Introduction to Physical Oceanography

Catalog description

Air-sea interaction, wind-driven and thermohaline circulations, upwelling, El Nino, waves, and tides. METEO 451 Elements of Physical Oceanography (3) The primary objective of this course is to describe the circulation of the ocean and present a theoretical basis for understanding it. The focus is on the large-scale, basin-wide features of the ocean circulation, such as: 1) the subtropical ocean gyres that contain the wind-driven western boundary currents like the Gulf Stream, 2) the equatorial oceans that respond rapidly to external forcing to produce phenomena like El Nino, and 3) the thermohaline circulation that acts as a slow regulator of the earth's climate. A main goal is to demonstrate to meteorology students that the ocean is not a static, passive lower boundary to the atmosphere but a dynamic, evolving entity that is intimately coupled to the atmosphere through the exchange of heat, momentum, and water. Thus the oceans affect weather and climate. Students are evaluated on their comprehension of the relevant physical processes (as determined by written examinations) and by term papers and laboratory reports or a combination of the two. This course will be offered annually with an enrollment of about 12 students.Class size, frequency of offering, and evaluation methods will vary by location and instructor. For these details check the specific course syllabus.