Ocean, atmosphere, hydrosphere

• Atmospheric Physics and Dynamics (composition and structure, radiation balance, theoretical circulation, low-pressure systems/high-pressure systems, fronts, jet streams, tornadoes)
• Ocean Physics and Dynamics (composition and structure, major forces, simplified equations, geostrophic current, Ekman drift, eddies, astronomical tides)
• General Ocean Circulation (Munk Model, Major Currents, Mediterranean Sea, North Atlantic, Conveyor Belt)
• Waves and swell, vocabulary and general overview, first-order theory
• Ocean-Atmosphere Interactions (heat, moisture, and CO2 exchanges; monsoon; El Niño)

• Hourly volumes*:

  CM: 21

  TD: 24

Gain a basic understanding of how the atmosphere and the ocean function, as well as their main interactions.

For the ocean, special attention will be given to how to view a mechanical system, to identify, conceptualize, and formalize the forces at work, to derive the fundamental equations of marine dynamics from them, and to apply these equations to simplified cases under certain assumptions (geostrophic current, Ekman drift, inertial oscillations, etc.). The goal is therefore to develop a mechanistic approach to a system.

None

Continuous assessment: 1 tutorial and 2 written exams

Understand atmospheric and oceanic processes and their key interactions.