Coastal Processes

Prerequisites: MAS 601 Minimum Grade of C. MAS 601 can be taken concurrently with this course.

The coastal ocean has a physical regime that is distinct from that of the open ocean. This physical regime contributes to disproportionally high levels of ecological productivity associated with these areas. Because of the often close coupling of physical and biogeochemical processes in the costal ocean, the solutions to the problem facing these ecosystems typically require interdisciplinary perspectives. The objective of the course is to introduce the main physical processes and fisheries in the coastal ocean. The course will provide an overview of the physics operating in the coastal ocean and link the physical forcings to biogeochemical processes and ecosystem function. The course will cover topics from shelf break-open ocean interactions to the fundamental processes operation in estuarine environments. The end goal is for graduate students to acquire a fundamental understanding of the physical mechanisms driving the circulation and the associated hydrographic properties in the coastal ocean and how those physical phenomena link to biogeochemical processes.