SIOC 210: Introduction to Physical Oceanography

Scripps Institution of Oceanography
University of California San Diego

Fall 2019

Instructor: Lynne Talley Teaching Assistant: Ray (Jiarui) Shi Instructor for JOA projects: Jim Swift Math tutorials: Channing Prend and Paul Chamberlain Class time: Tuesday, Thursday 11:00-12:20 Eckart 227 Tutorials: Wednesday 2-3; Friday 10:50-12:00, Eckart 236 Math Tutorial:Tuesday 4-5 PM, Eckart 227

Equatorial Pacific SST, courtesy of NOAA

Course Overview

Prerequisites: the mathematics (calculus) and physics required for admission to the graduate curriculum in the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, or consent of the instructor. Since math courses might have been taken many years ago for some students, please check this math concept link, and attend the math tutorials if you want a refresher.

The course url is http://sam.ucsd.edu/ltalley/sio210. The notes and figures are background for the coursework. They are evolving and informal. They may not be used for other purposes without permission. Figures from copyrighted sources include the reference.

UCSD Canvas Site for SIOC 210

Lectures
Powerpoints of the current lectures will be linked just before class; old versions will be available prior to that

Sept. 26: Introduction, scales of motion
Oct. 1: Physical Properties of Seawater I
Oct. 3: Physical Properties of Seawater II
Oct. 8: Observational tools and Data analysis methods
Oct. 10: Typical property distributions, water masses
Oct. 15: Dynamics I Advection/Transports/Budgets
Oct. 17: Dynamics II Equations of motion, non-rotating
Oct. 22: Dynamics III: Rotation
Oct. 24: Dynamics IV: Geostrophy and Kuroshio
Oct. 29: Dynamics V: Friction, Ekman layers and Atmospheric circulation
Oct. 31: Mid-term (in-class) (Through Oct. 23 material)
Nov. 5: Dynamics VI: Potential vorticity, Rossby waves, eddies (S. Purkey, instructor)
Nov. 7: Dynamics VII: Sverdrup balance, western boundary currents (S. Purkey, instructor)
Nov. 12 Finish wind-driven circulation: Pacific Ocean circulation II (gyres) and Global upper ocean circulation (slides 1-7)
Nov. 14: Waves and Tides
Nov. 19: Eastern boundary currents; and Dynamics VIII: eastern boundary currents and start
Equatorial circulation and ENSO; and Dynamics IX: Equatorial circulation and ocean-atmosphere feedbacks
Nov. 21: Atlantic, Indian upper ocean circulation;
Nov. 26: Atlantic Ocean deep circulation; and Dynamics X: Thermohaline circulation
Nov. 28: Thanksgiving holiday
Dec. 3: Southern Ocean circulation and Global circulation
Dec. 5: Climate and the oceans
Dec. 11: Final exam (11:30-2:30) Eckart 227

Assignments

Links are live when Problem Sets are assigned

Problem sets will be assigned every 2 weeks, skipping weeks of the mid-term and paper/project due date.
Problem Set due dates: Oct. 10, Oct. 24, Nov. 19, Dec. 5

Problem Set 1, Due Oct. 10
Problem Set 1 Answer Key

Problem Set 2, due Oct. 24
Problem Set 2 Answer Key

SIO210_ProblemSet3_preliminary_24oct2019_answerkey.pdf for use in studying for mid-term

Problem Set 3, due Nov. 21
Problem Set 3 Answer Key

Problem Set 4, due Dec. 6 (or 11)

Short paper, data project using JOA, or tank experiment.

Choose between: