Atmospheric CO2 levels (measured in parts per million by volume (ppmv) of dry air) from 1958 to 2004 as measured at Mauna Loa. The cause for the yearly rise and fall is the annual cycle of plant respiration. The cause of the increasing trend is supposedly the anthropogenic release of CO2, mainly due to the use of fossil energy sources. (Image courtesy of the Wikimedia Commons, data provided by the U.S. Department of Energy.)
Instructor(s)
Prof. Daniel Rothman
MIT Course Number
12.085
As Taught In
Spring 2008
Level
Undergraduate
Course Description
Course Features
Course Description
Required for all Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences majors in the Environmental Science track, this course is an introduction to current research in the field. Stresses integration of central scientific concepts in environmental policy making and the chemistry, biology, and geology environmental science tracks. Revisits selected core themes for students who have already acquired a basic understanding of environmental science concepts. The topic for this term is geoengineering.
