Physical Oceanography

Course Outline

Fall 2011

 

I.  Physical and chemical properties of seawater
      A.  Temperature, salinity and density
      B.  Equation of state
      C.  Stability
      D.  Surface heat flux
      E.  Sea ice

 II.  Conservation equations
      A.  Global balances of heat, water, and salt
      B.  The continuity equation
      C.  Diffusion

III.  Equations of motion
      A.  Local and field acceleration
      B.  Pressure gradient
      C.  Coriolis force
      D.  Gravity
      E.  Friction

IV.  Effects of earth's rotation
      A.  Inertial motion
      B.  Geostrophic flow
      C.  Margule's equation
      D.  Barotropic and baroclinic fluids
      E.  Ekman motion

  V.  Ocean circulation
      A.  North Atlantic gyre
      B.  Gulf Stream and California Current systems
      C.  Equatorial currents
      D.  El Nino/Southern Oscillation
      E.  Decadal oscillations/Impacts on biological processes
      F.  Thermohaline circulation
      G.  Water masses

 VI.  Coastal processes
      A.  Surface gravity waves
      B.  Tides
      C.  Estuarine circulation
      D.  Semienclosed Seas (Arctic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea)

 

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