UIB
Universitat de les
Illes Balears
Master in
Physics______________________________________________
COURSE DESCRIPTION
2006-2007 Academic Year
Technical information
Course
Course title Descriptive Physical Oceanography and Meteorology
Course code: a cumplimentar por el Centro de Tecnologías de la Información
Type of course: Optional
Level of course: Postgraduate
Year of study: First
Semester: Second
Calendar: Mondays 5.30 p.m.-7.30 p.m., Thursdays 3.30 p.m. - 4.30 p.m.
Language of instruction: Catalan/Spanish. English reading comprehension skills are
required. The course may be given in English, depending on the students enrolled.
Lecturers
Supervising lecturer
Name: Damià Gomis
Other lecturers
Name: Climent Ramis
Name: Sebastià Monserrat
Contact: damia.gomis@uib.es
Contact: cramis@uib.es
Contact: s.monserrat@uib.es
Prerequisites
A bachelor’s degree in science or geography
Number of ECTS credits 5
Number of classroom hours: 30
Independent study hours: 95
Description
Climate features of the western Mediterranean. Mediterranean cyclogenesis and heavy
rains: meteorological situation triggers. Marine dynamics: talus fronts and associated
currents, coastal outcrops and thermohaline circulation. Variability in sea levels: tides,
atmospheric forcing, seasonal cycle interannual variability.
Course competences
Specific
1. Have a grasp of of the basic concepts in geophysical fluids
2. Learn the concepts of space and time scales applied to atmospheric and oceanographic
dynamics
3. Be familiar with the prevailing atmospheric and oceanographic scale variability in the
Mediterranean basin
4. Be conversant at the processes level, with the mechanisms that generate observed
variability.
5. Expand knowledge of the geographically closest media
6. Interpret routinely disseminated public information on the subject (satellite images,
analysis and forecasts)
Generic
1. Apply knowledge acquired in explaining commonplace phenomena
2. Communicate concepts acquired to a non-expert public
Course contents
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Space and time scales in geophysical fluids. Scaling movement equations. Adimensional
numbers principles.
Climate features of the western Mediterranean
Mediterranean cyclogenesis and heavy rains: meteorological situation triggers
Mesoscale convective systems: Remote observation (radar and satellite)
Marine dynamics: description of the prevailing phenomena in the Mediterranean on
different time and space scales. Measurement instruments. Remote sensors.
Currents induced by density differences: geostrophic adjustment in fronts and eddies.
Examples: anticyclonic events in the Alboran Sea and talus fronts off the Peninsular and
Balearic coasts.
Wind-induced currents: large oceanic events and coastal outcrops. Example: outcrops in
Malaga.
Thermohaline circulation: deep-water formation and its importance on the planetary scale.
Example: deep water formation in the Gulf of Leon.
Variability in sea level: the different scales and their forcing mechanisms
High-frequency oscillations: platform waves and associated resonance phenomena
Tides: tide currents and mechanisms
Variability of the sea level at the subinertial scale: atmospheric forcing
Interannual variability and seasonal cycle
Decadal and interdecadal trends in sea level
Methodology and student workload
Subject-related
Teaching
competences
method
E1, E2, E3, E4
Classroom
sessions
G2
Presentation
Group work
E1, E2, E3, E4
Tutorial
E1, E2, E3, E4
Theoretical study
E5
Practical study
G1, E6
Theoretical work
G1, E6
Practical work
E6
Complementary
activities
Type of group
Medium-sized
groups
Medium-sized
groups
Small
Student hours
22
Teaching staff
hours
22
3
3
2
65
10
10
10
3
2
Ten percent of course activities are distance-learning classes (e-learning)
Assessment instruments, criteria and learning agreement
3
Assessment criteria
1. Acquisition and/or fulfilment of course competences
2. Interest shown by student during the course
Assessment instruments
1. Presentation of group work to other groups
Grading criteria
1. 100%: presentation of group work.
Assessment based on a learning agreement: No
Independent study material and recommended reading
Material available on the Internet and photocopies given out by lecturers
Bibliography, resources and annexes
1. Barry, R. G. and R. J. Chorley, 1999: Atmósfera, Tiempo y Clima. Ed. Omega
2. Lockwood, J. G., 1974: World climatology: an environmental approach. Ed. Edward
Arnold.
3. CD: The Weather Machine.
4. Holton, J. R., 1992: An introduction to dynamic meteorology, 3rd Edition, Academic
Press.
5. Pond, S., G. L. Pickard, 1995: Introductory Dynamical Oceanography, 2nd ed.
Butterworth-Heineman (1st ed.: Pergamon Press).
6. Tomczac, M: Introduction to Physical Oceanography,
http://www.cmima.csic.es/mirror/mattom/ index2.html
7. Monserrat, S., and J. Tintoré, 1998: Oscil·lacions del nivell de la mar a cales i ports.
(Video)
8. http://www.puertos.es/index.jsp
9. http://noserc.met.no/DS/avhrr_aot.html
Link to the course teaching guide