OVERVIEW

The course of Introduction course to physical oceanography and oceanographic instrumentation is a prerequisite to the course of physical oceanography and deals with the physical and instrumental bases for oceanographic research and environmental monitoring from a geological point of view. It is indispensable for the
environmental protection and for the planning of coastal and deep sea marine-maritime works.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to provide basic knowledge of physical oceanography and oceanographic instruments; we will develop the issues related to the physical parameters of the water masses, to the waves and currents, and to the ocean circulation. We will also analyze the main oceanographic instruments such as CTDs, XBT and XCTD, current meters “single-point”, ADCPs with its application software, wavemeters and tide gauges, and mooring equipped.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The attendance of the course will provide the student with the basic knowledge of physical oceanography and oceanographic instrumentation with the related application software, knowledge necessary for the course of study that the student has undertaken.

In detail, the Student will be able to:

•      describe and identify the different masses of water and their movements;
•      connect and correlate meteorological and marine phenomena;
•      recognize oceanographic instrumentation and use it at sea;
•      analyze and criticize real case studies;
•      design an oceanographic campaign independently.

PREREQUISITES

To take the exam students must have successfully passed the exams of:

•      Experimental physics;
•      Experimental physics with applications to the system Earth.

TEACHING METHODS

The teaching consists of lectures in the classroom and at sea (on board the nautical vessels), and exercises in the laboratory and at sea (on board the nautical vessels). Since there are planned activities at sea that involve the application of the theoretical and practical knowledge acquired, attendance at classes and exercises, although not mandatory, is strongly recommended.

Lectures in the classroom are delivered through multimedia presentations.

The exercises at sea are aimed at the practical application of the theoretical knowledge acquired during the lectures. Part of the exercises will take place at the Laboratory of Physical Oceanography for the analysis of sea water samples. Subsequently we will proceed to the analysis of the acquired data and to the graphic restitution of the aforesaid data.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The course program includes the presentation and discussion of the following topics:

•      physical parameters of the masses of water;
•      "real and non-real" movements of the masses of water;
•      portable oceanographic instrumentation;
•      real case studies;
•      preparation and participation in an oceanographic campaign.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Course notes and Teacher Powerpoints will be uploaded in AulaWeb.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

MARCO CAPELLO (President)

GABRIELE FERRETTI

DANIELE SPALLAROSSA

LESSONS

LESSONS START

For lesson start and timetable please go to the link http://www.distav.unige.it/ccsgeo/orario-lezioni

Class schedule

INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHY AND OCEANOGRAPHYC INSTRUMENTATION

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam mode consists of an oral test (for each Academic Year several dates are distributed, distributed during the year, outside the lecture period, https://unige.it/off.f/2017/ins/15996.html ? codcla = 8763).

The oral exam consists of answering questions asked by the teacher on topics covered during the course.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The oral exam will focus mainly on the topics covered during the theoretical and practical lessons, and will have the purpose of evaluating if the student has both reached an adequate level of knowledge and acquired the ability to link all theoretical information and apply it to real situations. The property of language and the knowledge of the correct scientific and technical terminology will also be evaluated.

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION

Frequency strongly recommended