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Waves in the Ocean

This is a course on the kinematics and dynamics of the Waves in the Ocean.
  • The PDF of the course is here
  • Videos of the lectures are available on Nick Hall’s YouTube channel

Introduction
Before starting the course, let's get in the right frame of mind and recall the delightful show of waves coming into the beach.

  • Observing waves at the shore
  • What makes an ocean wave oscillate up and down?
  • Course outline

1. Waves Properties

  • General Properties of Waves
  • Wave Kinematics
  • Group Speed
  • Dispersion relation
  • TD1 questions and solutions
  • Homework 1 and solutions

2. Deep and Shallow Water Surface Gravity Waves

  • Wave Motion
  • General Solution for Surface Wave Amplitude
  • Dispersion Relation for Surface Waves
  • The Surf Zone
  • APPENDIX A: Bernouilli's equation
  • APPENDIX B: Surface gravity wave energy
  • TD2a questions and solutions
  • TD2b questions and solutions
  • Homework 2 and solutions

3. Some Geophysical Waves

  • Gravity Waves from the Shallow Water Equations
  • Inertia Gravity Waves
  • Boundary Kelvin Waves
  • Rossby Waves
  • TD3 questions and solutions
  • Homework 3 and solutions

4. Internal Waves

  • Basic Description and Examples
  • Buoyancy Oscillations
  • Dispersion Relation for Internal Waves
  • Internal Tides and Lee Waves
  • TD4 questions and solutions

5. Tides

  • Introduction
  • Tidal Forces and Semi-Diurnal Periods
  • Lunar Tide: Periods and Amplitudes
  • Lunar and Solar Tides
  • Tides in Ocean Basins
  • TD5 questions and solutions
  • Homework 4 and solutions