Syllabus: ATM OCN 660
Introduction to Physical Oceanography (3 credits)
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Time and
Location
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9:30-10:45 TR
Rm 811, AO&SS Bldg
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Textbook(s)
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Knauss, J.A., 2000, "Introduction to Physical Oceanography", Second Edition, Prentice Hall, 309 pp.
Pond, S. and G. Pickard, 1991, "Introduction to Dynamical Oceanography", Butterworth-Heinemann, 329 pp.
Bigg (ed.), 1996, "The Oceans and Climate", Cambridge University Press, 266 pp.
"Ocean Circulation", The Open University, 2nd edition, Pergamon Press, 286 pp.
Other texts that may be of use:
Pickard, G.L. and Emery J. William, 1993: "Descriptive Physical Oceanography, An Introduction", (5th edition), Butterworth-Heinemann, 320pp.
Sverdrup, K.A., A.C. Duxbury, and A.B. Duxbury, 2003: An Introduction to the World's Oceans, McGraw Hill, 521pp.
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Grading
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Homework will be assigned regularly including field trips and computer labs. The exams will consist of a mid-term closed book exam and a final term paper.
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Course Description
This course offers an introduction to physical processes in the oceans. The oceans are an important part of the global climate system. Changes in the global climate system, such as global warming, do influence the immense amount of heat, moisture, and momentum stored in the ocean. In this course, we will introduce some elementary knowledge of the ocean, its circulation, and its impact on the global climate. Prereq: Physics 208, Math 234 & cons inst.
Course Content
- Introduction, The Climate System (2 weeks)
Atmosphere, Ocean, Biosphere, Cryosphere, and Geosphere
Reading: Bigg, Chapter 1; Knauss, Chapter 1, p. 1-17.
- Oceanographic Instruments: How the Ocean
is Observed (1 week).
Reading: Knauss, Chapter 1.
- Properties of Seawater (1 week)
Temperature, salinity, tracers, density, sound, optics
Reading: Knauss, Chapter 1&2; Pickard and Emery, Chapter 2.
- Transfer of Heat Across the Ocean (1 week) Reading: Knaus, Chapter 3; Bigg, Chapter 1.
- Global Balances (1 week)
Conservation of Heat, Salt and Mass Mixing, turbulence and diffusion,
Reading: Knauss, Chapter 4.
- Equations of Motion (1 week)
Acceleration, pressure gradient, Coriolis, gravity, friction, equation of motion, vorticity Reading: Knauss, Chapter 5.
- Effects of Earth Rotation (1 week)
Reading: Knauss, Chapter 6.
- Major Ocean Surface Currents
Western boundary currents, upper ocean and wind driven circulation
Reading: Knauss, Chapter 7; Bigg, Chapter 2; and Web.
- Interannual to Decadal Climate Oscillations (1 week)
El Nino, NAO, etc.
Reading: Knauss, Chapter 7; Bigg, Chapter 2; and Web.
- Deep Ocean Circulation (1 week) Thermohaline circulation and water masses. Reading: Knauss, Chapter 8; and Web.
- Marine Carbon Cycle and Other Biogeochemical Cycles (1 week)
Reading: Bigg, Chapter 3; and Web.
- The Ocean and Climate Change (1 week) Introduction to Climate Modeling and Forecasting
Reading: IPCC Report 2001; Knauss; Bigg; and Web.
- 13) Waves, Tides, and Coastal Processes (1 week)
Reading: Knauss, Chapter 9 and 10.
- 14) Class presentations (1 week)
Course includes field trips (Lake Mendota)
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