Course logistics

Learning objectives

  • The lecture will provide you with a solid understanding and knowledge of the Earth’s climate system.
  • We will use both a descriptive and a physical-quantitative approach.
  • This should enable you to understand and explain the basic characteristics of global and regional climate and its changes.
  • In addition, you will gain knowledge of the Earth’s climate history and climate change, as well as an insight into climate modeling.

Communication outside of lectures and exercises

  • Please use the Moodle forum for questions about the content of the lectures and exercises.
  • For personal matters, you can contact us personally or by e-mail.

Organisation

  • Univ.-Prof. Dr. Aiko Voigt, aiko.voigt@univie.ac.at

  • Dr. Blaz Gasparini

  • Lectures: Mondays and Tuesdays

  • Mondays: 2 hours with break(s), UZA II, 2E206, 9:30-11:30

  • Tuesdays with Geography: 1.5 hours without break, UZA II, lecture hall 3 2A211, 11:30-13:00

  • Tuesdays without Geography: 2 hours with 10 minutes break, UZA II, 2F513, 9:30-11:30

  • 17 lecture dates, 1 open question session

  • Lecture script will be provided via Moodle (with continuous updates)

  • Further information on the exercise part will be given by Blaz Gasparini

  • 8 ECTS = 200 hours

  • Lectures and exercises: ~50 hours in presence

  • This means about 150 hours for independent follow-up and preparation of lectures, as well as working on the exercises!

  • Written exam for the lecture part of the course, with the following rules:

    • Language: Questions in German. You are welcome to answer in German, English or a mixture of German and English.
    • Date: during the lecture on 23.06.2025
    • Please be sure to bring your student ID.
    • You are allowed to bring 1 DIN A4 page handwritten on both sides with any content of your choice.
    • No other material is permitted, in particular no lecture notes. Calculators are not needed and not permitted.
    • The examen covers material from the lecture and exercises.
    • You do not have to memorize any equations. However, you should be able to explain formulas given to you and perform simple derivations.
    • Format: mixture of multiple-choice questions and free text questions.
    • Multiple-choice questions: Partial points are given for each correct answer. However, when an incorrect answer option is ticked, no points are awarded for the question. This means that guessing is not worthwhile. For questions with only one correct answer, this corresponds to the “all or nothing principle”.
  • The course grade consists of the written exam (60%), “Kreuzerl-Übungen” with blackboard presentations (20%), and the project work (20%).

  • All three components must be completed and are graded with 0-100% each. A weighted average is used to calculate the overall percentage, from which the course grade is calculated.

  • Grading scale:

    • Grade 1: >87.5%
    • Grade 2: 75-87.5%
    • Grade 3: 62.5-75%
    • Grade 4: 50-62.5%
    • Grade 5: < 50%
Lecture schedule
Lecture Date Topic
L01 04.03.2025 Tue 11:30 Logistics, climate vs. weather, climate system, TOA energy balance of the earth, energy transports
L02 10.03.2025 Mon 09:30 Energy transports: explicit and implicit calculations
L03 11.03.2025 Tue 11:30 Surface energy balance, greenhouse effect
L04 17.03.2025 Mon 09:30 Greenhouse effect part 2, vertical structure of the atmosphere, radiative-convective equilibrium
L05 18.03.2025 Tue 11:30 Circulation of the atmosphere
L06 24.03.2025 Mon 09:30 Mass stream function, angular momentum, mean flow and eddies
L07 25.03.2025 Tue 11:30 Circulation of the ocean
L08 31.03.2025 Mon 09:30 Atlantic meridional overturning circulation, Stommel model
L09 01.04.2025 Tue 11:30 Hydrological cycle
L10 07.04.2025 Mon 09:30 Climate data sets, homogenisation
L11 08.04.2025 Tue 11:30 Internal climate variability
14.04.2025 No lecture (Easter break)
15.04.2025 No lecture (Easter break)
21.04.2025 No lecture (Easter break)
22.04.2025 No lecture (Easter break)
28.04.2025 No lecture (Aiko Voigt on travel)
29.04.2025 No lecture (Aiko Voigt on travel)
L12 05.05.2025 Mon 09:30 Climate models
L13 06.05.2025 Tue 11:30 Past climates
L14 12.05.2025 Mon 09:30 Feedbacks
L15 13.05.2025 Tue 11:30 Anthropogenic climate change
19.05.2025 No lecture (Aiko Voigt on travel)
20.05.2025 No lecture (Aiko Voigt on travel)
L16 26.05.2025 Mon 09:30 Planetary Climate
L17 27.05.2025 Tue 09:30 Reserve date for cancelled lectures
L18 17.06.2025 Tue 09:30 Open question session
L19 23.06.2025 Mon 09:30 Written examen