ESE 1
Introduction to Environmental Science and Engineering
9 units (3-0-6)
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third term
Prerequisites: Ph 1 ab, Ch 1 ab, and Ma 1 ab.
An introduction to the array of major scientific and engineering issues related to environmental quality on a local, regional, and global scale. Fundamental aspects of major environmental problems will be addressed with an overall focus on the dynamic interplay among the atmosphere, biosphere, geosphere, and hydrosphere. Underlying scientific principles based on biology, chemistry, and physics will be presented. Engineering solutions to major environmental problems will be explored. Not offered on a pass/fail basis. Satisfies the menu requirement of the Caltech core curriculum.
Instructor:
Leadbetter
ESE 90
Undergraduate Laboratory Research in Environmental Science and Engineering
Units by arrangement; any term
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Approval of research supervisor required prior to registration
Independent research on current environmental problems; laboratory or field work is required. A written report is required for each term of registration. Graded pass/fail.
Instructor:
Staff
ESE 100
Special Problems in Environmental Science and Engineering
Up to 12 units by arrangement
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any term
Prerequisites: instructor's permission.
Special courses of readings or laboratory instruction. Graded pass/fail.
Instructor:
Staff
ESE 101
Earth's Atmosphere
9 units (3-0-6)
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first term
Composition of the atmosphere. Radiative transfer and the greenhouse effect. Scattering and absorption by gases, clouds, and aerosols. Feedbacks due to water vapor, clouds, ice, and vegetation. Transports of energy and momentum and their effects on the surface climate. Chemical reactions in the atmosphere affecting atmospheric ozone and air quality.
Instructor:
Schneider
ESE 102
Earth's Oceans
9 units (3-0-6)
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second term
Fundamentals of ocean dynamics: Ekman layers, wind-driven gyres, boundary currents, and overturning circulations. Oceanographic observational methods and phenomenology of the distribution of temperature, salinity, and tracers. Ocean biology and chemistry: simple plankton population models, Redfield ratios, air-sea gas exchange, productivity and respiration, weathering inputs, and carbon cycle basics. Fundamentals of past climate changes. Geochemical methods of inferring past ocean behavior, and changes of ocean circulations over Earth's history.
Instructor:
Adkins
ESE 103
Earth's Biogeochemical Cycles
9 units (3-0-6)
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first term
Global cycles of carbon, nitrogen and sulfur. Photosynthesis, respiration and net primary production. Soil formation, erosion, and carbon storage. Ecosystem processes, metrics, and function. Nutrient supply and limitation. Microbial processes underlying weathering, decomposition, and carbon remineralization. Stable isotope tracers in the carbon and hydrologic cycles. The human footprint on the Earth.
Instructor:
Frankenberg
ESE 104
Current Problems in Environmental Science and Engineering
1 unit
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first term
Discussion of current research by ESE graduate students, faculty, and staff.
Instructor:
Thompson
Bi/Ge/ESE 105
Evolution
12 units (3-4-5)
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second term
Prerequisites: Completion of Core Curriculum Courses. Maximum enrollment: 15, by application only.
The theory of evolution is arguably biology's greatest idea and serves as the overarching framework for thinking about the diversity and relationships between organisms. This course will present a broad picture of evolution starting with discussions of the insights of the great naturalists, the study of the genetic basis of variation, and an introduction to the key driving forces of evolution. Following these foundations, we will then focus on a number of case studies including the following: evolution of oxygenic photosynthesis, origin of eukaryotes, multicellularity, influence of symbiosis, the emergence of life from the water (i.e. fins to limbs), the return of life to the water (i.e. limbs to fins), diversity following major extinction events, the discovery of Archaea, insights into evolution that have emerged from sequence analysis, and finally human evolution and the impact of humans on evolution (including examples such as antibiotic resistance). A specific focus for considering these issues will be the island biogeography of the Galapagos. Given in alternate years; not offered 2016-17.
Instructors:
Phillips, Orphan
ESE 106
Research in Environmental Science and Engineering
Units by arrangement
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any term
Prerequisites: instructor's permission.
Exploratory research for first-year graduate students and qualified undergraduates. Graded pass/fail.
Instructor:
Staff
ESE 110 abc
Seminar in Environmental Science and Engineering
1 unit
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first, second, third terms
Seminar on current developments and research in environmental science and engineering. Graded pass/fail.
Instructor:
Adkins
Ge/ESE 118
Methods in Data Analysis
9 units (3-0-6)
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first term
Prerequisites: Ma 1 or equivalent.
Introduction to methods in data analysis. Course will be an overview of different ways that one can quantitatively analyze data, and will not focus on any one methodology. Topics will include linear regression, least squares inversion, Fourier analysis, principal component analysis, and Bayesian methods. Emphasis will be on both a theoretical understanding of these methods and on practical applications. Exercises will include using numerical software to analyze real data.
Instructor:
Tsai
ESE 130
Atmosphere Dynamics
9 units (3-0-6)
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second term
Prerequisites: ESE 101 or instructor's permission.
Introduction to geophysical fluid dynamics of large-scale flows in the atmosphere. Governing equations and approximations that describe these rotation and stratification dominated flows. Topics include: conservation laws, equations of state, geostrophic and thermal wind balance, vorticity and potential vorticity dynamics, shallow water dynamics, atmospheric waves.
Instructor:
Bordoni
ESE 131
Physical Oceanography
9 units (3-0-6)
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second term
Prerequisites: ESE 102 or instructor's permission.
Introduction to the physical balances and dynamical mechanisms governing ocean circulations. Topics include: Overview of observation systems; wind-driven planetary gyres and western boundary currents; buoyancy-driven circulations and abyssal flow; energetics of ocean circulations and combined effects of wind and buoyancy driving; meridional overturning circulations; thermocline models; mesoscale eddies; equatorial waves and response to wind driving at the equator; El Niño and the Southern Oscillation.
Instructor:
Thompson
ESE 132
Tropical Atmosphere Dynamics
9 units (3-0-6)
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third term
Prerequisites: ESE 130 or instructor's permission.
Phenomenological description of tropical atmospheric circulations at different scales, and theories or models that capture the underlying fundamental dynamics, starting from the large-scale energy balance and moving down to cumulus convection and hurricanes. Topics to be addressed include: large-scale circulations such as the Hadley, Walker, and monsoonal circulations, the intertropical convergence zone, equatorial waves, convectively coupled waves, and hurricanes. Given in alternate years; not offered 2016-17.
ESE 133
Global Atmospheric Circulations
9 units (3-0-6)
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third term
Prerequisites: ESE 130 or instructor's permission.
Introduction to the global-scale fluid dynamics of atmospheres, beginning with a phenomenological overview of observed circulations on Earth and other planets and leading to currently unsolved problems. Topics include constraints on atmospheric circulations and zonal winds from angular momentum balance; Rossby wave generation, propagation, and dissipation and their roles in the maintenance of global circulations; Hadley circulations and tropical-extratropical interactions; energy cycle and thermodynamic efficiency of atmospheric circulations. The course focuses on Earth's atmosphere but explores a continuum of possible planetary circulations and relationships among them as parameters such as the planetary rotation rate chance.
Instructor:
Schneider
ESE 134
Cloud and Boundary Layer Dynamics
9 units (3-0-6)
|
third term
Prerequisites: ESE 130 or instructor's permission.
Introduction to the dynamics of clouds and atmospheric boundary layers, from a phenomenological overview of cloud and boundary layer morphologies to closure theories for turbulence and convection. Topics include similarity theories for neutral and thermally stratified boundary layers; dry convective boundary layers; mixed-layer models; stably stratified boundary layers; moist thermodynamics and stability; stratocumulus and trade-cumulus boundary layers; shallow cumulus convection and deep convection. Given in alternate years; not offered 2016-17.
Ge/ESE 139
Introduction to Atmospheric Radiation
9 units (3-0-6)
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second term
The basic physics of absorption and scattering by molecules, aerosols, and clouds. Theory of radiative transfer. Band models and correlated-k distributions and scattering by cloud and aerosol particles. Solar insolation, thermal emission, heating rates, and examples of applications to climate and remote sensing of Earth, planets and exoplanets. Given in alternate years; not offered 2016-17.
Ge/ESE 140 c
Stable Isotope Biogeochemistry
9 units (3-0-6)
|
third term
Prerequisites: Ge 140a or equivalent.
An introduction to the use of stable isotopes in biogeochemistry, intended to give interested students the necessary background to understand applications in a variety of fields, from modern carbon cycling to microbial ecology to records of Ancient Earth. Topics include the principles of isotope distribution in reaction networks; isotope effects in enzyme-mediated reactions, and in metabolism and biosynthesis; characteristic fractionations accompanying carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycling; and applications of stable isotopes in the biogeosciences. Not offered 2016-17.
Instructor:
Sessions
Ge/ESE 143
Organic Geochemistry
9 units (3-2-4)
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first term
Prerequisites: Ch 41 a or equivalent.
Main topics include the analysis, properties, sources, and cycling of natural organic materials in the environment, from their production in living organisms to burial and decomposition in sediments and preservation in the rock record. Specific topics include analytical methods for organic geochemistry, lipid structure and biochemistry, composition of organic matter, factors controlling organic preservation, organic climate and CO2 proxies, diagenesis and catagenesis, and biomarkers for ancient life. A laboratory component (three evening labs) teaches the extraction and analysis of modern and ancient organic biomarkers by GC/MS. Class includes a mandatory one-day (weekend) field trip to observe the Monterey Formation. Taught in even-numbered years; offered 2016-17.
Instructor:
Sessions
Ge/ESE 149
Marine Geochemistry
9 units (3-0-6)
|
third term
Prerequisites: ESE 102.
Introduction to chemical oceanography and sediment geochemistry. We will address the question "Why is the ocean salty?" by examining the processes that determine the major, minor, and trace element distributions of seawater and ocean sediments. Topics include river and estuarine chemistry, air/sea exchange, nutrient uptake by the biota, radioactive tracers, redox processes in the water column and sediments, carbonate chemistry, and ventilation. Given in alternate years; not offered 2016-17.
Ge/ESE 150
Planetary Atmospheres
9 units (3-0-6)
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second term
Prerequisites: Ch 1, Ma 2, Ph 2, or equivalents.
Origin of planetary atmospheres, escape, and chemical evolution. Tenuous atmospheres: the moon, Mercury, and outer solar system satellites. Comets. Vapor-pressure atmospheres: Triton, Io, and Mars. Spectrum of dynamical regimes on Mars, Earth, Venus, Titan, and the gas giant planets.
Instructor:
Ingersoll
Ge/ESE 154
Readings in Paleoclimate
3 units (1-0-2)
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second term
Prerequisites: instructor's permission.
Lectures and readings in areas of current interest in paleoceanography and paleoclimate.
Instructor:
Adkins
Ge/ESE 155
Paleoceanography
9 units (3-0-6)
|
third term
Prerequisites: ESE 102.
Evaluation of the data and models that make up our current understanding of past climates. Emphasis will be placed on a historical introduction to the study of the past ten thousand to a few hundred thousand years, with some consideration of longer timescales. Evidence from marine and terrestrial sediments, ice cores, corals, and speleothems will be used to address the mechanisms behind natural climate variability. Models of this variability will be evaluated in light of the data. Topics will include sea level and ice volume, surface temperature evolution, atmospheric composition, deep ocean circulation, tropical climate, ENSO variability, and terrestrial/ocean linkages. Given in alternate years; offered 2016-17.
Instructor:
Adkins
ESE 156
Remote Sensing of the Atmosphere and Biosphere
6 units (2-0-4)
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third term
General use of absorption spectroscopy to retrieve trace gases abundances as well as vegetation parameters from different platforms (ground-based, air-borne, satellites). Topics: Absorption spectroscopy, measurement and modeling techniques, inversion theory and error characterization, applications in global studies of biogeochemical cycles and air pollution/quality. This course is complementary to EE 157ab and EE 157c with stronger emphasis on applications for the atmosphere and biosphere. Students will work with real and synthetic remote sensing data (basic knowledge of Matlab/Python advantageous).
Instructor:
Frankenberg
Ge/EE/ESE 157 c
Remote Sensing for Environmental and Geological Applications
9 units (3-3-3)
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third term
Analysis of electromagnetic radiation at visible, infrared, and radio wavelengths for interpretation of the physical and chemical characteristics of the surfaces of Earth and other planets. Topics: interaction of light with materials, spectroscopy of minerals and vegetation, atmospheric removal, image analysis, classification, and multi-temporal studies. This course does not require but is complementary to EE 157ab with emphasis on applications for geological and environmental problems, using data acquired from airborne and orbiting remote sensing platforms. Students will work with digital remote sensing datasets in the laboratory and there will be one field trip.
Instructor:
Ehlmann
ESE/ChE 158
Aerosol Physics and Chemistry
9 units (3-0-6)
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third term
Fundamentals of aerosol physics and chemistry; aerodynamics and diffusion of aerosol particles; condensation and evaporation; thermodynamics of particulate systems; nucleation; coagulation; particle size distributions; optics of small particles. Given in alternate years; offered 2016-17.
Instructor:
Seinfeld
ESE/Bi 166
Microbial Physiology
9 units (3-1-5); first term
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Recommended prerequisite: one year of general biology
A course on growth and functions in the prokaryotic cell. Topics covered: growth, transport of small molecules, protein excretion, membrane bioenergetics, energy metabolism, motility, chemotaxis, global regulators, and metabolic integration.
Instructor:
Leadbetter
ESE/Bi 168
Microbial Metabolic Diversity
9 units (3-0-6)
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second term
Prerequisites: ESE 142, ESE/Bi 166.
A course on the metabolic diversity of microorganisms. Basic thermodynamic principles governing energy conservation will be discussed, with emphasis placed on photosynthesis and respiration. Students will be exposed to genetic, genomic, and biochemical techniques that can be used to elucidate the mechanisms of cellular electron transfer underlying these metabolisms. Given in alternate years; offered 2016-17.
Instructor:
Newman
Ge/ESE 170
Microbial Ecology
9 units (3-2-4)
|
third term
Prerequisites: Either ESE/Bi 166 or ESE/Bi 168.
Structural, phylogenetic, and metabolic diversity of microorganisms in nature. The course explores microbial interactions, relationships between diversity and physiology in modern and ancient environments, and influence of microbial community structure on biogeochemical cycles. Introduction to ecological principles and molecular approaches used in microbial ecology and geobiological investigations. Offered in alternate years, offered 2016-17.
Instructor:
Orphan
ESE/Ge/Ch 171
Atmospheric Chemistry I
9 units (3-0-6)
|
third term
Prerequisites: Ch 1 or equivalent.
A detailed course about chemical transformation in Earth's atmosphere. Kinetics, spectroscopy, and thermodynamics of gas-phase chemistry of the stratosphere and troposphere; sources, sinks, and lifetimes of trace atmospheric species; stratospheric ozone chemistry; oxidation mechanisms in the troposphere.
Instructors:
Seinfeld, Sanders
ESE/Ge/Ch 172
Atmospheric Chemistry II
3 units (3-0-0)
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first term
Prerequisites: ESE/Ge/Ch 171 or equivalent.
A lecture and discussion course about active research in atmospheric chemistry. Potential topics include halogen chemistry of the stratosphere and troposphere; aerosol formation in remote environments; coupling of dynamics and photochemistry; development and use of modern remote-sensing and in situ instrumentation. Graded pass/fail. Not offered 2016-17.
ESE/Ch 175
Physical Inorganic Chemistry of Natural Waters
9 units (3-0-6)
|
second term
Prerequisites: Ch 1 or instructor's permission.
This course will cover selected aspects of the chemistry of natural and engineered aquatic systems. Lectures cover basic principles of physical-organic and physical-inorganicchemistry relevant to the aquatic environment under realistic conditions. Specific topics that are covered include the principles of equilibrium chemistry in natural water, acid-base chemistry of inorganic and organic acids including aquated carbon dioxide, metal-ligand chemistry, ligand substitution kinetics, kinetics and mechanisms of organic and inorganic redox reactions, photochemical transformations of chemical compounds, biochemical transformations of chemical compounds in water and sediments, heterogeneous surface reactions and catalysis. Thermodynamic, transport, kinetics and reaction mechanisms are emphasized. The primary emphasis during the winter term course will be on the inorganic chemistry of natural waters.
Instructor:
Hoffmann
ESE/Ch 176
Physical Organic Chemistry of Natural Waters
9 units (3-0-6)
|
third term
This course will cover selected aspects of the chemistry of natural and engineered aquatic systems. Lectures cover basic principles of physical-organic and physical-inorganic chemistry relevant to the aquatic environment under realistic conditions. Specific topics that are covered include the principles of equilibrium chemistry in natural water, acid-base chemistry of inorganic and organic acids including aquated carbon dioxide, metal-ligand chemistry, ligand substitution kinetics, kinetics and mechanisms of organic and inorganic redox reactions, photochemical transformations of chemical compounds, biochemical transformations of chemical compounds in water and sediments, heterogeneous surface reactions and catalysis. Thermodynamic, transport, kinetics and reaction mechanisms are emphasized. The primary emphasis during the spring term course will be on the organic chemistry of natural waters emphasizing the fate and behavior of organic compounds and persistent organic pollutants in the global environment.
Instructor:
Hoffmann
ESE 200
Advanced Topics in Environmental Science and Engineering
Units by arrangement
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any term
Course on contemporary topics in environmental science and engineering. Topics covered vary from year to year, depending on the interests of the students and staff.
Ge/Bi/ESE 246
Molecular Geobiology Seminar
6 units (2-0-4); second term
|
Recommended preparation: ESE/Bi 166
Critical reviews and discussion of classic papers and current research in microbiology and geomicrobiology. As the topics will vary from year to year, it may be taken multiple times.
Instructor:
Orphan
Published Date:
July 28, 2022