Preface
This text provides an introduction to the theory of the large-scale ocean circulation. There are excellent textbooks on physical oceanography (Pond and Pickard,
1983; OU-staff, 1989; Pickard and Emery, 1990; Tomczak and Godfrey, 1994;
Pedlosky, 1996; Knaus, 1997), and geophysical fluid dynamics (Pedlosky, 1987;
Cushman-Roisin, 1994; Salmon, 1998; Pedlosky, 2003; Mc Williams, 2006; Vallis, 2006). However, for a typical course where one wants to focus on the ocean
circulation only at a challenging level for physics and mathematics students, a
combination of material from these books is needed. This text is an attempt into
this direction which has resulted in a book on a level between Pond and Pickard
(1983) and Pedlosky (1996) with much basic material from Pedlosky (1987).
The book consists of four parts. In part I (chapters 1 - 4) a brief introduction
is given into the ocean circulation and the governing equations of ocean flows. In
addition, concepts are introduced that are necessary to describe and understand
the behavior of large-scale ocean currents. In part II (chapters 5 - 10), the theory
of the midlatitude wind-driven ocean circulation is presented. Considering model
development, there is a top-down approach and reduced equations are derived
using asymptotic methods and scaling. Part III (chapters 11 - 12) focusses on the
understanding of equatorial currents and El Ni˜ no. In the last part IV, chapters
13 - 16, basic theory of planetary scale flows is presented, covering topics as
the thermocline problem, the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, the Arctic Ocean
circulation and the stability of the thermohaline circulation.
Additional material both in broadening (indicated by a B) and deepening (indicated by a D) of the topics discussed is indicated in separated blocks. At the end
of each chapter several exercises are formulated and pointers to these exercises
appear in the left margin of the main text. Many of these exercises are aimed to
further develop methodological skills and to become familiar with the physical
concepts. New material is introduced in only a few of these exercises. Solutions
to the exercises are available at the website of the book at
http://www.phys.uu.nl/∼dijkstra/DO
v
This text provides an introduction to the theory of the large-scale ocean circulation. There are excellent textbooks on physical oceanography (Pond and Pickard,
1983; OU-staff, 1989; Pickard and Emery, 1990; Tomczak and Godfrey, 1994;
Pedlosky, 1996; Knaus, 1997), and geophysical fluid dynamics (Pedlosky, 1987;
Cushman-Roisin, 1994; Salmon, 1998; Pedlosky, 2003; Mc Williams, 2006; Vallis, 2006). However, for a typical course where one wants to focus on the ocean
circulation only at a challenging level for physics and mathematics students, a
combination of material from these books is needed. This text is an attempt into
this direction which has resulted in a book on a level between Pond and Pickard
(1983) and Pedlosky (1996) with much basic material from Pedlosky (1987).
The book consists of four parts. In part I (chapters 1 - 4) a brief introduction
is given into the ocean circulation and the governing equations of ocean flows. In
addition, concepts are introduced that are necessary to describe and understand
the behavior of large-scale ocean currents. In part II (chapters 5 - 10), the theory
of the midlatitude wind-driven ocean circulation is presented. Considering model
development, there is a top-down approach and reduced equations are derived
using asymptotic methods and scaling. Part III (chapters 11 - 12) focusses on the
understanding of equatorial currents and El Ni˜ no. In the last part IV, chapters
13 - 16, basic theory of planetary scale flows is presented, covering topics as
the thermocline problem, the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, the Arctic Ocean
circulation and the stability of the thermohaline circulation.
Additional material both in broadening (indicated by a B) and deepening (indicated by a D) of the topics discussed is indicated in separated blocks. At the end
of each chapter several exercises are formulated and pointers to these exercises
appear in the left margin of the main text. Many of these exercises are aimed to
further develop methodological skills and to become familiar with the physical
concepts. New material is introduced in only a few of these exercises. Solutions
to the exercises are available at the website of the book at
http://www.phys.uu.nl/∼dijkstra/DO
v