Syllabus for
PHY475/575
Principles of
Physical Oceanography
DeLoach Hall
213 TR 08:00 - 09:15 am
Ever wonder why there is a Gulf
Stream? Come on and find out!
A.
Instructor: Professor John M. Morrison
Office:
DeLoach
201 / Myrtle Grove 2331 (Primary)
Office Hours: DeLoach Hall: Tuesday and Thursday, 0930 - 1030
Myrtle Grove: Monday through Friday, 1100 - 1200
Office Phone: 910-962-2333
Email: morrisonj@uncw.edu
B.
Resources:
Liberal use of the Internet
and external readings.
C.
Course
Prerequisites or Restrictive Statements: Prerequisite:
PHY102 and MAT152 Restrictive Statements:
Credit is not allowed for both PHY475 and MEA 575
D.
Basic
Studies Requirements: Not
Applicable
E.
Student
Learning Outcome: By the end
of this course, students will be able to:
á Explain why the environment is controlled to a large extent by the special properties of seawater;
á Explain why there is a Gulf Stream and its important in climate;
á Explain in simple terms how the general circulation of the ocean works;
á Explain how/why the circulation regimes in the various oceans differ;
á Explain why there is a need for heat to be redistributed over earthÕs surface.
E. Textbooks: The textbooks provide a guide and easily readable background for the material to be presented. In general, the course will go into considerably more depth on a number of specific topics.
á Seawater: Its Composition Properties and Behavior, 2nd Edition, Open University Course Team (Butterworth and Heinemann, 1995 --- ISBN0-7506-3715-3); Approximate Cost: $39.99
á Ocean Circulation, 2nd Edition, Open University Course Team (Butterworth and Heinemann, 2001 --- ISBN 0-7506-5278-0); Approximate Cost: $37.95
F. Course
Organization and Scope:
Topics
to be covered:
Book: "Seawater: Its composition, properties and behavior"
1.
Introduction
2. Water:
Associative and dissociative properties of water; the hydrological cycle.
3. Temperature:
Solar radiation and oceanic heat budget; Distribution of temperature at the ocean surface and at depth.
4. Salinity:
Definition of salinity; Constancy of composition; Measurement of salinity; Salinity distributions.
5. Density and Pressure in the Ocean:
Depth (pressure), density and temperature; Water masses; T-S Diagrams; Stability and mixing processes in the ocean; Equation of state of seawater.
6. Light and Sound in Seawater:
Underwater light; Color in the sea; Scattering, absorption, reflection and diffraction of light and sound in the ocean.
Book: "Ocean Circulation"
7. The Atmosphere and Ocean:
Global wind system; Global heat balance; Ocean-atmosphere interaction
8. Ocean Currents:
Derivation of the equation of motion for fluid flow on a rotating earth; Winds effects
(Ekman Solution); Effects of rotating earth (Inertial Solution, Geostrophic Solution); Divergences and convergences.
9.
Scales
of Energy in the Ocean
North Atlantic Gyre: The Gulf Stream The Subtropical Gyres; Modern observations and theories of the North Atlantic Gyre.
10.
Other Major Current
Systems:
Equatorial current systems; Monsoonal circulation; Role of Long Waves in Ocean Circulation: Kelvin waves; Rossby waves; Oceanic wave guides; El Nino - Southern Oscillation; High latitude current systems.
11.
Global Fluxes and
Deep Circulation:
Oceanic Heat Budget; Conservation of salt; Ocean Water Masses; Oceanic mixing and temperature-salinity diagrams; Non-Conservative and Artificial Tracers; Global Fluxes of Heat and Freshwater.
Time Permitting:
Book: "Waves, Tides and Shallow-Water Processes"
12.
Waves:
What are Waves? Wave-Forms Wave-Dispersion and Group Speed; Wave Energy
13.
Tides
Tide-Producing Forces - The Earth-Moon System; Tide-Producing Forces - The Earth-Sun System; Dynamic Theory of Tides; Types of Tides
F.
Projected
schedule of reading assignments: In order to keep up with the
material to
be presented it is necessary to the student to read along in the
required
texts. The textbooks will help the student to put the lectures into a
broader
perspective by providing a guide and easily readable background for the
material to be presented. In general, the course will go into
considerably more
depth on a number of specific topics.
G.
Grading:
PHY475:
á Test 1: covers parts 1 - 6 in the Syllabus 100 pts.
á Test 2: covers parts 7 - 9 in the Syllabus 100 pts.
á Final: Comprehensive, but will focus on 100 pts
Parts 10 - 13 in the Syllabus
á 5 Ðpage (single space) paper on topic of choice in physical 100 pts
oceanography
á Class Participation / Miscellaneous homework assignments 100 pts
will be given to Classes if the students are not following the
material presented in class.
Total: 500pts
Grade for PHY 475 = percentage of 500 pts
PHY 575: (above plus + Term Projects) (Required for PHY575)
á Geostrophic Solution to the Equation of Motion 50pts
(after topic 8 in the course outline)
á Analysis and Interpretation of Hydrographic 50 pts.
Data (after topic 10 in the course outline)
Total: 600pts
Grade for PHY 475 = percentage
of 600 pts
Final Grade Based on Percentage
of 500 points for PHY475
Final Grade Based on Percentage
of 600 points for PHY575
Final
grades will be based on a plus/minus grading scale as follows: A
=93-100; A- = 90-92; B+ = 87-89; B = 83-86; B- = 80-82; C+ = 77-79; C
=73-76;
C- = 70-72; D+ = 67-69; D = 63-66; D- = 60-62; and F < 60.
H.
Late
Assignments and Incomplete Grades: Extensions for late assignments
will be
granted individually in consultation with the professor under
extenuating
circumstances. Incomplete grades will be issued in extenuating
circumstances to
students who are passing the course.
I.
Absences
and Scheduling Makeup Work: Attendance,
while
not required, is highly recommended as a portion of your grade will be
determined from thomework assignments and class participation.
Extensions
will
be granted on homework deadlines for students with excused absences.
Partially
completed work will be given partial credit. Absences from tests will
result in
a zero being registered for that test except for the case of illness
documented
with a note from a doctor or (when presented before the scheduled test)
officially sanctioned university activities that conflict directly with
the
test time. If you miss a test in either manner, it will be the
responsibility
of the student to make arrangements with the professor for a makeup
exam.
J.
Statement
on Academic Integrity: University Policy on Academic Integrity:
The
instructor of this course is committed to upholding the University
policy on
academic integrity, described in the Code of Student Conduct, which can
be
found at:
http://www.uncw.edu/stuaff/doso/documents/HonorCode09.10.doc
ÒAs a student at The University of North
Carolina Wilmington, I am committed to honesty
and truthfulness in academic inquiry and in
the pursuit of knowledge. I pledge
to uphold and promote the UNCW Student Academic Honor Code.Ó
ÒIt is the responsibility of every faculty
member, student, administrator and staff member of the university
community to
uphold and maintain the highest academic standards and integrity of the
university. Any member of the university community who has reasonable
grounds
to believe that an infraction of the Honor Code has occurred has an
obligation
to report the alleged violation to the faculty member teaching the
class who,
in turn, must report the allegation to the Office of the Dean of
Students. This
obligation is a core value of the Honor Code, and must be fulfilled by
each and
every member of the university.Ó
Faculty Expectation: Zero Tolerance.
K.
Statement
for students with disabilities: Students with disabilities are
invited to
schedule an appointment with the instructor to discuss any needed
accommodations. Reasonable accommodations will be made for students
with
verifiable disabilities.
In order to take advantage of available accommodations, students must present documentation to Disability Services for Students at Westside Hall, First Floor, Phone: 910-962-7555 - Fax: 910-962-7556 - TDD: 910-962-3853.
http://www.uncw.edu/stuaff/disability/contact.htm
For more information on UNCW's policy on working with students with disabilities, please see
http://www.uncw.edu/stuaff/disability/contact.htm
L.
Statement
on laboratory safety or risk assumption: Any laboratory work
associated
with this course has no special risks that would make it less safe than
any
other classroom. The Department of Physics and Physical Oceanography is
committed to maintaining an environment in which students can safely
pursue
their required laboratory assignments.
M. UNCW Policy on violence and harassment: UNCW practices a zero-tolerance policy for violence and harassment of any kind. For emergencies contact UNCW CARE at 962-2273, Campus Police at 962-3184, or Wilmington Police at 911.
For University or community resources visit:
http://uncw.edu/wrc/crisis.htm
N.
Statement
on extra expenses: There are
no significant extra expenses.
O.
Statement
on transportation: There will
be no additional transportation costs associated with this course.