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

Lab Hours

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.