The docent: Prof. Dr.

Dieter Scherer
Teaching
Ecology and Environmental
Planning (BSc and Msc)
Urban Ecosystem Sciences
(MSc)
Climatology courses for
other study programs

Research
Climate and natural geo-ecosystems
(Arctic , Scandinavia, High Asia, Andes)
Urban climates and societal impacts
(Berlin, Seoul, Casablanca)

MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 1
 Course description and learning outcomes
Course description
The course provides an overview of the climate system as a natural system and its inter-
relations to economic and social systems part of the so-called anthroposphere.
The first session focusses on general atmospheric and oceanic circulations under
present-day boundary conditions. Then, climate variability, severe weather, as well as
hazards and risks will be discussed. Climate change, mitigation and adaptation strategies
are topics to be addressed in the third session. Finally, students will give short
presentations on various topics at the interface of climate and human activities, which
will be discussed by the participants.

Learning outcomes
The course shall create awareness of the multiple ways in which business is linked to
weather and climate. Participants shall be able to explain the basic features of the global
climate system including reasons of climate variability, as well as hazards and risks
induced by severe climate and weather events. They shall be able to discuss actions to
mitigate hazardous conditions or to adapt to them making individuals or societies less
vulnerable, i.e., making human systems resilient.

MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 2
 Content
The global climate system (1st session)
Energy balance of the Earth system
Atmospheric and oceanic circulation
Regional climates
Climate variability, severe weather, hazards and risks (2nd session)
External and internal climate variability
Severe climate events: droughts and heat waves
Severe weather events: hurricanes and tornadoes
Climate change, mitigation and adaptation strategies (3rd session)
Global climate change: what do we know?
Mitigating global climate change
Regional consequences of global climate change
Adapting to current and future hazards due to weather and climate

MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 3
 Student presentations
Each student has to present a specific topic of his/her own choice. The presentation
must be based on scientific studies, which may have a regional focus.
The presentations will take place in presence on November 25 and December 2, 2022 in
alphabetical order (by surname of students). Presentations must be strictly three
minutes long. Student presentations will be assessed (100 %).
Presentation files must be uploaded to Blackboard as Powerpoint or PDF file containing
all slides. Strict deadline for uploading presentation files: November 24, 2022!

Topics
Inner-tropical climates Outer-tropical climates
Humid and semi-humid subtropical climates Arid and semi-arid subtropical climates
High-latitude climates Polar climates
High-mountain climates Desert climates
El Niño – Southern Oscillation Pacific Decadal Oscillation
North Atlantic Oscillation Arctic Oscillation
Droughts Heat waves
Tropical storms and cyclones Extra-tropical storms
Greenhouse gases (GHG) and radiative forcing Stratospheric ozone depletion
Reducing GHG emissions (energy sector) Reducing GHG emissions (agriculture)
Reducing GHG emissions (transport) Reducing GHG emissions (industry, waste)
Ecosystem services in tropical cities Ecosystem services in mid-latitude cities

MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 4
 Readings
Publications from the IPCC Website www.IPCC.ch including:
• Sixth Assessment Report (WG I; subject to final copy-editing and layout)
• Fifth Assessment Report (WG I, II, III, Synthesis Report)
• Special Reports
At least, the summaries for policy makers shall be read. Further readings are required depending
on the topic of the student’s presentations.

Free online textbooks:

Stull R.B., 2015: Practical meteorology: An algebra-based survey of atmospheric science. Online
textbook available at https://www.eoas.ubc.ca/books/Practical_Meteorology/.
Goosse H., P.Y. Barriat, W. Lefebvre, M.F. Loutre and V. Zunz, 2008-2010: Introduction to climate
dynamics and climate modeling. Online textbook available at http://www.climate.be/textbook.

Use platforms like Wikipedia to learn more about definitions and basic concepts.
Also check out diverse online learning tools like http://www.webgeo.de/english/.

MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 5
 IPCC 5th Assessment Report (AR5)

www.IPCC.ch

MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 6
 The global climate system
Energy balance of the Earth system
Atmospheric and oceanic circulation
Regional climates

Climate in a narrow sense is usually defined as the average weather, or more rigorously,
as the statistical description in terms of the mean and variability of relevant quantities
over a period of time ranging from months to thousands or millions of years.
The classical period is 30 years, as defined by the World Meteorological Organization
(WMO).
These quantities are most often surface variables such as temperature, precipitation,
and wind.
Climate in a wider sense is the state, including a statistical description, of the climate
system
IPCC, 2001: Climate Change 2001: The Scientific Basis

MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 7
 Earth’s rotation and diurnal cycles

Mean solar day

24 h = 86‘400 s

Mean stellar day

23 h 56‘ 04‘‘ = 86‘164 s

Effects*
varying sun azimuth angles
varying sun elevation angles
sunrise and sunset
day- and night-time
changes in solar radiation fluxes
changes in heat gains/losses at
the Earth’s surface
Coriolis force influences winds

*depending on latitude and season

Source: Wikipedia

MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 8
 Earth’s orbit and seasonal cycles

(NH: vernal equinox)

(Perihelion)

(NH: summer solstice) (NH: winter solstice)

(Apohelion)

(NH: autumnal equinox)

Meteorological seasons:
modified after Wikipedia DJF – MAM – JJA – SON
MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 9
 Components of the global climate system

FAQ 1.2, Figure 1. Schematic view of the components of the climate system, their processes and interactions.

IPCC, 2007: Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis

MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 10
 Evolution of the Earth‘s atmosphere

cooling

proto-atmosphere volcanism formation of oceans oxygen enrichment

~ 4.5 billion years ~ 4 billion years ~ 3.6 billion years 2 billion years - today

H2 H20 N2 N2

?
CO2
He CO2 H2S O2
CH4, CH4, CH4,
NH3 NH3 NH3
H2, He H2, He
CO CO

MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 11
 Composition of the Earth‘s atmosphere
Gas Concentration* Aerosols
nitrogen N2 78.08 %
oxygen O2 20.95 %
argon Ar 0.93 %
carbon dioxide CO2 400 ppm
methane CH4 1800 ppb
nitrous oxide N2O 310 ppb
ozone O3 variable (< 10 ppm)
water vapour H2O variable (1-4 %)
*by volume

Hydrometeors
MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 12
 The greenhouse effect

MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 13
 Atmospheric carbon dioxide

August 2017: 405.07 ppm

August 2018: 406.99 ppm
Updated: September 28, 2018

http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/webdata/ccgg/ https://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/ccgg/trends/
trends/co2_data_mlo.png

MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 14
 Vertical structure of the Earth’s atmosphere

MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 15
 Energy balance of the Earth system
+100% -30% -70% = 0%

+25% +6% = -31%

+47% -25% -6% -117% +100% = +31%

modified after IPCC, 2013: Climate Change 2013: The Physical Science Basis
MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 16
 Uneven distribution of radiation drives the climate system
Figure 11.11
Zonally-integrated radiative forcings for absorbed
incoming solar radiation (solid line) and emitted
net outgoing terrestrial (IR) radiation (dashed
line). The surplus balances the deficit.
Stull R.B., 2015: Practical meteorology: An algebra-based
survey of atmospheric science.
https://www.eoas.ubc.ca/books/Practical_Meteorology/
MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer
Figure 11.12
Net (incoming minus outgoing) zonally-integrated
radiative forcings on the Earth. Surplus balances
deficits. This differential heating imposed on the
Earth must be compensated by heat transport by
the global circulation; otherwise, the tropics
would keep getting hotter and the polar regions
colder.
17
 Atmospheric and oceanic circulation

Stull R.B., 2015: Practical meteorology: An algebra-based

survey of atmospheric science.
https://www.eoas.ubc.ca/books/Practical_Meteorology/

MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 18
 Oceanic circulation

Lutgens F.K. and Tarbuck E.J., 1998: The atmosphere: An introduction to meteorology.
MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 19
 The oceanic mixed layer

Goosse H., P.Y. Barriat, W. Lefebvre, M.F. Loutre and V. Zunz, 2008-2010: Introduction to climate dynamics
and climate modeling. Online textbook available at http://www.climate.be/textbook.

MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 20
 Oceanic circulation
Oceanic circulation (time scales: 10 to 1000 years)
is slow as compared to atmospheric circulation
(time scales: 10 days to a few years)
=> Long-term memory effects!

after Rahmstorf (2002) and Kuhlbrodt et al. (2007)

MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 21
 Global hydrological cycle

Estimates of the main water reservoirs in plain font (e.g. soil moisture) are given
in 103 km3 and estimates of the flows between the reservoirs in italic (e.g.
surface flow) are given in 103 km3/year. Figure from Trenberth et al. (2007)
Goosse H., P.Y. Barriat, W. Lefebvre, M.F. Loutre and V. Zunz, 2008-2010: Introduction to climate dynamics
and climate modeling. Online textbook available at http://www.climate.be/textbook.
MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 22
 Atmospheric circulation of a non-rotating Earth
no rotation =>
no Coriolis force

Quelle: Webseite des nationalen Wetterdienstes, Southern Regional Headquarters – US

Source: Wikipedia

MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 23
 Coriolis force and horizontal winds

MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 24
 General atmospheric circulation

Lutgens F.K. and Tarbuck E.J., 1998: The atmosphere: An introduction to meteorology.
MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 25
 General atmospheric circulation

Stull R.B., 2015: Practical meteorology: An algebra-based survey of atmospheric science.

https://www.eoas.ubc.ca/books/Practical_Meteorology/

MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 26
 Tropical atmospheric circulation

Stull R.B., 2015: Practical meteorology: An algebra-based survey of atmospheric science.

https://www.eoas.ubc.ca/books/Practical_Meteorology/

MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 27
 Extratropical atmospheric circulation

Rossby waves

Stull R.B., 2015: Practical meteorology: An algebra-based

survey of atmospheric science.
https://www.eoas.ubc.ca/books/Practical_Meteorology/

MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 28
 Extratropical atmospheric circulation

Lutgens F.K. and Tarbuck E.J., 1998: The atmosphere: An introduction to meteorology.
MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 29
 Extratropical atmospheric circulation

Lutgens F.K. and Tarbuck E.J., 1998: The atmosphere: An introduction to meteorology.
MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 30
 Mean sea level pressure in January 2001

Stull R.B., 2015: Practical meteorology: An algebra-based survey of atmospheric science.

https://www.eoas.ubc.ca/books/Practical_Meteorology/

MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 31
 Mean sea level pressure in July 2001

Stull R.B., 2015: Practical meteorology: An algebra-based survey of atmospheric science.

https://www.eoas.ubc.ca/books/Practical_Meteorology/

MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 32
 Mean air temperature (sea level) in January

Lutgens F.K. and Tarbuck E.J., 1998: The atmosphere: An introduction to meteorology.
MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 33
 Mean air temperature (sea level) in July

Lutgens F.K. and Tarbuck E.J., 1998: The atmosphere: An introduction to meteorology.
MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 34
 Atmospheric circulation and seasonal precipitation

Lutgens F.K. and Tarbuck E.J., 1998: The atmosphere: An introduction to meteorology.
MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 35
 Mean monthly precipitation in January

Diercke Atlas, 1974.

MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 36
 Mean monthly precipitation in July

Diercke Atlas, 1974.

MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 37
 Online tools: meteoblue

www.meteoblue.com
MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 38
 Online tools: windy.com

www.windy.com
MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 39
 Online tools: Monash simple climate model

monash.edu/research/simple-climate-model/mscm
MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 40
 Air masses

Source: Wikipedia

MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 41
 Köppen-Geiger climate classification
Group A: Tropical/megathermal climates:
• Tropical rainforest climate (Af)
• Tropical monsoon climate (Am)
• Tropical wet and dry or savanna climate (Aw)

Group B: Dry (arid and semiarid) climates:

• Desert climate BW: Hot desert (BWh), Cold desert (BWk)
• Steppe climate (Semi-arid) BS: Hot steppe (BSh), Cold steppe (BSk)

Group C: Temperate/mesothermal climates:

• Dry-summer or Mediterranean climates (Csa, Csb, Csc)[9]
• Temperate or subtropical hot summer climates (Cfa, Cwa)
• Maritime temperate climates or Oceanic climates (Cwb, Cwc, Cfb, Cfc)
• Maritime subarctic climates or subpolar oceanic climate (Cfc)
• Temperate highland climates with dry winters (Cwb, Cwc)

Group D: Continental/microthermal climates

• Hot summer continental climates (Dsa, Dwa, Dfa)
• Warm summer continental or hemiboreal climates (Dsb, Dwb, Dfb)
• Continental subarctic or boreal (taiga) climates (Dsc, Dwc, Dfc)
• Continental subarctic climates with extremely severe winters (Dsd, Dwd, Dfd)

Group E: Polar and alpine climates:

• Tundra climate (ET)
• Ice cap climate (EF)
MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 42
 Köppen-Geiger climate classification

MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 43
 Projection of Köppen-Geiger climate classification

Source: koeppen-geiger.vu-wien.ac.at

MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 44
 What drives regional climates?
Please discuss:
Warm versus cold climates
Humid versus arid climates
Oceanic versus continental climates
Lowland versus high-mountain climates

Please consider:
Characteristic climate elements
Driving climate controls (factors)
Consequences for ecosystems
Consequences for human activities

MSc. Int. Sustainable Management – Ecological Background of Economic Activity, Part 1: Climate Theory (1) – Prof. Dr. Dieter Scherer 45