OC3240 Ocean Circulation Analysis

Application of dynamic concepts of ocean circulation, including conservation of mass, momentum and energy. Oceanic currents without friction: inertial and geostrophic flows. Frictional currents: Reynolds equations, Ekman and wind-driven flows. Vorticity balance: Sverdrup transport, potential vorticity, topographic steering, western intensification and Rossby waves. Thermohaline effects and thermocline theory.

Prerequisite

OC3230, OC3321

Lecture Hours

4

Lab Hours

0

Course Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to:

• Report the basic physical mechanisms underlying ocean circulation.
• Derive and state the partial differential equation governing each type of circulation.
• Analyze how variable ocean parameters (such as topography) cause deviations from simple theory.
• Identify terms in the Navier Stokes equation responsible for different types of balanced flow in the ocean.