ESS 206a: Ocean Dynamics
   
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Instructors:
 Claudia Pasquero
3224 Croul Hall
claudia.pasquero@uci.edu
Office hours: walk-in or by appointment



Lectures: TTh 11-12:20, DBH 1425 First meeting: 6 January 2008.

Discussion:

Description: Core graduate course. Introduces the student to atmospheric and oceanic fluid dynamics. Equations of motion for a rotating stratified fluid. Scaling analysis, potential vorticity dynamics, linear waves, energetics and instability theory with applications to the mean circulation and variability.

Syllabus:

  • Forces acting on atmospheric and oceanic flows (equations of motion). Vorticity.
  • Effects of rotation and stratification.
  • Thermal stratification, thermocline depth.
  • Oceanic wind-drive gyres. Ekman flow. Sverdrup balance.
  • Oceanic meridional overturning circulation.
  • General circulation models and parameterizations.
  • Linear Waves.

    Textbook: J. Marshall and R.A. Plumb Atmosphere, Ocean and Climate Dynamics: An introductory text, Academic Press (2007).

    Other resources:
  • G. Vallis Atmospheric and Oceanic Fluid Dynamics, Cambridge University Press (2006)
  • J. Pedlosky Geophysical Fluid Dynamics, Springer (1987)
  • A.E. Gill Atmosphere-Ocean Dynamics, Academic Press (1982)
  • J.R. Holton An introduction to Dynamic Meteorology, Academic Press (2004)


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