Ocean physics is of fundamental importance to our understanding of the environment and its dynamical behavior. In particular, global change and global warming are strongly affected by the oceans and their currents. My work focuses on the movement of fluids within the ocean and its relationship to the interaction with the atmosphere above. I use observations, mathematical methods, and imagination in order to achieve an understanding of these processes. Recent efforts have addressed oceanic processes in the South Atlantic, the Sea of Japan, the Red Sea, the western equatorial Pacific, and the Indonesian passages.
Students will be encouraged to choose processes according to their particular interests, use advanced computation techniques, achieve a thorough understanding of the chosen processes and develop their own style of addressing problems. Our research is supported mainly by the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
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Locations representing recent work are marked in the map below:
![World Map World Map](graphics/Worldmap-larger.jpg)
An example of a recent research problem is that of eddies generated by a subcritical bottom slope (see movie on left). Upstream, the bottom has a strong enough slope to sustain a continuous unbroken current (i.e., the slope is supercritical). In the region between 0 and 200 kilometers the slope is reduced to a subcritical value so the current can only exist there as a chain of eddies. Farther downstream, the slope returns to the high supercritical upstream values so the eddies merge and form a continuous current similar to the upstream flow. This may take a minute to load.
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What appears like a hurricane is actually an ocean eddy about 20 kilometers in radius. The spirals are ice bands. The photo was taken from an airplane flying over the Sea of Okhotsk (from Wakasutchi and Ohshima 1990, Journal of Physical Oceanography).
Please explore our research portion of the site. If you need any assistance feel free to contact us.
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How to teach Oceanographic in German?
Posted on 15 April 2024
For instance, concepts like "density" may be described by technical terms in German or Norwegian but are intuitive in English. In German, terms like "Dichte" or "tetthet" aren't commonly used in everyday language and require explanation, especially in subjects like oceanography. To help students grasp the concept, I often demonstrate density through experiments, such as how soda cans with the same volume can sink or float depending on their contents.
An online German tutor can be crucial in helping students understand oceanographic topics, even if the tutor is not a specialist in the field. By providing language support and clarification in German, the tutor can assist students in comprehending technical terms and concepts that may be challenging to grasp in a foreign language. Additionally, the tutor can offer explanations tailored to the student's level of proficiency, breaking down complex topics into more digestible segments and facilitating discussions to reinforce understanding. Through personalized guidance and encouragement, an online German tutor can empower students to engage confidently with oceanographic material and achieve academic success.
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