Climatology studies one of the most important sets of physical factors on Earth and is absolutely necessary for the geographical interpretation of the Earth’s physical environment, landscape and territory as a whole, as well as of human cultures and activities.

Together with Geomorphology, Biogeography, Hydrology and Soil Sciences, it is one of the pillars for the study of the physical framework and geography. However, in order to correctly understand climatic processes, a previous understanding of basic meteorology is also necessary.

This subject is directly related to one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): 13. Climate action. Thus, in relation to the contents and competences of the subject, we will work on the procedures and strategies linked to this SDG.

The general objective of this course is the analysis and interpretation of atmospheric processes and their result: the climate.

The specific objectives are:

- Knowing the atmospheric factors, processes and elements.

- Handling meteorological and climatic information.

- Knowing the climatic evolution of the Earth.



SPECIFIC SKILLS:

C1.- Understanding and knowing how to handle the methods, techniques, tools and data sources for the study of climate (M03CM06).

C2.- Knowing the climatic factors, processes and consequences and how to interpret them adequately

(M03CM02 and M03CM03).

C3.- Being able to analyse and represent climatic data (M04CM01).

C4.- Knowing how to describe a territory climatically (M02CM04).

C5.- Knowing the climatic characteristics in their climatic and temporal context (M02CM04).



TRANSVERSAL SKILL:

In this subject we will work on the second level of the "Analytical Thinking" Transversal Skill 1 of the Degree in Geography and Land Management: "Selecting significant elements and their relationships in complex situations" that will be assessed through the following indicators:

- Students will identify ideas and concepts of a complex text correctly.

- Students will describe processes, relate quantitative variables and adequately link them to real situations.

- Students will have the ability to obtain information from primary sources, will know how to elaborate the data in order to extract significant information and interpret it properly.

I. BASIS FOR THE STUDY OF CLIMATE

1. THE STUDY OF CLIMATE AND ATMOSPHERE

1.1. Basic concepts and methods or approaches

1.2. Sources for the study of weather and climate

1.3. The climate system

1.4. Composition and structure of the atmosphere



II. ANALYTICAL CLIMATOLOGY

2. SOLAR RADIATION AND AIR TEMPERATURE

2.1. Concepts: heat, temperature, radiation

2.2. Solar and terrestrial radiation

2.3. Air temperature

2.4. Thermal gradient and thermal inversions

3. WATER IN THE ATMOSPHERE: ATMOSPHERIC HUMIDITY AND PRECIPITATION

3.1. The hydrological cycle and the physical states of water in the atmosphere

3.2. Atmospheric humidity

3.3. Precipitation

4. ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE AND WIND

4.1. Atmospheric pressure and its measurement

4.2. Wind and its measurement



III. DYNAMIC AND SYNOPTIC CLIMATOLOGY

5. AIR MASSES, ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION AND WEATHER

5.1. Air masses and frontal surfaces

5.2. General atmospheric circulation

5.3. Synoptic situations and types of weather in the Iberian Peninsula



IV. REGIONAL CLIMATOLOGY

6. CLIMATE AS A FACTOR OF GEOGRAPHICAL REGIONALIZATION

6.1. Spatial scale of climate

6.2. Climate classifications

6.3. The major climates of the planet



V. CLIMATE CHANGE

7. CLIMATE CHANGES

7.1. Causes of climate change

7.2. Sources of paleoclimatic study

7.3. The history of the Earth's climate

7.4. Climatic models and future simulations

In addition to theoretical sessions, practical classes, and fieldwork, this subject has another teaching modality: computer practicals.

The fieldwork practice consists of a visit to an observatory and, if possible, to the facilities of a climatic-meteorological organization.

• Final Assessment System
• Tools and qualification percentages:
  • Written test to be taken (%): 60
  • Realization of Practical Work (exercises, cases or problems) (%): 40

- End-of-course assessment



The assessment is at the end of the term and will be marked as follows: 40% will be obtained from practical work and the remaining 60% from the exam. In order to pass the course, both the theoretical and practical parts must be passed.

If a student does not take the exam, it is understood that he/she has opted out of that exam and will be marked as "No show"

The tests required to pass the extraordinary exam are similar to those of the ordinary exam. If one of the parts, theoretical or practical, has been passed in the ordinary exam, the mark obtained will be kept. In this case, the student would only have to complete the failed part, i.e., either the exam or the practical work. However, if the student does not want to save the mark of the passed part, the teacher must be informed at least 7 days before the date of the exam.

If the student does not show up for the exam, it is understood that he/she has opted out of that exam and the mark will be recorded as "No show".

Computers for the search and analysis of climatic information.

Basic bibliography

BARRY, R.G., CHORLEY, R.J. (1999): Atmósfera, tiempo y clima. Omega, 441 p., Barcelona. (7ª ed.)

BRADLEY, R.S. (1999): Paleoclimatology. Reconstructing Climates of the Quaternary. International Geophysics series, Volume 64, 613 p., San Diego.

CUADRAT, J.Mª., PITA, Mª.F. (1997): Climatología. Cátedra, Madrid.

DECONINCK, J.-F. (2006): Paléoclimats. L¿enregistrement des variations climatiques. Collection ¿Interactions¿. Société Géologique de France. Vuibert, 198 p., Paris.

DUPLESSY, J.C., MOREL, P. (1993): Temporal sobre el Planeta. Ed. Acento, Madrid.

GIL OLCINA, A., OLCINA CANTOS, J. (2017): Tratado de Climatología. Universidad de Alicante, 952 p., Alicante.

MARTÍN CHIVELET, J. (1999): Cambios climáticos. Una aproximación al sistema Tierra. Ed. Mundo Vivo, Libertarias, 324 p., Madrid.

MARTÍN VIDE, J. (1984): Interpretación de los mapas del tiempo. Colección Amplia. Ed. Ketres, 147 p., Barcelona.

MARTÍN VIDE, J. (1990): Mapas del Tiempo: Fundamentos, Interpretación e imágenes de satélite. Oikos Tau, 170 p.,Barcelona.

MARTÍN VIDE, J. (1991): Fundamentos de climatología analítica. Síntesis, 157 p., Madrid.

MARTÍN VIDE, J. (2005): Los mapas del tiempo. Colección Geoambiente XXI. Ed. Davinci, 219 p., Barcelona.

URIARTE, A. (2003): Historia del clima de la Tierra. Dirección de Meteorología y Climatología, Departamento de Transportes y Obras Públicas, Gobierno Vasco, 306 p.

VALLÉE, J.-L. (2006): Guía técnica de Meteorología. Omega, 221 p., Barcelona.

In-depth bibliography

AGUADO, E., BURT, J.E. (2004): Understanding Weather and Climate. 3rd Edition. Prentice Hall, 592 p., Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.
ALBENTOSA, L. (1989): El clima y las aguas. Síntesis, 240 p., Barcelona.
AUPÍ, V. (2005): Guía del clima de España. Omega, 336 p., Barcelona.
BRADLEY, R.S. (1985): Quaternary Paleoclimatology. Methods of Paleoclimatic Reconstruction. Allen & Unwin, Boston.
BURROUGHS, W.J., CROWDER, B., ROBERTSON, T., VALLIER-TALBOT, E., WHITAKER, R. (1998): Observar el
tiempo. Geoplaneta, 288 p.
CAPEL, J.J. (1999): El Niño y el sistema climático terrestre. Ariel Geografía, Barcelona.
CAPEL, J.J. (2000): El clima de la península Ibérica. Ariel Geografía, Barcelona.
ESTRELA, M., MILLÁN, M. (1994): Manual Práctico de Introducción a la Meteorología. Centro de Estudios Ambientales del Mediterráneo, Valencia.
FERNÁNDEZ, F. (1995): Manual de climatología aplicada. Síntesis, Madrid.
FONT TULLOT, I. (2000): Climatología de España y Portugal. Ediciones Universidad Salamanca, Salamanca.
FUENTES YAGÜE, J.L. (2000): Iniciación a la Meteorología y la Climatología. Mundi-Prensa, 222 p., Barcelona.
GIL OLCINA, A., OLCINA CANTOS, J. (1997): Climatología general. Ariel Geografía, 579 p., Barcelona.
GIL OLCINA, A., OLCINA CANTOS, J. (1999): Climatología básica. Ariel Geografía, 387 p., Barcelona.
HUFTY, A. (1984): Introducción a la climatología. Ed. Ariel, Barcelona.
LLORCA, R. (1999): Prácticas de climatología. Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, 190 p., Valencia.
LUTGENS, F.K., TARBUCK, E.J. (2004): The Atmosphere: An Introduction to Meteorology. Prentice Hall, 528 p.
MARTÍN VIDE, J., OLCINA CANTOS, J. (1996): Tiempos y climas mundiales. Oikos-Tau, Barcelona.
MARTYN, D. (1992): Climates of the World. Developments in Atmospheric Science 18. Elsevier, Amsterdam.

Journals

Boletín de la Asociación Meteorológica Española
Climatic Change
Climatological Notes
Journal of Climatology
Journal of Applied Meteorology
Journal of Atmosphere Sciences
Palaeogeography, palaeoclimatology, palaeoecology: An International Journal for de Geosciences
Progress in Physical Geography

Web addresses

http://www.euskalmet.net - Basque Agency of Meteorology and Climatology
http://www.aemet.es - State Meteorological Agency
http://www.wetterzentrale.de - German Meteorological Service
http://www.labclima.ua.es/ - Climatology Laboratory of the University Institute of Geography of the University of Alicante.
http://meteo.navarra.es/ - Meteorology and Climatology of Navarre
http://www.meteocat.com/ - Server meteorològic de Catalunya
http://www.ame-web.org/ - Spanish Meteorological Association
http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/mtr/home.rxml - University of Illinois online guide to meteorology
http://www.srh.weather.gov/jetstream/matrix.htm - Educational page of the NOAA agency that analyzes and explains aspects of climate and its elements
http://www.noaa.gov/climate.html - NOAA's Climatology page, which provides a large amount of data, reports, etc.
http://reports.eea.eu.int/climate_report_2_2004/en/impacts_of_europes_changing_climate.pdf -
European Union Climate Change Report, 2004
http://www.ipcc.ch/languages/spanish.htm - Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.