FutureLearn MOOC on Climate Changes
Struggling a little with a format. Below is how it develops...
Kicks off well by clarifying the mechanism of global warming less greenhouse effect more duvet cover warmth or the blanket effect. Looks like the intro is into myth busting. Not CO2 tht is thhe most important gas but water vapour! Knock me over with a feather Trevor, that is interesting. Looking forward to more...
I found the tips on creating blogs good as this is my first blog and still swimming around a bit. #exClimate...still not clear about format will sleep on it.
Lets try this style...
*****************************************************************************
8-Feb-2017. Up to this date what followed was experimental. I inserted bullet points from the video's between ======= and =======. Video transcripts would be handy. Steve and CG are intended to inject a little humour whilst provide a counter-point to some of the threads from the course which I like conceptually but still not content with format. I will try and find a richer template and work up my character plotting ideas before next episode.
What appears below runs to about half way through week 2
*****************************************************************************
Ahh, maybe professors don’t need beards any more?
===========================================================
1.7 Video Round-up - The Climate System, Feedback, Cycles and Self-Regulation
Conceptualize the climate as a system, five key components
==================================================================
Steve puts his pen down and reads the summaries over again
Well Computer-gee, ComGee I am going to call you CG it is shorter
fine
I thought the videos were very good
yep
We have some new characters now, Professor Tim, Doctor Damien
Doctor who?
No, don't do that
and there was a woman from the Met Office
Was she credited somewhere?
I didn't catch her name
Good scripts well,thought out not too many words, concise, to the point
Yep
Who is writing their stuff CG?
Well could you find out, please
A group from Exeter, FutureLearners, I think...
Well that is a good team.
They could do a second one like 'Climate Change we are Back'
or 'Climate Change 2' or...
CG Says, There is another one next week
really
'The return of the Feedback?'
Nope
What then
Past Climate Change
Ah the prequel
sort of
OK lets go grab a coffee
Steve, did you do the question bit at the end
No, let the other guy do it
What other guy
I'll explain another time.
Off screen comes a shout - CUT, that's a wrap, take five folks, well done.
Week Two
We find Steve in his totally Eco-friendly house that looks nothing like this at all.
He is puzzling over some of last weeks revelations from the 21st century Climate Course MOOC that he accidentally stumbled across. Meanwhile his 22nd century cyber-buddy and personal-assistant CG has been developing various 3D holographic personas to surprise Steve with.
Steve - Bit puzzled by these forcing functions that are offering exponential growth for free seems like the planet should have melted down or frozen over millions of years ago?
CG - Well it nearly did a couple of times the key thing is to view the system as closed loop with very very long time scales. Old computer disk-drives would have time constants in the millisecond zone whilst aircraft wing surfaces also in closed loop situations would have time-constants in the seconds zone...
Steve - You are loosing me CG, to the point please
CG - Seems like Earth climate based closed loops have multiple time constants stretching across log timescales from months, millennia and beyond...The modelling problems back then were horrendous you might as well have asked a butterfly.
Steve - I know, I read about it. Every time they flapped their wings the planet went off into a new possible future. Nightmare!
CG - Yes well we know better now. How did you get on with the video in week two?
Steve - Before the video round-up couple of nice facts from Liam from the video feedback end of week one. There are more than 5,000 students on the course from over 81 countries which is nice.
CG - Just like to point out that the estimated population of Earth back then was according to grandpa Google somewhere in the region of 7,000,000,000 souls!
Steve - hmm, what is your point? Never mind. Roll video round-up...
===================================================================
Steve - hot enough to melt lead? you could make weights for fishing lines easily.
CUT - Thanks folks we are taking time out for replotting
Lets try this style...
*****************************************************************************
8-Feb-2017. Up to this date what followed was experimental. I inserted bullet points from the video's between ======= and =======. Video transcripts would be handy. Steve and CG are intended to inject a little humour whilst provide a counter-point to some of the threads from the course which I like conceptually but still not content with format. I will try and find a richer template and work up my character plotting ideas before next episode.
What appears below runs to about half way through week 2
*****************************************************************************
Steve and ComGee discover the climate
Hi ComGee how are you this morning?
I have pains in the diodes down my right side
That is an old one ComGee, you don’t have diodes now you are
just trillions of bytes
Bites hurt, well it feels sore
Ridiculous. You are a neurotic computer blended with too
much hypochondria in your emotion routines. Now power up that MOOC I was
talking about last night, from the early 21st century.
#ExClimate?
Yep that is the one. Screen two from the top please.
Lights dim and a large screen bursts into colour – bloke in
a blanket in front of a greenhouse …
Voice over: Greenhouse effect – fundamental
– planet warming…
ComGee, ComGee, freeze it here and do something with the
image, its, it is so flat
Yes Steve that is authentic 21st century video,
you said you wanted it that way.
Well I don’t. Do some magic make it 3D. Please
OK
Video picks up but now in 3D with touch and smell
around…rolling…
Bloke turns out to be professor Tim Lenton. No wild
hair and no no-socks for a sleeker look.
Lots of words…image changes…blankets…more
blankets…greenhouse metaphor not a good one…[warning spoiler alert] that gas image
in the atmosphere looks suspiciously like water…the gases are more like a duvet
around the planet…Wot…
ComGee, I need images
 |
| warm piggy |
 |
| warm wee girl |
 |
| blanket and stars |
What? No blanket around planet?
Keep rolling … Note to self, upgrade ComGee’s software!
Keep rolling … Note to self, upgrade ComGee’s software!
Tim takes blanket off…balancing
outgoing heat…oops new word …albedo [wiki: is the "whiteness" of a surface. It
is a reflection coefficient,
and has a value of less than one ]…a lot of albedo-ness going on…Earth albedo
about 0.3…we could be minus 18C but we have our blanket…keeps us around a balmy
plus 15C on average…What are the key gases?…Carbon dioxide is what most of us
would identify as the most important gas in the blanket but actually it is water vapour that plays the most important roll….
alarms sound, bells
ring, fireworks explode …what…what!
ComGee, freeze
there.
Did you hear that, wet water that is the problem.
No Steve, water in
its gas state
Whatever. Get me
data. I need links. Video clips. Sound bites. No wonder the professor has lost his beard he
is mad. Now ComGee, links.
Don’t call me boss we are buddies
New Scientist , buddy https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn11652-climate-myths-co2-isnt-the-most-important-greenhouse-gas/
Look, just Steve OK
Steve,
Yep
I have got Wiki on the line for you
OMG
Yep it is official https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenhouse_gas
Ahh, maybe professors don’t need beards any more?
******* OFF SET ***********************
What do you think? You know, the format?
Well, it might work.
Yes and
perhaps less us and I must say Steve I thought you were very good
thank-you
Perhaps more MOOCy stuff?
I agree but I need more tools. I mean you are, well you know, all powerful
I know
You play it humbly
I need videos, I need sound effects
I mean what was the blanket thing? huh
I told you, diode problems
OK
See you next time
sure
************** OFF SET END **************************
We back on set?
I guess so
OK, tell you what, I will tackle the video you go do a word
cloud
Wot
Get all the words from week 1 and, do a word cloud!
OK, I’m on it…
...whoosh…here it is
...whoosh…here it is
Is that it?
Yep
Looks like it is about Climate
Yep
I see blanket there
Yep
No duvet
Nope
No Jam
Of course, no jam
I see; understanding, system, thoughts, greenhouse, blankets question and discussion.
Yep, that’s it.
Well it is good, I mean I like the colours
What do we take away from this ComGee?
Not the best way to find meaning?
Yep. But it’s pretty
Oh yes, looks good.
Back to the video
That sounds cool...
===========================================================
1.1 Video round-up -
Gases in the atmosphere absorb radiation and remit some it
back down to the Earth
Called the ‘greenhouse effect’
They are more like a blanket around the planet
Radiation comes in
Radiation goes out depends on albedo
Ice reflects radiation – high albedo
Oceans absorb radiation energy – low albedo
Earth albedo about 0.3
The blanket is good it keeps us warmed up to average 15C
Earth emits radiation as heat
Some of the radiation is at right wavelength for gases to
absorb
The gases pass back some of this heat
The gases include – water vapour – CO2 – Methane – Ozone
and nitrous oxide (laughing gas)
1.2 Video Round-up
We will explore the science of climate change
Look at its impacts and suggest possible solutions
Each week involved in discussions and activities
And reflecting on your learning experience
Use social media for Twitter users #ExClimate
Reflective learning helps develop critical thinking
Self-awareness and analytical skills
Write a blog (good idea)
1.5 Video Round-up - What is Climate
What is climate, how does it work
What is the difference between weather and climate?
Weather is the elements we see daily such as temperature,
rain and wind
These can change hour by hour, day by day
Climate on the other hand looks at how the weather changes
over a long period of time, typically around 30 years.
the atmosphere interacts with the oceans, ice sheets, land
masses and vegetation
The sun also drives our climate
Greenhouse gases are so effective at keeping the Earth warm
that any changes will affect the Earth's temperature.1.7 Video Round-up - The Climate System, Feedback, Cycles and Self-Regulation
Conceptualize the climate as a system, five key components
- Atmosphere
- - Hydrosphere
- - Biosphere
- - Cryosphere
- - Lithosphere
There are a series of cycles that act as the active links
connecting the components
e.g. Water cycle – what is key is that the water cycle is
influenced by a wide variety of factors that can be changed by human activity.
Multiple feedback loops. Closed loops of cause and effect.
Three key feedback loops
-
Water feedback
-
Ice albedo feedback
-
Radiation feedback
Water vapour feedback
Solar radiation heats water -> water goes from liquid to
gas and is stored in the atmosphere -> the H2O molecules dance with absorbed
radiation-> then re-emit the radiation some of which comes back down to
surface leading to further warming -> [back to start – amplifying process
called a positive feedback]
Ice albedo feedback
Ice reflects solar radiation->Ocean surface absorbs more
radiation than it reflects-> warm the system, melts ice, less reflection,
more absorption->leads to further warming and more ice melting ->
positive feedback
Radiation feedback
This is the most important one. Negative feedback. When a
warm body gives off heat radiation that cools it down.
==================================================================
Steve puts his pen down and reads the summaries over again
Well Computer-gee, ComGee I am going to call you CG it is shorter
fine
I thought the videos were very good
yep
We have some new characters now, Professor Tim, Doctor Damien
Doctor who?
No, don't do that
and there was a woman from the Met Office
Was she credited somewhere?
I didn't catch her name
Good scripts well,thought out not too many words, concise, to the point
Yep
Who is writing their stuff CG?
Well could you find out, please
A group from Exeter, FutureLearners, I think...
Well that is a good team.
They could do a second one like 'Climate Change we are Back'
or 'Climate Change 2' or...
CG Says, There is another one next week
really
'The return of the Feedback?'
Nope
What then
Past Climate Change
Ah the prequel
sort of
OK lets go grab a coffee
Steve, did you do the question bit at the end
No, let the other guy do it
What other guy
I'll explain another time.
Off screen comes a shout - CUT, that's a wrap, take five folks, well done.
Week Two
We find Steve in his totally Eco-friendly house that looks nothing like this at all.
He is puzzling over some of last weeks revelations from the 21st century Climate Course MOOC that he accidentally stumbled across. Meanwhile his 22nd century cyber-buddy and personal-assistant CG has been developing various 3D holographic personas to surprise Steve with.
Steve - Bit puzzled by these forcing functions that are offering exponential growth for free seems like the planet should have melted down or frozen over millions of years ago?
CG - Well it nearly did a couple of times the key thing is to view the system as closed loop with very very long time scales. Old computer disk-drives would have time constants in the millisecond zone whilst aircraft wing surfaces also in closed loop situations would have time-constants in the seconds zone...
Steve - You are loosing me CG, to the point please
CG - Seems like Earth climate based closed loops have multiple time constants stretching across log timescales from months, millennia and beyond...The modelling problems back then were horrendous you might as well have asked a butterfly.
Steve - I know, I read about it. Every time they flapped their wings the planet went off into a new possible future. Nightmare!
CG - Yes well we know better now. How did you get on with the video in week two?
Steve - Before the video round-up couple of nice facts from Liam from the video feedback end of week one. There are more than 5,000 students on the course from over 81 countries which is nice.
CG - Just like to point out that the estimated population of Earth back then was according to grandpa Google somewhere in the region of 7,000,000,000 souls!
Steve - hmm, what is your point? Never mind. Roll video round-up...
===================================================================
Video Round-Up – Ancient Past Climate Change
The Earth’s climate has self-regulated for the last 4.5
billion years (4,500,000,000 years)
4.5 billion years ago, the sun was 25 to 30% less bright
than it is today
The early Earth should have been frozen but it was not.
There has been water on Earth for about 4.2 billion years
Life goes back to about 3.8 billion years ago,
It is thought that even with a weaker output from the sun
the early Earth was warmer than today due to a thicker blanket keeping it warm.
All te extra CO2 back then was moved around by weathering.
CO2 and water form a weak acid that dissolves silicate rocks and the carbon is washes
into the ocean and is used by many organisms to make shells. These are
deposited on the ocean bed to form carbonate rocks.
CO2 from the atmosphere is transferred through the
hydrosphere to be stored in the lithosphere.
This explains self-regulation. Classic example of negative
feedback.
2.2 billion years ago, and 700 million years ago, the Earth
went into a big freeze. Our planet became a giant snowball. This is an example
of how feedback can destabilize as well as stabilize our climate system.
If cooling reaches 30 degrees of the tropics, then we ice
over. So how do we get out of this. Volcanoes now fill the atmosphere with CO2
which cannot be removed by the earlier cycle so we warm up again. Albeit very
slowly.
Out of the freezer seems lousy but possible to go straight
from the freezer into the fire.
We are still in the habitable zone. The surface temperatures
on Venus are hot enough to melt lead.
===================================================================Steve - hot enough to melt lead? you could make weights for fishing lines easily.
CUT - Thanks folks we are taking time out for replotting
