D04 – Physical Oceanography
A graduate-level introduction to physical oceanography for offshore and civil engineering learners. The course builds from sea-water properties and governing equations to rotating, stratified, wind-driven and tidal ocean processes, with a focus on engineering interpretation.
£299.00
1 hour 55 minutes
Focused, self-paced learning designed to fit around professional schedules.
Online, self-paced
Study online at a pace that fits your schedule.
11 sections
Structured curriculum sections.
English
Language of instruction for this course.
39 lessons
Focused lessons organised into a clear learning path.
Course overview
A graduate-level introduction to physical oceanography for offshore and civil engineering learners. The course builds from sea-water properties and governing equations to rotating, stratified, wind-driven and tidal ocean processes, with a focus on engineering interpretation.
What you will learn
Interpret how temperature, salinity, pressure, and density structure sea water and identify water masses from T-S relationships.
Derive the core conservation equations used in physical oceanography, including mass, momentum, salt, and heat equations in a rotating frame.
Apply Reynolds averaging, scale analysis, and leading-order balances to simplify ocean equations for large-scale flow.
Use geostrophic balance, thermal wind, Taylor-Proudman reasoning, and vorticity concepts to explain observed circulation patterns.
Explain wind-driven, thermohaline, and ENSO-related circulation using physical mechanisms relevant to offshore and coastal systems.
Interpret the origin and behavior of tides, including tidal constituents, spring-neap variability, and amphidromic systems.
Skills and knowledge
Sea water properties
Equations of motion
Coriolis dynamics
Turbulence modeling
Geostrophic flow
Wind-driven circulation
Thermohaline circulation
Tides
Course curriculum
Introduction
1.1 Welcome
Properties of Sea Water
2.1 Temperature, Salinity, and Density
2.2 Stratification and Vertical Structure
2.3 T-S Diagrams and Water Masses
2.4 Quiz 1
Equations of Motion
3.1 Material Derivative and Continuity
3.2 Momentum, Pressure, and Stress
3.3 Salt and Heat Conservation
3.4 Quiz 2
Coriolis and Rotating Earth
4.1 Frames of Reference
4.2 Coriolis Components and f
4.3 Rossby Number and Intuition
4.4 Quiz 3
Reynolds Averaging and Scaling
5.1 Reynolds Decomposition
5.2 Eddy Viscosity and Closure
5.3 Scaling and Ocean Approximations
5.4 Quiz 4
Geostrophic Balance and Vorticity
6.1 Hydrostatic and Geostrophic Balance
6.2 Thermal Wind
6.3 Taylor-Proudman and Columns
6.4 Vorticity, Eddies, and Topography
6.5 Quiz 5
Wind-Driven Circulation
7.1 Ekman Spiral and Transport
7.2 Coastal Upwelling and Pumping
7.3 Sverdrup, Stommel, and Munk
7.4 Quiz 6
Thermohaline Circulation
8.1 Water Mass Formation
8.2 Conveyor and Abyssal Circulation
8.3 Stratification, Exchange, and Internal Waves
8.4 Quiz 7
El Niño and ENSO
9.1 Walker Circulation and Normal State
9.2 ENSO Mechanism
9.3 Climate and Engineering Impacts
9.4 Quiz 8
Tides
10.1 Tidal Forcing and Equilibrium Theory
10.2 Constituents and Spring-Neap Cycles
10.3 Higher Harmonics and Amphidromes
10.4 Quiz 9
Summary
11.1 Key Takeaways
Ready to enrol?
£299.00