Physical Oceanography
The course gives an overview over physical properties, flows and transport phenomena in stratified water bodies . Its focus is the oceans, their global-scale currents and the role of the seas in the climate system of the earth. Those completing the course shall be able to interpret the ocean currents base on the governing equations and apply these euqation to ocean phenomema.
Objectives
students are able to
- apply the basic conservation principles of physics to stratified water.
- apply and explain fundamental solutions of physical models characterising the flow in
the ocean. - describe the transport mechanisms in stratified environmental flow systems.
- describe and explain the large scale flow in the ocean and its role in the global climate
system.
Lecturers
Dr. Matthias Münnich (MM)
e-mail:
Dr. Gian-Kasper Plattner (GKP)
e-mail:
Prof. Dr. Núria Casacuberta Arola (NCA)
e-mail:
Lectures and Tutorials
Online Resources
Wiki: https://oceanwiki.ethz.ch (Please register!)
Problem-Sets
- 5 Problem sets. Envisioned time effort per problem set: 3h.
- Please note: Some problem sets require a basic knowledge of Python.
- The handing-in of a solution sheet is optional.
- 0.1 credit towards the final grade is awarded if a solution sheet shows a clear effort to solve all problems of a problem set.
- While students are encouraged to work in groups to solve the problems, a student must have handed in his own solution sheet to be awarded a course credits.
Timeline for problem-sets
- Tuesday 5pm: The problem-set is posted online in Moodle.
- Wednesday 8–10am: Lecture on the topics of the problem-set.
- Wednesday 1–2pm: Tutorial A: The assistant gives a short introduction to the problems. The remaining time is used to solve the problem set.
- Tuesday noon: Deadline to hand in your solution attempt.
- Tuesday 5pm: Solutions are posted on Moodle.
- Wednesday 1–2pm: Tutorial B: Discussion of the solutions of the problem set. Each student can volunteer to present the solution of a problem to earn an additional point form the final grade.