OCEAN 501 Estuarine Circulation and Mixing (3)
Observed patterns of currents, mixing, and stratification from deep fjords to shallow coastal plain estuaries. Physical understanding of basic processes, such as tides, wind stress, topographic effects on turbulence, sill hydraulics, and exchange flow. Vertical mixing and residence times important to biological and pollution studies. Prerequisite: permission of instructor.
OCEAN 510 Physics of Ocean Circulation (3)
Structure of ocean basins; physical properties of seawater and the equation of state; heat, salt, fresh water budgets; tidal potential; Coriolis effect and geostrophic balance; major current systems and water masses; mixing, stirring in the ocean; simple waves; modern experimental methods in physical oceanography. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Offered: A.
OCEAN 511 Introduction to Fluid Dynamics (4)
Eulerian equations for mass-motion; Navier-Stokes equation for viscous fluids, Cartesian tensors, stress-strain relations; Kelvin’ s theorem, vortex dynamics; potential flows, flows with high-low Reynolds numbers; boundary layers, introduction to singular perturbation techniques; water waves; linear instability theory. Prerequisite: AMATH 403 or permission of instructor. Offered: jointly with AMATH/ATM S 505; A.
Instructor Course Description: Dale R Durran Parker Mac Cready
OCEAN 512 Geophysical Fluid Dynamics I (4)
Dynamics of rotating stratified fluid flow in the atmosphere/ocean and laboratory analogues. Equations of state, compressibility, Boussinesq approximation. Geostrophic balance, Rossby number. Poincare, Kelvin, Rossby waves, geostrophic adjustment. Ekman layers. Continuously stratified dynamics: Inertia-gravity waves, potential vorticity, quasigeostrophy. Prerequisite: OCEAN 511 or ATM S/AMATH 505. Offered: jointly with ATM S 509; W.
OCEAN 513 Geophysical Fluid Dynamics II (3)
Theories, models of large-scale dynamics of oceans, atmospheres. Potential vorticity, Q principles; Rossby waves, ray tracing, Green’ s function, setup of general circulation; atmospheric “channels” versus ocean “basins”; wave-mean flow interaction, mountain drag, internal momentum flux; “Lagrangian” motion of particles, tracers; cascades, eddy flux of heat, moisture, Q. Prerequisite: OCEAN 512. Offered: Sp.
OCEAN 514 Waves (3)
Application of marine hydrodynamics principles to wave motion in oceans. Offered: W.
OCEAN 515 Ocean Circulation: Observations (3)
Modern large- and mesoscale ocean observations, interpreted in terms of contemporary circulation theories. Spectrum of temporal variability; eddies and eddy fluxes; ventilation; advection and diffusion in the abyss; transports of heat and salt; climatic scale of variability; modern methods for determining circulation. Prerequisite: OCEAN 510 or permission of instructor. Offered: Sp.
OCEAN 516 Ocean Circulation: Theories (3)
Hydrodynamic theories concerning origin and characteristics of major ocean currents. Prerequisite: OCEAN 512 or permission of instructor.
OCEAN 541 Marine Sedimentary Processes (3)
Investigates fundamental process of marine sedimentation, including equations characterizing boundary-shear flows, initiation of grain motion, bedload and suspended-load transport, and sediment accumulation. Applies concepts to sediment dispersal in rivers, deltas, estuaries, beaches, continental shelves, slopes, and rises, with emphasis on the relationships between active processes and resulting deposits.
OCEAN 542 Sediment Dynamics and Boundary-Layer Physics (4)
Theoretical descriptions of sediment transport processes constrained by laboratory demonstrations. The physics of boundary layers, initiation of motion, suspended load, bedload, bedforms, and continua transport (turbidity currents, debris flows, and suspensions) and its application to the geological record. Offered: jointly with ESS 526; W.
Instructor Course Description: Jeffrey D Parsons
OCEAN 560 Atmosphere/Ocean Interactions (3)
Observations and theory of phenomena of the coupled atmosphere-ocean system. El Nino/Southern Oscillation; decadal tropical variability; atmospheric teleconnections; midlatitude atmosphere-ocean variability. Overview of essential ocean and atmospheric dynamics, where appropriate. Credit/no credit only. Prerequisite: ATM S 509 or OCEAN 512. Offered: jointly with ATM S 560; alternate years; Sp.