Physical Oceanography

4.0 credits

The physical circulation of the ocean controls the uptake and redistribution of heat and carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, so is a critical regulator of global climate. This course will provide a comprehensive and quantitative treatment of the physics that underlie ocean circulation. The dynamical equations that govern circulation will be introduced early in the course, then applied and simplified to understand the force balances that explain the major circulation regimes of the ocean: surface wind-driven circulation, gyres and western boundary currents, and the deep thermohaline circulation. The course will then explore how these circulation regimes also shape the biology of the ocean, and interact with atmospheric circulation and the global climate system. The course will involve solving and manipulating differential equations, and a background understanding of these methods is required. However, no previous oceanography experience will be assumed.