IEPG 8512 Quantitative Methods for Environmental Science and Policy
Monterey Institute of
International Studies
Fall 2012 Schedule
Note: This lecture plan is subject to change. Students will be informed in advance of any changes in homework and reading assignments.
COW = Harte, Spherical Cow
EES = Masters, Environmental Engineering and Science
Toxics = Harte, Toxics A to Z
ES = Botkin, Environmental Science
AIC = Bishop, An Introduction to Chemistry
Readings in COW, EES, and Toxics are required. Readings in ES and AIC are supplemental and optional. Other readings may be assigned in class.
Homework for the previous week will be turned in at the beginning of each Tuesday class, beginning the Tuesday of the second week.
L
|
|
Date
|
Topic
|
Reading
|
1
|
Tu
|
28-Aug
|
Class
organization and
course
objectives. Math
review. Units
and unit
conversions.
|
AIC: Section
1.4, Section
1.5, EES 1-4
|
2
|
Th
|
30-Aug
|
Math review, cont'd. Techniques of estimation. |
COW: Preface, 3-4. |
| 3 | Tu | 4-Sep | Math review,
cont'd. Review of chemistry. |
AIC: Sections
2.1-2.3
|
| 4 | Th | 6-Sep | Review of
chemistry.
|
AIC: Sections
2.4, 3.1, 3.2,
3.5 |
5 |
Tu
|
11-Sep
|
Dimensions of
the physical
world. Structure
of land, oceans,
atmosphere,
biosphere.
|
PS #1 due.
ES: 78-79,
493-495
AIC: Sections 9.2, 9.3, 13.1 |
6 |
Th
|
13-Sep |
Dimensions of
the physical
world, cont'd.
Stocks and
flows. The
hydrologic
cycle.
|
COW: 23-27
ES: 432-461.
EES: 175-178
AIC: 87-89
|
7 |
Tu
|
18-Sep
|
Energy and
power.
Thermodynamics.
Energy
conversion
processes.
|
EES: 21-33
ES: 345-356.
|
8 |
Th
|
20-Sep
|
Energy and
power, cont'd.
The solar
resource and its
fate in the
biosphere.
|
COW: 10
EES: 33-40
ES: 356-363
|
9 |
Tu
|
25-Sep
|
Human impacts on
the biosphere:
land, water,
soils,
ecosystems, and
species.
|
EES: 178-181
ES: 150-159
AIC: 331-346 |
10 |
Th
|
27-Sep
|
Human impacts on
the biosphere,
cont'd. Food
production.
|
ES: 43-45;
55-74; 217-237.
|
11 |
Tu
|
2-Oct |
Box models: mass
balance, stocks,
flows, residence
times.
|
EES: 6-10, 87-93
ES: 51-52. |
12 |
Th
|
4-Oct
|
Box models,
cont'd. Useful
equations in
environmental
science.
Population.
IPAT.
|
EES: 93-98;
102-120
ES: 75-89
|
13 |
Tu
|
9-Oct
|
Biogeochemisty.
Nutrient cycles,
geochemical and
biological
processes.
|
PS #3 due.
COW: 11-13
ES: 47-49.
|
14 |
Th
|
11-Oct
|
The carbon
cycle.
Stocks and flows
of carbon in the
biosphere.
|
COW: 28-29
ES: 90-93.
|
15 |
Tu
|
16-Oct |
The nitrogen
cycle.
Stocks and
flows; human
disruptions.
|
ES: 94-100
|
16 |
Th
|
18-Oct
|
Stratospheric
ozone.
Atmospheric
chemistry.
CFCs.
Human impacts.
|
ES: 570-587.
|
17 |
Tu
|
23-Oct
|
The Process of Chemical Reactions, Equilibrium, Strong and Weak Acids, and pH | AIC: Chapter 16 |
18 |
Th
|
25-Oct
|
The Process of Chemical Reactions, Equilibrium, Strong and Weak Acids, and pH |
AIC: Chapter 16 |
19 |
Tu
|
30-Oct |
MID-TERM EXAM
|
|
20 |
Th
|
1-Nov |
Acid deposition:
sources,
atmospheric
pathways,
patterns, and
trends.
|
COW: 109-110;
120-127
EES: 226-229
ES: 529-536
|
21 |
Tu
|
6-Nov |
Chemical equilibria; pH; carbonate chemistry; weathering; alkalinity. |
EES: 57-70
ES: 590-593
AIC: 610-640 |
22 |
Th
|
8-Nov
|
Radioactivity
and ionizing
radiation in the
environment. |
EES: 76-79
ES: 407-421.
|
23 |
Tu
|
13-Nov
|
Health effects of ionizing radiation. Natural and anthropogenic sources. |
PS #5 due
Toxics: 144-154
EES: 79-82
ES: 422-431.
|
24 |
Th
|
15-Nov
|
Nuclear power and the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster |
|
| 25 | Tu | 20-Nov | Climate Change Presentations | EES: 438-451
ES: 493-506.
|
Th
|
22-Nov
|
Thanksgiving | ||
26 |
Tu
|
27-Nov
|
Climate Change Presentations | EES: 36-40;
512-519. COW:
69-72.
|
27 |
Th
|
29-Nov
|
Climate Change Presentations | COW: 89-94, 100-103;
172-186
EES: 519-536
ES: 506-520.
|
28 |
Tu
|
4-Dec |
Toxic substances
in the
environment.
Types, sources,
pathways, forms
of harm,
toxicology.
|
Toxics: 5-23
EES: 70-76, 127-166, 370-399 ES: 291-306, 306-314, 523-569
|
29 |
Th
|
6-Dec |
Air pollution and review for final exam | |
30
|
Tu
|
11-Dec
|
FINAL EXAM
|
|
|
|
Send email to mbishop@miis.edu.
|