosphere, oceans, biosphere, and climate.
Lower-Division
10 The Physical Environment (4) F. Covers the origin and evolution of the Earth, its atmosphere, and oceans, from the perspective of biogeochemical cycles, energy use, and human impacts on the Earth system. (II)
14 Geology (4) W. Basic geologic principles; teaches students how to interpret earth history from landforms and the rock record, understand volcano and earthquake risks, and recognize the distribution of resources. The geologic time scale, fossil record, and major events in earth history are explored. (II)
15 Atmospheric Pollution, Ozone, and Climate (4) S. Air pollution occurs on global, continental, and urban scales. We pollute the atmosphere in different ways. Its consequences on the quality of the air we breathe, health of our ecosystems, ozone layer depletion, and changes in our climate are studied. (II)
20E The Atmosphere (4) W. The composition and circulation of the atmosphere with a focus on explaining the fundamentals of weather and climate. Topics include solar and terrestrial radiation, clouds, and weather patterns. (II)
20F Oceanography (4) S. Examines circulation of the world oceans and ocean chemistry as it relates to river, hydrothermal vent, and atmospheric inputs. Geological features, the wide variety of biological organisms, and global climate changes, such as greenhouse warming, are also studied. (II)
H90 The Idiom and Practice of Science (4). A series of fundamental and applied scientific problems are addressed, illustrating the pervasive role of mathematical analysis. Topics may include energy utilization, the climate system, the "greenhouse effect," ozone depletion and air pollution, ecological consequences of water pollution, nutrient cycles. Open only to members of the Campuswide Honors Program or consent of instructor. (II)
Upper-Division
101A-B-C Earth Systems (4-4-4) F, W, S. Introduction to the fundamental processes controlling cycling of the elements C, N, O, H, P, and S on the global scale, focusing on exchanges between atmosphere, ocean and the terrestrial reservoirs, climate interactions, and the influence of human activities. Prerequisites: Mathematics 2A-B-C and Chemistry 1A-B-C. Concurrent with Earth System Science 201A-B-C.
112 Atmosphere Dynamics (4) S. Basic fluid dynamical processes that determine the large-scale flow of the atmosphere. Interactions between density stratification and effects of earth's rotation act to trigger atmospheric phenomena such as the typical low pressure system. Concepts include forces, potential vorticity, and waves. Prerequisite: Mathematics 3D. Concurrent with Earth System Science 212.
120 Terrestrial Ecosystems (4) W. A mechanistic perspective of the structure and functioning of terrestrial ecosystems. Includes the mechanisms that control plant growth, hydrology and nutrient cycling, and the roles terrestrial ecosystems play in local and global biogeochemistry. Prerequisite: Biology 96 or consent of instructor.
160 Physical Oceanography (4) W. Ocean dynamics, including the physical processes that control currents, wind-driven circulation, thermohaline circulation, and El Niño. Also examines heat, salt, and nutrient fluxes, and their role in global climate. Prerequisites: Mathematics 2D or Physical Sciences 50B; Physics 5A-B, Physics 7A-B-C, or consent of instructor.
162 Engineering Meteorology (4) F. Fundamentals and aspects of atmospheric sciences important to engineering and environmental problems. Basic physics and thermodynamics of the atmosphere; dispersion of pollutants. A design problem is included. Prerequisites: Engineering MAE91 or E101 or CEE91 or ChE60; Engineering MAE130A or CEE170A or ChE120A or consent of instructor. Same as Engineering MAE162.
190A-B Senior Seminar on Global Sustainability I, II (2-2) F, W. Students attend weekly seminar to discuss current issues in global sustainability. Weekly attendance at Global Sustainability Forum also is required. Seminar utilized to analyze forum presentations. A: Prepare bibliography. B: Prepare research proposal. In-progress grading for 190A-B, grade for sequence given upon completion of 190C. Prerequisites: senior standing, Biological Sciences 65, Environmental Analysis and Design E20, and Earth System Science 10. Same as Biological Sciences 191A-B and Social Ecology 186A-B.
190C Writing/Senior Seminar on Global Sustainability III (4) S. Students attend weekly seminar to discuss current issues in global sustainability. Weekly attendance at Global Sustainability Forum also is required. Seminar utilized to analyze forum presentations and to prepare senior research paper. Prepare/write research paper under the direction of a faculty member. Prerequisites: Earth System Science 190A-B and satisfaction of the lower-division writing requirement. Same as Biological Sciences 191C and Social Ecology 186C.
199 Undergraduate Research (2 to 4) F, W, S. For junior and senior undergraduates, preferably with majors in science or engineering. Interested students should arrange with a member of the Earth System Science faculty to supervise and support a research project. A written summary is required at the end of each quarter. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
201A-B-C Earth Systems (4-4-4) F, W, S. Introduction to the fundamental processes controlling cycling of the elements C, N, O, H, P, and S on the global scale, focusing on exchanges between atmosphere, ocean and terrestrial reservoirs, climate interactions, and the influence of human activities. Prerequisite: graduate standing. Concurrent with Earth System Science 101A-B-C.
202 The Principles of Atmospheric Chemistry (4) W. Overview of major forces controlling the chemical composition of Earth's atmosphere with emphasis on the role of the biosphere and the changes induced by human activities. Topics covered include urban pollution, acid rain, stratospheric ozone depletion, and climate change. Prerequisite: Earth System Science 201A.
210 Geoscience Modeling (4) F. The use of numerical calculations to analyze geophysical data or build models, focusing on numerical accuracy, classic foibles, functional fits, ordinary differential equations, time series, eigenvalue analysis, and the formulation of coupled Earth system models.
212 Atmosphere Dynamics (4) S. Basic fluid dynamical processes that determine the large-scale flow of the atmosphere. Interactions between density stratification and effects of earth's rotation act to trigger atmospheric phenomena such as the typical low pressure system. Concepts include forces, potential vorticity, and waves. Concurrent with Earth System Science 112.
214 Measuring and Modeling Ecosystem--Atmosphere Exchange (4) S. Lecture, two hours; laboratory, three hours. Introduction to the biological and physical processes controlling ecosystem-atmosphere exchange. Laboratories in the San Joaquin Freshwater Marsh Reserve cover microclimate, hydrology, trace-gas exchange, and plant growth.
231A-B-C Topics in Biogeochemistry (4-4-4). Each quarter is devoted to in-depth analysis of a subarea in biogeochemistry which is undergoing rapid development. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
233A-B-C Topics in Climate Dynamics (4-4-4). Each quarter is devoted to in-depth analysis of an important and rapidly developing area in the field of climate dynamics. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
280 Research (2 to 12) F, W, S. Supervised original research in areas of Earth System Science. Prerequisite: consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit.
290 Seminar (1) F, W, S. Weekly seminars and discussions on topics of general and current interest in Earth System Science. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only. Prerequisite: graduate standing. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
291 Research Seminar (1 to 4) F, W, S. Detailed discussions of ongoing research in Earth System Science. Format, content, and frequency of the course are variable. Prerequisite: consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
399 University Teaching (1 to 4) F, W, S. Required of and limited to teaching assistants. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading only. May be repeated for credit.
