Introduction to Oceanography

Course Description

This global ocean is a key component of Earth's climate system and plays a major role in how energy and matter move around our planet. This course will provide an introductory overview of the structure of the ocean, observational techniques, processes governing ocean circulation, the role of the ocean within the broader climate system and its interactions with other climate components (ice, land, atmosphere), and a broad overview of our understanding of how it is changing and projected to change throughout the 21st century. Throughout the semester we will explore the ocean through the lens of geological, chemical, and physical processes. In the first part of the course, we will spend time building an intuition for the geological processes that have and continue to shape the structure and chemistry of our oceans as we observe them today. Students will learn about sea water properties, observational and measurement techniques, and the physical processes that set sea water properties from the surface to the abyssal ocean. After considering the ocean as a roughly static body of water, we will shift our focus toward developing an understanding of "the motions of the ocean" - i.e., how does the ocean move? What drives these processes? The final part of the semester will focus on the ocean carbon cycle, ecosystems, and observed and projected changes in ocean properties as a result of a changing climate. Through lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on labs, students will gain foundational knowledge of oceanographic principles and their relevance to environmental issues, the climate system, and climate change. This course is ideal for students interested in environmental science, marine science / oceanography, climate science, or general science education.

Code

EES 2003

Credits

4

Subject

EES