CLIM 752: Ocean General Circulation (Spring 2007)

Instructor: Barry Klinger (bklinger@gmu.edu)

Class schedule: Tue/Thu 1:30-2:45, Research Bldg I rm 301.

Course Description:

The goal of the class is to better understand the general circulation of the ocean and how it influences climate. In order to understand the ocean's role in climate, we must go beyond barotropic models to understand the three dimensional ocean circulation. Some questions examined by the class: What determines the strength of the deep meridional overturning? What determines the locations of deep water formation in the global ocean? Can the large-scale structure of the ocean undergo catastrophic change? How does the wind generate shallow overturning cells? How might overturning cells contribute to climate variability? What are the relationships between overturning, heat transport, and atmospheric temperature?

While a moderate amount of math is necessary to describe most of the topics, the focus of the class will be on principles and concepts rather than mathematical techniques.

Lecture Notes:

Note: a single "lecture" my encompass more than one class period.

Lecture 1: Introduction to Heat Transport

Lecture 2: More on Heat Transport

Lecture 3: Gyres of the Global Ocean

Lecture 4: Barotropic Theory

Lecture 5: Three-Dimensional Subtropical Gyre

Lecture 6: 3D Subtropical Gyre II: Graphs, ML, Continuous Stratification

Lecture 7: Coastal and Equatorial Upwellings, EUC, Shallow Cells

Lecture 8: Eddies

Lecture 9: Intro Deep Meridional Overturning Circulation

Lecture 10: Horizontal Patterns of Deep Circulation

Lecture 11: Thermohaline Overturning Strength

Lecture 12: DMOC Strength: Geography, wind, buoyancy, and mixing

Lecture 13: Mixed Boundary Conditions, Single Basin

Lecture 14: Mixed Boundary Conditions, Multiple Basins

Lecture 15: Topics in Time Variability

Problem Sets:

Reading:

Some of the material is covered in Pedlosky (1996). The rest will be covered in review articles, notes, and other papers. Other useful references are included as well

Pedlosky, 1996: Ocean Circulation Theory, Springer-Verlag.

Climate Dynamics Curriculum
Climate Dynamics Home Page
Klinger Home Page

Last modified: May, 2007