The Royal Academy for Sciences of Belgium is honoured to invite you to a series of evening lectures on ‘Atmosphere, ocean and climate in the 21st century’ on 2 and 9 October 2019.
These conferences will take place in the Palais provincial de Namur and will be held in French.
It is recommended that participants register on the website by clicking on the “registration” button on the lesson page. If this is not possible, registration can be done at the course reception desk using paper forms.
This cycle of lectures introduces the basic concepts of atmospheric dynamics, physical oceanography and life in the oceanic ecosystems. The functioning of the climate machine is presented, as well as the effects of the current perturbations thereof. The goal is to frame the principal concepts that allow to understand how perturbations of the climate system can affect life, including human society.
Conference 1 – System « Earth » : Atmosphere, ocean and cycles of life
Wednesday 2.10.2019 – 17h-19h
The circulation of the atmosphere presides the formation of the dominant winds in the vicinity of Earth, and the transport of warmth and aerosols around the globe. The dominant winds contribute to the formation of great ocean currents but are also the cradle of local physical phenomena that are essential to marine life. These notions allow introducing the cycle of life in the ocean and the structure of typical marine ecosystems, as well as the cycles of water and carbon that are intergated in the climatic system.
Conference 2 – Climatic perturbations of the system « Earth»
Wednesday 9.10.2019 – 17h-19h
Anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions cause warming of the atmosphere, while CO2 emissions also contribute to acidifying the surface ocean. This has implications for the water cycle, ecosystems, climate and human societies around the world. Understanding the Earth system and climate change is a remarkable scientific breakthrough that makes us see the world as it is. This knowledge could upset man’s perceptions of the ecosystem in which he wishes to prosper.
Contacts :
Xavier Desmit (RBINS), xdesmit@naturalsciences.be
Alexis Merlaud (BIRA-IASB), alexis.merlaud@aeronomie.be