Objectives:
The course aims to describe circulation and dynamics of the polar oceans, including the Norwegian- and Greenland Sea. The topics are discussed with respect to climatic variations and compared for the Arctic and Antarctic regions.
Content:
The course covers important processes related to thermodynamics of cold seawater, theories for mixing and dense water formation, boundary layers processes, sea ice formation, melting of ice-shelves, and heat budgets for the Arctic and Antarctic Oceans. These processes are related to general climate variability, and to ongoing global warming.
On completion of the course the student should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:
Knowledge
The student
Skills
The student
General competence
The student