Department of Marine Science | Academics | Course Offerings | MAR 670

MAR 670 COASTAL DYNAMICS

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The dynamics of tidal currents, coastal waves, wind-driven flows and thermohaline circulation will be considered using simple analytical models and numerical examples. Detailed consideration will be given to the boundary layers, fronts and water mixing.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

1. To provide the basic concepts of geophysical fluid dynamics required to understand the circulation in coastal regions.

2. To teach the skills in applying the general principles of geophysical fluid dynamics to the analysis of particular problems
of coastal dynamics.

3. To explain relations between widely used simplified models and the real shelf circulation.

TEXTS

Class notes with some home assignments will be provided for each lecture.
The following books and papers are recommended for supplement reading:

General: Bowden, K.F. Physical Oceanography of Coastal Waters, John Wiley, 302 pp., 1983.
Waves: LeBlond, P.H., and L.A.Mysak. Waves in the Ocean. Elsevier, 602 pp., 1978.
Tides: Pond, S and G.L.Pickard. Introductory Dynamical Oceanography. Pergamon Press, 329 pp, Second edition, 1983.
Circulation: Csanady, G.T. Circulation in the Coastal Ocean. Reidel, 264 pp, 1982.

REVIEWS:

Csanady, G.T. On the Theories that Underlie Our Understanding of Continental Shelf Circulation, Journal of Oceanography (Japan), Vol.53, pp. 207-229, 1997.

Brink, K.H. Coastal ocean physical processes, Review of Geophysics and Space Physics, Vol. 25(2), pp. 204-206, 1987.

GRADING

1. Class participation: 15%

2. Home assignments: 60%

3. Term project: 25%

COURSE OUTLINE

Chapter 1. Equations of motion.

Review of the basic laws of fluid dynamics with the relation to coastal circulation. Eulerian and Lagrangian description of the flow. Equations of mass and salt conservation, Newton's second law of motion for fluids, angular momentum and energy conservation equations. Boundary conditions.

Chapter 2. The simplification of the equations for coastal dynamics.

Scaling of the equations of motion, hydrostatic and Boussinesq approximations, shallow water equations. Vorticity balance. Simple elementary models, including geostrophic balance, inertial oscillations and Ekman dynamics.

Chapter 3. Coastal waves.

Surface gravity waves. Energy and wave dispersion. Waves propagation and refraction. Swell. Long waves. Effect of rotation. Seiches and trapped waves. Internal waves.

Chapter 4. Tides.

Tide generating forces and their spectral components. Tides in the open ocean, tides on the continental shelf. Harmonic analysis of tides. Tides in the gulfs and partially enclosed seas. Tidal currents.

Chapter 5. Wind driven currents.

Surface current due to the wind. Surges. Coastal upwelling. Mathematical models of coastal upwelling.

Chapter 6. Seasonal thermocline.

Heat budget on the sea surface. Characteristics of thermocline. Mechanism of formation. Gravitational convection.

Chapter 7. Special topics.

Fronts, frontal dynamics. Boundaries and boundary layers.

ADA Compliance: If a student has a disability that qualifies under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and requires
accommodations, he/she should contact the Office for Disability Accommodations (ODA) for information on appropriate policies and procedures. Disabilities covered by ADA may include learning, psychiatric, physical impairments, or chronic health disorders. Students should contact ODA if they are not certain whether a medical condition/disability qualifies. Box 8568; Telephone (601) 266-5024; TTY (601) 266-6837; Fax (601) 266-6035.

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