GEO4964 – Upper Ocean Processes and Transport
Course description
Course content
The upper-ocean interacts with the atmosphere on many temporal and spatial scales, and the processes at or near the air-sea interface are of critical importance in climate dynamics. Wind-generated surface waves play a central role in many of these processes. We study the basic theory of the air-sea fluxes of mass, momentum and energy, and also the mathematical models that allow us to describe the time-dependent upper ocean dynamics in some detail. Simple numerical models will be used to demonstrate the role of the various physical processes on the drift of e.g. oil spills and plastics.
Learning outcome
After taking this course, you will
- understand the fundamental scaling laws and the basic theory behind air-sea interactions, including how these are influenced by surface waves
- have received an introduction to the specific air-sea fluxes of mass, momentum and energy, with demonstrations of how these fluxes are parameterized in operational forecast systems
- have learned the basic theory of the transient response of the ocean mixed layer to atmospheric forcing, and have gained an understanding of the roles of stratification, turbulence, and wave-mean flow interactions
- understand the fundamental roles of surface waves for oceanic drift, and also have a basic understanding of the processes that determine the drift of buoyant materials such as certain planktons, oil spills, and most plastics
Admission to the course
Students admitted at UiO must?apply for courses?in Studentweb. Students enrolled in other master's degree programmes can, on application, be admitted to the course if this is cleared by their own study programme.
Nordic citizens and applicants residing in the Nordic countries may?apply to take this course as a single course student.
If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about?admission requirements and procedures for international applicants.
Recommended previous knowledge
Overlapping courses
- 3 credits overlap with GEO4926 – Turbulent Boundary Layers in the Atmosphere and Ocean.
- 3 credits overlap with GEO9926 – Turbulent Boundary Layers in the Atmosphere and Ocean.
Teaching
2 hours of teaching and practicals per week throughout the semester.?
A mandatory written project report must have been approved before the final examination.
Attendance at the first lecture is compulsory. Students who fail to meet are considered to have withdrawn from the course unless they have previously given notice to the Student?administration (studieinfo@geo.uio.no).
We reserve the right to change the teaching?form and examination of the course in semesters where 5 or fewer students have been admitted.
Examination
- A written project report must have been approved before the final examination.?
- A final oral examination counts 100 % towards the final grade.?
It is possible to take the exam up to 3 times. If you?withdraw from the exam?after the deadline or during the exam, this will be counted as an examination attempt.
Examination support material
No examination support material is allowed.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F?is a fail. Read more about?the grading system.
Resit an examination
Students who can document a valid reason for absence from the regular examination are?offered a postponed examination at the beginning of the next semester.
Re-scheduled examinations are not offered to students who withdraw during, or did not pass, the original examination.
More about examinations at UiO
- Use of sources and citations
- Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
- Withdrawal from an exam
- Illness at exams / postponed exams
- Explanation of grades and appeals
- Resitting an exam
- Cheating/attempted cheating
You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.