3491.06 - Oceanography for Biologists.

3491.06

Oceanography for Biologists.

6

To give an introduction to definitions and terms frequently used in the field of oceanography, and a general description of some physical processes in the ocean as well as a general description of the world oceans with special emphasis on the waters surrounding the Faroes.

General: Ocean floor, seawater, temperature, freezing point, salinity, density, thermocline, halocline, oceanographic sections and profiles, and climate change. Waves: Wave speed, wave length, wave height, frequency, period, energy, light and sound, tsunamies, refraction and generation and dissipation. Currents: Coriolis, Ekmandrift, upwellling, turbulence, winddriven and thermohaline circulation in the world oceans, main currents in the world oceans and currents and watermasses around the Faroe Islands. Tides: Earth-moon-sun system, tidal force, amphidromic point, tidal maps, residual current, and tides around the globe and in particular around the Faroe Islands. Fjords: Estaurine circulation, stratification, mixing, water exchange. Shelf: Currents, residual, mixing and fronts.

Lectures

Written examination. No auxiliary material allowed except calculating machine.

Knud Simonsen