Division of Physical Oceanography Course Offerings
620 - Physical Oceanography (3)
Introduction to properties of seawater, oceanographic instruments and methods, heat budget, general
ocean circulation, regional oceanography, waves, tides, sea level. Core course
requirement. Instructors: Schneider, Firing, and Flament. [For more information, click here.] Pre: MATH 242 (or concurrent), or consent.
640 - Observational Physical Oceanography (3)
Application of the scientific method; physical regimes in the ocean; ocean processes and observational strategies; resolution, sampling, array design and observing systems; models and data assimilation; major field programs; operational oceanography and climate prediction. Instructor: Lukas. [For more information, click here.] Pre: OCN 620 or consent.
660 - Ocean Waves I (3)
Governing hydrodynamic equations, perturbation techniques, gravity and capillary waves, wave energy, group velocity, refraction, wave spectra, wave generation. Instructor: Luther. Pre: MATH 432 or consent.
Introduction to classical hydrodynamics and
continuum mechanics. Techniques for solution of Navier-Stokes
equations on various scales of oceanic motion; potential theory,
dynamics modeling and viscous and rotational processes. Instructor: Qiu. Syllabus. Pre: MATH 403 or consent.
663 - Satellite Oceanography (3)
Techniques of satellite observations of the ocean, including
temperature, pigment concentration, currents and winds; analysis of a
satellite data set as term project. Instructor: Flament. [For more information, click here.] Pre: 620 or consent.
664 - Oceanographic Instrumentation and Technology (3)
Measurement
techniques in physical oceanography, including pressure, temperature,
salinity, oxygen, optical sensors, current meters, navigation systems,
ocean acoustics and mooring structures. Includes a laboratory research
project. Instructor: Flament. [For more information, click here.] Pre: 620 or consent.
665 - Small-Scale Air-Sea Interaction (3)
Observations and theory of small-scale processes which couple the atmosphere and ocean boundary layers, including introduction to turbulence theory and parameterization of turbulent fluxes. Instructor: Lukas. [For more information, click here.] Pre: MATH 402 or 403 (or their equivalents) and either 620 or MET 600, or consent. (Alt. years) (Cross-listed as MET 665) Syllabus.
Lecture/seminar introduces physical oceanography and meteorology students to the state-of-the-art theories and observations of large-scale ocean-atmosphere interaction, as well as conveying the fundamental understanding that has been developed during the past 30 years. Emphasis will be on phenomena such as El Nino/Southern Oscillation, the North Atlantic Oscillation, the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, and global climate change.
Instructor: Lukas. [For more information, click here.] Repeatable once. Pre: OCN 620 or MET 600, or consent. (Alt. years) (Cross-listed as MET 666)
667 - Advanced Geophysical Fluid Dynamics I (3)
Basic concepts and equations to describe large-scale ocean circulation;
numerical models; boundary layers; models of wind driven circulation of
a homogenous ocean. Instructor: Müller. Syllabus. Pre: OCN 620, 662 or consent.
668 - Advanced Geophysical Fluid Dynamics II (3)
Thermodynamics of stratified fluids; convection; mixing; models of the thermohaline
circulation; the role of eddies in the large-scale ocean circulation. Instructor: Müller. Syllabus. Pre: OCN 667 or consent.
699 - Directed Research (V)
Various instructors. Pre: consent.
700 - Thesis Research (V)
Various instructors. Research for master's thesis. Repeatable unlimited times.
760 -
Topics in Physical Oceanography (V)
Near-shore processes,
advanced mathematical techniques, recent developments, etc. Typically
given by visiting professors in their specialties, or in response to
student interest. Various instructors.
