MSCI 401A - Fundamentals of Marine Science, Physical Oceanography

Spring (2) Gong Prerequisite(s): MSCI 330 or BIOL 230 or GEOL 330, and MATH 111 or permission of instructor

This course provides an introduction to the various types and scales of motion in the ocean, the global heat budget, major water masses, and processes controlling distributions of temperature and salinity. Discussions on phenomena associated with water motion will include global circulation, wind-driven circulation in ocean basins, tides, coastal upwelling, storm surge, waves, turbulence, and circulation in estuaries. Underlying dynamics governing water motion will be presented, elucidating the role of the rotation of the earth. The El Nino/La Nina oscillation will be examined as a key example of large-scale ocean-atmosphere interactions. MSCI 401A requires co-registration with the relevant MSCI 401R.