the students are required a basic knoledge of algebra, calculus and Physics (dynamics and thermodynamics)

The course will describe the characteristics of water masses and the basic instrumentation and methods used for observing the oceans, basic concepts on energy and mass budgets (with a focus on marginal seas),  processes involved in air sea interactions and how to describe them,  basic  dynamical balances in the oceaans, waves and currents in the coastal zone, sea level variations, vertical structure of the water column. The concepts are applied to describe the circulation of the Mediterranean, Baltic and Black Seas. The course will also teach techniques  for data visualization based on the Ocean Data View software.

The students will acquire  a basic knowledge of the processes  leading to changes of temperature, salinity and producing currents and waves in the oceans. Description will focus on processes occurring in the coastal zone and on mass, energy and salinity balances in marginal seas and having important  effects in the corresponding environments. The students will acquire capability of understanding the basic physical-mathematical language used in physical oceanograpphy.  Moreover, the students will learn about basic techniques for presenting (also graphically) oceanographic data.

teaching will be based on a sequence of lectures explaining the content of the course. It will be integrated with exercizes (solution of simple problems)  and demonstrations of techniques  to plot oceanigraphic variables

The standard exam consists of 2-3 questions, asking you to describe a figure, to describe a process, a phenomenon  or the characteristics  of a basin, to comment a formula and its use,  To describe a measurement device and/or procedure, to describe how some given data are obtained (up to 30 points)

The standard exam can be replaced by two written partial tests to be held during the course.  The test includes  a) 4 or 5 questions with multiple choices where to mark the correct answer/statement  and b) 4 or 5 questions requiring an explicit explanation.  The score attribute to both part a) and b) is 15. No penalty for wrong answers.  Minimum score in the first test  for accessing the second test is 15. The final score is the mean of the two tests. The time for the test is 3 hours.

For both types of exams , the score can be  integrated  with a short report based on a) the ODV software and the plot of oceanographic data  OR  b) a summary/report of a relevant scientific paper.  The content of the report will be discussed during a short interview (up to 4 points)

During the emergency to face the COVID-19 epidemic, the exam will be carried out using the "Microsoft TEAMS" platform  (instructions for students available on https://www.unisalento.it/lezioni-online).

detailed list of the subjects covered during the lectures:

Historical notes on the evolution of physical oceanography, generalities on observations (errors, acccuracy, precision), morphology of ocean basins,  propagation and attenuation of sound in sea water and echosounders, the sound channel, energy budgets, heat capacity of ocean basins, air-sea  interaction (thermal radiation, sensible and latent heat flux), Bulk formulas, vertical and horizontal flux of heat in the ocean, winds and wind stress, salinity, density of sea water, vertical structure of the water column (Mixed layer and its variations, seasonal and permanent thermocline, abyss) , methods and instruments for observing temperature, salinity and currents, hydrostatic pressure,  salinity and salt budget,  exchanges of mass, heat and salt across straits, temeprature and salinity in the Mediterranean Sea,  circulation of the Mediterranean Sea, notes on Baltic, Red and Black Seas,  waves in the ocean, forces in the oceans, geostrophic balance, Margules' relation, comments on Gibraltar and Otranto straits, coastal currents,  surface waves in shallow water and the surf zone, ekman transport, coastal downwelling and upwelling, storm surges and castal floods, sea level variations at regional scale.

Introduction to Physical Oceanography

Robert Stewart, Texas A&M University

Pub Date: 2008

Available at

http://oceanworld.tamu.edu/resources/ocng_textbook/PDF_files/book_pdf_files.html

Further recommended readings are the chapters (the books are available in the library of DiSTeBA):

K. Schroeder, J. Garcìa-Lafuente, S. A. Josey, V. Artale, B. Buongiorno Nardelli, A. Carrillo, M. Gac?ic´, G. P. Gasparini, M. Herrmann, P. Lionello, W. Ludwig, C. Millot, E. Özsoy, G. Pisacane, J. C. Sánchez-Garrido, G. Sannino, R. Santoleri, S. Somot, M.V. Struglia, E. Stanev, I. Taupier-Letage, M. N. Tsimplis, M. Vargas-Yáñez, V. Zervakis, G. Zodiatis (2012) Circulation of the Mediterranean Sea and its Variability in Lionello P. (Ed.) The Climate of the Mediterranean Region. From the Past to the Future , Amsterdam: Elsevier (NETHERLANDS), 187-256, ISBN:9780124160422

And

Tsimplis M., V. Zervakis, S. Josey, E. Peneva, M.V. Struglia, E Stanev, Piero Lionello, Vicenzo Artale, A. Theocharis, Elina Tragou, James Rennell (2006): Variability of the Mediterranena Sea Level and Oceanic circulation and their relation to climate patterns in P.Lionello, P.Malanotte-Rizzoli, R.Boscolo (eds) Mediterranean Climate Variability. Amsterdam: Elsevier (NETHERLANDS), 227-282