GEO4960 – Dynamical Oceanography

After completing the course, you will be able to

• explain the classical theories of wind and buoyancy-driven large-scale circulations
• understand the dynamics of the MOC and how it is likely to change in future
• discuss how bottom topography influences oceanic flows
• appreciate how mesoscale eddy fluxes impact large-scale flows
• interpret laboratory experiments, observations and numerical simulations of ocean flows in light of simplified theory

Both master's students and PhD candidates can take this course.

Students admitted at UiO must apply for courses in Studentweb. Students enrolled in other master's degree programmes can, on application, be admitted to the course if this is cleared by their own study programme.

Nordic citizens and applicants residing in the Nordic countries may apply to take this course as a single course student.

If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures for international applicants.

PhD candidates from the University of Oslo should apply for classes and register for examinations through Studentweb. If a course has limited intake capacity, priority will be given to master's students who follow an individual education plan where this particular course is included.

• GEF1100 – The Climate System (discontinued) / GEO2300 – Geophysical Modelling with Python or equivalent course

• GEO2320 – Oceanography / GEF2610 – Physical Oceanography (continued)
• GEO3900 – Atmosphere Ocean Dynamics (discontinued) / GEO4900 – Atmosphere-Ocean Dynamics (continued) / GEF3450 – Geophysical Fluid Dynamics (continued)

Teaching consists of 4 hours of lectures per week. Students are expected to participate actively in discussions, and 3 written exercises must be handed in and approved before you can sit the final exam.

Attendance at the first lecture is compulsory. Students who fail to meet are considered to have withdrawn from the course unless they have previously given notice to the course responsible.

We reserve the right to change the teaching form and examination of the course in semesters where 5 or fewer students have been admitted.

• 3 written exercises must be approved before you can sit the final exam.
• A final oral examination counts 100% towards the final grade.

Mandatory assignments are valid for 5 semesters starting from the semester they were approved the first time.

It is possible to take the exam up to 3 times. If you withdraw from the exam after the deadline or during the exam, this will be counted as an examination attempt.

It will also be counted as 1 of the 3 attempts to sit the exam for this course if you sit the exam for one of the following courses:

• GEO9960 – Havets generelle sirkulasjon
• GEF4660 – The General Circulation of the Oceans (continued)
• GEF9660 – The General Circulation of the Oceans (continued)

Students who can document a valid reason for absence from the regular examination are offered a postponed examination at the beginning of the next semester.

Re-scheduled examinations are not offered to students who withdraw during, or did not pass, the original examination.