- Course Description:
This course is designed for the first-year graduate students in
oceanography. Topics covered in the course include Eulerian and
Lagrangian kinematics, equations of mass, momentum and energy,
vorticity and divergence, irrotational flow, Laminar flow, boundary
layer theory, and basics of instability and turbulence. There is
no pre-requisite for this course, although students are encouraged
to take Physical Oceanography (OCN 620) and Ocean Waves I (OCN 660)
in parallel. A good understanding of basic mathematical concepts,
such as integration, differentiation and vector operations, is
required.
- Textbook:
The class instruction will follow "Fluid Mechanics" by P. K.
Kundu and I. M. Cohen (2008; Academic Press, 4th ed.) closely. This is
the required textbook for the course. A good reference math book
for the course is "Mathematical Methods for Physics and Engineering"
by K. F. Riley, M.P. Hobson, and S.J. Bence (2002, Cambridge). This
book is recommended, but not required.
- Grading Policy:
Class attendance 20%, homework 50%, and final exam 30%.
- Class Hours:
Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:30 AM to 11:45 AM at MSB305
(this can be re-arranged depending on the students' schedules).
- Student Learning Outcomes:
By the conclusion of this course, the students should be able to
accomplish the following:
1. Understand the basic concepts of fluid mechanics
2. Gain an appreciation of this "classical" subject of physics
3. Be able to explain fluid phenomena both in terms of mathematics and
of physics
4. Be able to apply the knowledge (e.g., instability and boundary layer
theories) to his/her own research subjects