Physical Oceanography II

The course is part of a master's program in physical oceanography (N2FOC). The course can also be taken as an independent course.

A Bachelor's degree in Natural Science, Engineering or Technology including 15 credits within Physical Oceanography.

Alternatively: 120 credits in the field of Natural Science where at least 60 credits must be completed courses in the fields of Mathematics, Physics and Meteorology and at least 15 credits within Physical Oceanography.

The course is a continuation of OCM100, Physical Oceanography I. It provides an introduction to time-dependent phenomena in the sea, such as waves and instabilities at both small and large scales. A great emphasis is on the physical understanding of how small amplitude disturbances propagate and how a rotating fluid naturally evolves toward a state of geostrophic balance, a process known as the geostrophic adjustment. The course will also give a review of how turbulent mixing takes place in the sea, describing what controls the seasonal variability of the surface mixed layer properties and what sets the stratification in the ocean’s interior. During this course, students will learn basics skills to analyze ocean data using a numerical calculation tool (python).

Sub-courses

1. Gravity and Rossby waves (Gravitation och Rossbyvågor), 10 credits
   Grading scale: Pass with Distinction (VG), Pass (G) and Fail (U)
   
   
2. Ocean data analysis (Analys av havsdata), 5 credits
   Grading scale: Pass with Distinction (VG), Pass (G) and Fail (U)

Upon completion of the course, the student is expected to be able to:

Knowledge and understanding

• Introduce the equations and properties of shallow-water systems and understand the process of geostrophic adjustment
• Understand and explain the characteristics of the main waves that propagate in the sea, including the sound and gravity waves, and the Kelvin, Poincare and Rossby waves
• Understand and explain how disturbances propagate in a layered or in a stratified fluid
• Understand and explain different instability mechanisms in the ocean, including the Kelvin-Helmholtz, barotropic and baroclinic instabilities
• Understand and explain the most important physical mixing processes in the ocean and their role in driving the ocean's overturning circulation

Competence and skills

• Show the ability to set up and in some cases solve the equations for typical timevarying processes in the sea
• Know how to manipulate mathematical expressions defining the properties of propagating and standing waves
• Show the ability to identify the most important dimensionless parameters for a problem and to scale and linearize a set of equations of motion
• Understand the principles for mixing processes and fluid instabilities for some idealized flow cases
• Know how to extract information from ocean signal and gridded datasets using a numerical computing program

Judgement and approach

• Use fundamental principles of physics and mathematics to develop a quantitative understanding of ocean dynamics
• Apply standard simplifications and evaluate limitations that are often associated to studies of ocean processes
• Develop an ability to apply and manipulate simple theories to gain a quantitative understanding of several key oceanographic processes
• Use a numerical computer program to analyse simple ocean data

Teaching is given mainly in the form of lectures, calculation exercises and lab reports.

Language of instruction: English

• Sub-course 1, Gravity and Rossby waves, 10 credits: Written exam, U / G / VG
• Sub-course 2, Ocean data analysis, 5 credits: Lab Report, Project Report and Oral presentation, U / G / VG

For students who have not passed the regular examinations, additional examination opportunities are offered. The timing for retaking exams is determined in consultation with the course leader.

If a student who has been failed twice for the same examination element wishes to change examiner before the next examination session, such a request is to be granted unless there are specific reasons to the contrary (Chapter 6 Section 22 HF).

If a student has received a certificate of disability study support from the University of Gothenburg with a recommendation of adapted examination and/or adapted forms of assessment, an examiner may decide, if this is consistent with the course’s intended learning outcomes and provided that no unreasonable resources would be needed, to grant the student adapted examination and/or adapted forms of assessment.

If a course has been discontinued or undergone major changes, the student must be offered at least two examination sessions in addition to ordinary examination sessions. These sessions are to be spread over a period of at least one year but no more than two years after the course has been discontinued/changed.

If a student has been notified that they fulfil the requirements for being a student at Riksidrottsuniversitetet (RIU student), to combine elite sports activities with studies, the examiner is entitled to decide on adaptation of examinations if this is done in accordance with the Local rules regarding RIU students at the University of Gothenburg.

The grading scale comprises: Pass with Distinction (VG), Pass (G) and Fail (U).

For grades G on sub-course 1, 55 % is required for the exam. For grades VG on subcourse 1, 75 % is required for the exam.

For grades G on sub-course 2, all tasks must be completed. For grades VG on sub-course 2, all tasks must be completed in time, and the project report and oral presentation must be of higher than average quality.

For grade G on the entire course, all sub-courses must be approved. For grade VG on the full course, both sub-courses must have the grade VG.

Regarding the application of the ECTS scale for grades, see Rector's decision 2007-0528, ref. G 8 1976/07 and 2011-02-28, dnr O 2009/5545.

A written evaluation is done at the end of the course. In the written evaluation, the student is anonymous. The results and possible changes to the course will be shared with students who participated in the evaluation and students who are starting the course.