The Department of Physics

Course Description

This course is an introduction to the basics of the structure and motion of the oceans to be able to predict it future state. Oceanography is the study of the ocean making use of the various sciences physics, chemistry, biology and geology, with mathematics being used as an aid to parts of all these studies. PHYS 3156 is one of the 5 theory Environmental Physics courses offered by the Physics Department, and is also one of the 6 courses which may be chosen from to form the Environmental Physics minor (15 credits). Through in-class discussions, and problem solving sessions, Students would have an opportunity to improve their ability to reason through challenging situations in the physical Universe using basic principles to develop appropriate solutions. Assessment and evaluation is done in the form of in-course tests and a Final examination.

CONTENT

Hydrologic Cycle and groundwater. Occurrence of groundwater. Rock properties affecting groundwater. Vertical distribution of groundwater. Geologic formations as aquifers. Types of aquifers. Storage coefficient. Ground water movement. Darcy’s law. Permeability, transmissivity, hydraulic conductivity. Ground water flow. General flow equations. Steady unidirectional flow. Steady radial flow to a well. Well in uniform flow. Unsteady radial flow in a confined aquifer. Methods of solution: Thesis, Cooper-Jacob. Saline water intrusion in aquifers. Introduction to Physical Oceanography. Oceans. Ocean properties. Climate and ocean. Socio-economic importance of the oceans. Instruments and Measurements. Basic equations .continuity equation, spherical earth. Heat and salt transport. Momentum. Approximations and simplifications of the equations of motion. Boundary conditions at air-sea interface. Geostrophic flow. Planetary boundary layers. Currents with friction. Equation of motion with friction. Thermohaline circulation. Waves. Astronomical tides - Trinidad and Tobago Tides.

GOALS/AIMS

This course investigates the behaviour of the ocean and the physical mechanisms involved, so that the student gets a comprehensive foundation in physical oceanography.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this course, the students will be able to:

• Describe and explain instruments and measurements used in Physical Oceanography.
• Describe and explain the characteristics of sea water.
• Apply the principles of fluid dynamics to explain ocean circulation, surface and deep water currents.
• Explain waves and wave generation and tides.
• Assess coastal oceanography.
• Discuss uses and problems of the oceans.
• Apply Darcy’s Law, Laplace Equation and the Equation of continuity to geohydrology.
• Explain water bearing formations and ground water flow.
• Analyse well hydraulics and aquifer characteristics.
• Explain storage and transmissivity and saline intrusion into coastal aquifers.

Assessment