Al Sabri, Mohamed

OCN3411
Physical Oceanography Lab
Lab Project 1
Due: September 19th

Please type written responses to the questions and attach written

responses where required. Most of this information should be able
to be found in your textbooks, if you have to look elsewhere please
cite your sources (Wikipedia is NOT an acceptable source). The
assignment will be collected at the beginning of class on September
19th, late work will not be accepted. If you have any questions
please email me at trotkiske2011@my.fit.edu .

Al Sabri, Mohamed

Properties of Seawater 25 points

What are the three properties of seawater of interest to Physical
Oceanographers? (5 points)
Density
Temperature
Salinity

Write the Equation of State for seawater and identify its terms. (5
points)

0 a T T0 b S S 0 k p

Average density and it can be calculated using a consistent value of

0 1027 kg.m 3
density for seawater

with average seawater temperature

100C, and the salinity is S0 35 psu.

Where

a
b

kg.m 3
0.15

per degree Celsius

kg.m 3
0.78

per part per thousand salinity

4.5 10 3 kg.m 3
per decibar

Explain three of the consequences of the oceans stratification. (15

points)
Vertical Mixing: Strong winds at the surface can mix a stratified surface
layer. It can be defined as the work required to mix a stratified column of

Al Sabri, Mohamed

water resulting in increasing the potential energy. The less stratified the
column, the greater the potential energy.
Horizontal Mixing: the less work is required to mix along isopycnals than
across them. Horizontal movement along isopycnals is an ideal fluid and it
requires no energy. Ideal fluid is one with no viscosity.
Stratification as a source of kinetic energy: The variation in the degree
stratification along the ocean is a potential source of kinetic energy.

Define the following terms with units if necessary, along with an

example of each. Describe how it is measured if applicable or how it
is calculated. Use diagrams or sketches if needed. (15 points)
Mixed Layer
Thermocline

Isopycnals
Isohalines

Salinity

Hydrostatic Pressure

Density

Horizontal Pressure
Gradient
Viscosity

Conductivity

Wind-driven Current
Thermohaline
Circulation
Western Boundary
Current
Residence Time

Mixed layer: its a surface layer with tens of meters thick where the surface
winds usually play an important role in keeping the water well mixed and
maintaining a nearly isothermal condition.

Al Sabri, Mohamed

Thermocline: it a region right below the mixed layer and it has a rapid
changing in temperature. For a supportive diagram, see figure1.1 in the
Intro. to Phys. Ocn. Book.
Salinity: its the total amount of dissolved non-organic and non-volatile
material in seawater per thousand, grams of salt per kilogram of salt water.
Measured by CTDs (Conductivity, Temperature, and Depth)
Density: its defined as mass per unit of volume, and the seawater density
can be determined by its temperature, salinity, and depth. Basically its the
effect of hydrostatic pressure to which it is subjected. Measured or calculated
using the info collected via CTDs (Conductivity, Temperature, and Depth)
Conductivity: Conductivity is a measure of how well a solution conducts
electricity. Conductivity is also directly related to salinity, which is the
concentration of salt and other inorganic compounds in seawater. Measured
by CTDs (Conductivity, Temperature, and Depth)
Isopycnals: They are theoretical lines of constant density

Isohalines: lines are connecting points of equal salinity in the ocean

Hydrostatic pressure: The pressure exerted by a fluid at equilibrium at a
P gh

given point within the fluid, due to the force of gravity.

using the hydrostatic equation ( p=g z

or estimated

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Horizontal pressure gradient: its a force exerted in the horizontal

direction due to the pressure difference, and thats due to the differential
heating in the atmosphere. Unit: (pascal=N/m2)
Viscosity: The viscosity of a fluid is a measure of its resistance to gradual
deformation by shear stress or tensile stress. Unit: (kg/m.s)
Wind-driven Current: the mean wind fields over both north and south
Atlantic and Pacific are known by westerlies (winds out of the west) at midlatitude and easterlies at low latitudes. The frictional drag of these winds
imparts a spin to the surface water, clockwise in the Northern hemisphere
and counterclockwise in the southern hemisphere.

Thermohaline Circulation: its the circulation that is determined by

density structure of the ocean. Since the density is of the water is
determined by its temperature and salinity, the oceanographers use the term
thermohaline.
Western boundary current: its the result of the rotation and spherical
shape of the earth on the western sides of the ocean such as the Gulf
Stream, and the Kuroshio.
Residence Time: the time life of any subsidence entering a system until it
leaves it.

Equation of Motion 40 points

Define the following (8 points)
1. Coriolis force: an apparent force that as a result of the earth's
rotation deflects moving objects (as projectiles or air currents) to the
right in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the southern
hemisphere.
2. Friction: the resistance to motion of one object moving relative to
another
3. Equal Potential Surface: Surface with same amount of force or
energy along that surface. For instance, an equal potential surface is
one normal to the gravitational vector. That means, there is no change
in the gravitational potential energy of a particle as it moves along that
surface.

Al Sabri, Mohamed

4. Velocity: a movement along a distance over time and direction as

well.
5. Eulerian Motion: Identify a certain fixed location in the flow field and
follow change in its property as different materials pass through that
location.
6. Lagrangian Motion: Tracking a material of the fluid as it moves, and
monitor the change in its properties.
7. Geostrophic Currents: It is an oceanic flow in which the pressure
gradient force is balanced by the Coriolis Effect.
8. Vorticity: Its a vector quantity and it tells us the tendency of a fluid
particle to rotate or circulate at a particular point. It is mathematically
defined as the curl of velocity. In other words, its the tendency of
rotation.
What are the four major forces acting upon a parcel of water in the
ocean? (4 points)
1234-

Friction
Pressure Gradient Force
Gravity
Coriolis

What are the four forces that balance the acceleration term in the
equation of motion? (4 points)
1234-

Friction
Pressure Gradient Force
Gravity
Coriolis

Write out the full equations of motion in the X, Y, and Z directions in

mathematical terms, identify all the terms. (15 points)

Al Sabri, Mohamed

DV
1
1
P 2 v g Fr
other forces
Dt

z
LHS
Du u u x u y u z

Dt t x t y t z t
Du u
u
u
u

u
v w
Dt t
x
y
z
u
u
u
u
1 p
ax
u
v w

fv Fx (1)
t
x
y
z
x

v
v
v
v
1 p
ay
u v w
fu Fy (2)
t
x
y
z
y
w
w
w
w
1 p
az
u
v
w

g Fz (3)
t
x
y
z
z
Du

Dt
u

Total change in particle acceleration

Local rate of change in acceleration

u
u
u
v w
x
y
z
Advective terms

1 p

Pressure gradient force

fv 2 v
Coriolis force

Fx

Friction

Al Sabri, Mohamed

Explain the Principle of Continuity with a short summary and a

diagram, also write and label the equation. (9 points)
Starting from a Barotropic fluid which defined as a layer with constant
density. The fact that

u
=0
z

and

v
=0
z

in barotropic fluid allows us to

write vertically integrated form of the equation of continuity.

( ux + vy )h+ w + w =0 (1)
h

The water particles must follow along the slope of the interface at the free
surface and the bottom. To simplify, we assume that the surface is flat.
Therefore, there is no vertical velocity at the bottom.

w h=

h h
h
+u
+v
(2)
t
x
y

Combining (1) and (2)

h (hu) (hv )
+
+
=0
t
x
x

Figure 6.1 in Physical Oceanography book

Al Sabri, Mohamed

Dividing the ocean into one with a mean and depth h0 and the perturbation
about the mean
Where

h0

We get
u v
+
+
h=
t x y

Waves 10 points
Define the following terms:
Fetch
Turbulence
Tsunamis
Rossby Waves

Internal Wave
Ripples, Wind Waves, Swell
Gyscopic-gravity Waves
Tides

Fetch: the stronger wind and the longer the distance over a surface of water
for the winds generate waves.
Internal waves: waves are formed along the interface between fluids of the
different densities.
Turbulence: its defined as unsteady movement of fluid usually it is a
secondary motion caused by eddies within a moving fluid.
Tsunamis: one of the most spectacular and devastating of the long-period,
shallow water waves that caused by earthquakes.
Rossby Waves: its a planetary wave whose propagating westward and its
determined by the change of Coriolis parameter with latitude.
Ripples, Wind Waves, Swell: a slow, regular movement of the sea in
rolling waves as a result of an accumulation of fluid.
Gyscopic-gravity Waves: a wave propagated on a liquid surface or in a
fluid through the effects of gravity.

Al Sabri, Mohamed

Tides: its a regular rise and fall in the surface level of a fluid (usually sea or
ocean surface) caused by the gravitational attraction of the moon.

Miscellaneous 10 points
Complete the following table, filling in the MLT dimensions for each
term listed below.
Term
Mass
Length
Time
Velocity
Acceleration
Force
Work
Energy
Power
Heat
Heat Flux
Temperature
Salinity
Pressure
Density
Specific Volume
Stress

Dimension
M
L
T
L/T
L/T2
ML/T2
ML2/T2
M/T2
ML2/T3
ML2/T2
ML2/T3
K
M/M
M/LT2
M/L3
L3/M
M/T2L

Units (m.k.s)
kg
meter
second
Ms-1
Ms-2
Kg.m/s-2 or
Newton
Joule
N.m
Watt
KJoule
W/M2
C or K
g/kg
pa
Kg/m3
m3/Kg
N/m2