In this course we will learn about the physical forces on Earth that cause ocean 
motion and the geological forces that determine the ocean basin and coastal 
morphologies. This course will provide the student with the necessary skills to 
carry out mathematical calculations while understanding their limitations, and thus 
giving a physical interpretation of the solutions obtained. Students will use real-
time observed data obtained from a number of sources to examine a specific feature 
of interest and present their results to the class and in a project report.

We will examine the ocean and atmosphere as a coupled system driven by energy from 
the Sun and how plate movements influence ocean circulation.  Atmospheric 
circulation creates the global ocean wind-driven surface currents and coupled 
atmosphere-ocean processes create anomalies like El Nino.  Deep ocean currents, 
driven by density and meridional overturning circulation, further regulate climate 
on Earth.  We will also discover how waves are a mechanism that transports 
information from one point to another point on Earth.  We will then examine how the 
Earth/Moon/Sun system causes large bodies of water to rise and fall as tides.  

We will discuss origins and movement of marine sediments, and once we understand the 
modern ocean, we use this knowledge on basic principles of marine geology to infer 
ocean and climate changes over geologic time. We will address how sediments can 
serve as archives of past climatic conditions, the causes of ice ages, how plate 
movement influences ocean circulation and climate, explore long-term planetary 
evolution, and discuss the impacts of human activities on future oceans and climate.

Solar input and the solar constant
Atmospheric Heat fluxes and the heat balance
Earth’s Rotation/Coriolis Force
Atmospheric Processes - the Global Winds
Wind driven circulation I - Ekman transport and Geostrophic flow
Wind driven circulation II - Gulf stream and conservation of potential
			     vorticity
El Nino Southern Oscillation
Global Meridional Overturning Circulation
Hydrothermal Circulation
Waves I - wind generated surface gravity waves
Waves II - internal, Kelvin and Rossby waves
Tides I - equilibrium theory
Tides II - dynamic theory
Coastal oceanography
Coastal features: estuaries, beaches, shores
Marine Sediments: transport
Marine Sediments: sources and sinks
Rocks and the rock record Geologic time
Ice Ages and the Ocean
Causes of ice ages
Plate tectonics- the data
Plate tectonics – the theory
Sea level changes
Plates, Circulation, & Climate
Climate Cycles
Planetary Evolution
Links to global carbon cycle
Box models of the carbon cycle
Class presentations

It is the student's responsibility to be familiar with the Univeristy of Georgia's
policy on academic honesty as published in the booklet "A Culture of Honesty: 
Policies and Procedures on Academic Honesty."  Evidence of academic dishonesty will
be turned over to the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs for
consideration and possible action. The minimum penalty for a student found guilty of
academic dishonesty is a grade of "F" in the course and a note on the student's
transcript.  There have been several changes in the academic honesty policy at UGA. 
This information is available on-line at [http://www.uga.edu/~vpaa].  Click on the
UGA Academic Honesty Policy statement.