GEO5450 – Cryospheric Processes in the Nordic Region
Course description
Schedule, syllabus and examination date
Course content
The course will give a theoretical and practical introduction into central aspects of selected cryospherice processes, such as numerical modelling of permafrost, snow and glacier processes, with emphasize on applications in the Nordic region (incl. Svalbard). You will learn about the physical basics of atmosphere-ground interaction with respect to the energy transfer into ice/snow and/or ground. In addition also the coupling of cryospheric models with climate models will be treated, along with feedback mechanisms into the climate system.
The specific topics may change with external funding, but the specific course contents are defined within the above framework. The course normally ends with combined field activities and workshop.
Learning outcome
Students will learn about the physical processes at the frontier of modern permafrost, snow and glacier/ice research. Learning activities will focus on understanding the cryospheric processes such as glacier and ice sheet mass balance, permafrost and snow physics, depending on course focus. Generic learning outcomes are related to:
- get an understanding of methods and results of recent scientific publications in cryospheric sciences, and to be able to discuss the methods and results
- get experience with reading scientific reports in the subject area, and to be able to summarize actual research
Admission to the course
This course is offered on an irregular basis and is related to special often?external funded activities or?exchange programmes at the Department of Geosciences. Some study places?are reserved?for students on these activities or?exchange programmes.?The number of study places will vary.?Admission takes place after individual application to the Student?administration at the Department of Geosciences (studieinfo@geo.uio.no).?
The course is a clone of the PhD course GEO9450 – Cryospheric Processes in the Nordic Region and PhD students will be prioritied place at the course. Admission to others will be given in the following order:
- Master`s students in Geosciences and/or Cryospheric Sciences
- Exchange students on MSc level (Geosciences and/or Cryospheric Sciences)
The applicants will be ranged after this course relevance to their master?s thesis topic and grades.
Formal prerequisite knowledge
Background in Geosciences and/or Cryospheric Sciences.
The course includes a compulsory field course and excursions. A health and safety course for safety in the field must be passed before you can go on these.
Overlapping courses
- 5 credits overlap with GEO9450 – Cryospheric Processes in the Nordic Region.
Teaching
This intensive course consists of compulsory lectures, computer lab work and field activities, over a block period of 7-10 days. A presentation of a given subject in class is required. Two reports must be delivered, one individual detailed field report from the field activities and one final project report based on group work. The final project report is normally based on data gathered during field visits or generated during the computer labs and this has to be approved in order to pass the course.
There are compulsory field activities in the course. The detailed field report has to be delivered from the field activities, and this has to be approved before handing in the final project report.
Attendance at the first lecture is compulsory. Students who fail to meet, are considered to have withdrawn from the course unless they have previously given notice to the Student administration (studieinfo@geo.uio.no).
General information about excursions at the Dept. of Geosciences.
We reserve the right to change the teaching?form and examination of the course in semesters where 5 or fewer students have been admitted.
Examination
- Attandance on the course/field visits and a detailed field report (individual work) has to be approved before handing in the final project report.
- A final project report (group work) counts for 100%.
Withdrawal from an examination
It is possible to take the exam up to 3 times. If you?withdraw from the exam?after the deadline or during the exam, this will be counted as an examination attempt. It will also be counted as one of the three attempts to sit the exam for this course if you sit the exam for one of the following courses:
Examination support material
No examination support material is allowed.
Language of examination
You may write your examination paper in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a pass/fail scale. Read more about?the grading system.
Resit an examination
Students who can document a valid reason for absence from the regular examination are?offered a postponed examination at the beginning of the next semester.
Re-scheduled examinations are not offered to students who withdraw during, or did not pass the original examination.
More about examinations at UiO
- Use of sources and citations
- Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
- Withdrawal from an exam
- Illness at exams / postponed exams
- Explanation of grades and appeals
- Resitting an exam
- Cheating/attempted cheating
You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.