GEF4500 - Atmosphere-Ocean Dynamics
Course content
GEF4500 introduces the dynamical concepts important for synoptic (weather) scale motions in both the atmosphere and ocean. It is an obligatory first semester course in the masters program in meteorology and oceanography, and builds on basic concepts introduced in GEF2500, Geophysical Fluid Dynamics (reviewed at the beginning of the course).
Learning outcome
The student will obtain a fundamental knowledge of:
- the quasi-geostrophic equations of motion, a simplified system applicable at synoptic scales
- the dynamical basis for the Jet Stream and the Gulf Stream, two important geophysical flows
- Rossby waves, which underly variability at large scales
- barotropic and baroclinic instability
Admission
Students at UiO must apply for courses in StudentWeb.
International applicants, if you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures for international applicants.
The examination in this course is not available for external candidates. Only students admitted to the course may sit for the examination.
Prerequisites
Recommended previous knowledge
GEF2200 - Atmospheric physics, GEF2220 - Weather systems, GEF2500 - Geophysical Fluid Mechanics (MEK1300 - Introduction to Fluid Mechanics (discontinued)), FYS3140 - Mathematical methods in physics.
Overlapping courses
10 credits overlap with GF224 and 10 credits overlap with GEF9500 - Atmosphere-Ocean Dynamics.Teaching
2 lectures/week, 1 group session, 5-6 problem sets. The problem sets are obligatory and must be completed prior to the final exam.
Examination
Midterm exam (written or oral, depending on the number of students) for 33% of the final grade, final exam (written) for 67% of the final grade.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
External auditor: Inger Hanssen-Bauer
Explanations and appeals
You may request an explanation of your grades, and you may also appeal against your grades or make a complaint about formal examination errors. Read more about explanations and appeals.
Resit an examination
You can usually resit an exam, but the conditions depend on whether you had a valid reason for absence from the regular exam. Read more about resitting an exam.
Withdrawal from an examination
A student may sit this exam up to 3 times. If a student wishes to withdraw from the exam, s/he must do so in StudentWeb at least two weeks prior to the first day of the exam. Failure to do so will be counted as one of the three opportunities to sit the exam.
Special examination arrangements
If you have a disability or a health problem that entails significant inconvenience in an examination situation, you may be considered for special examination arrangements. Mothers who are breastfeeding may apply for extra time to complete the exam.
Evaluation
Feedback from our students is essential to us in our efforts to ensure and further improve the high quality of our programmes and courses. All courses are subject to continuous evaluation. At regular intervals we also ask students on a particular course to participate in a more comprehensive, periodic evaluation of this course.