Ocean Dynamics: steady circulation - 2015

Lecturer(s):
Description:
The participant will be introduced to the main concepts of Ocean Dynamics for rotating and stratified turbulent fluids. The course is structured around ten main topics, each to be covered in one day. Each topic will have a theoretical background, where fundamental concepts will be discussed, and a practical exercise, where a laboratory and/or computer exercise will be discussed, developed and applied. After completing the course the participant will have an intermediate knowledge of the major blocks underlying the dynamics of ocean circulation and mixing.
Programme information:
Day 1. Thermodynamic variables. Static stability. Mass and momentum conservation. Non-dimensional equations. Explaining the Coriolis force. Mixing and surface forces. Laboratory exercises on stratification and mixing. Fundamentals on Phyton programing language.
Day 2. Energy and Bernoulli equations. Air-sea heat balance. Dynamic instability. Potential vorticity conservation. The Sverdrup, Munk and Stommel solutions. Laboratory exercises on gravity currents and shear mixing. Program 1: A simple model for glacial-interglacial changes in air-sea heat exchange.
Day 3.Thermohaline circulation. Laboratory exercise on the changing overturning circulation. Program 2: Switches in the Meridional Overturning Circulation.
Day 4. Ekman transport and the thermocline circulation. Coastal and equatorial upwelling. Ekman pumping. The subtropical and subpolar gyres, the subtropical cell. Program 3: Geostrophic circulation in depth, isopycnal and isoneutral coordinates.
Day 5. Discussion of recent papers. Course wrap up.
Number of hours:
Language:
English
Course dates:
Time:
Location:
Maximum number of places:
Lab or field work description:
It will include both laboratory experiments and program development and application. As described in the course information.
Special requirements:
Recommended reading:
Gill, A. E., 1982. Atmosphere-Ocean Dynamics, Academic Press.
Pedlosky, J., 1987. Geophysical Fluid Dynamics, 2nd edition, Springer.
Contact for further information:
For additional information, please check our Contact section or get in contact directly with the Lecturer of this course.