Physical Oceanography Division

Graduate Faculty:Eric FiringPierre FlamentRudolf KloosterzielRoger LukasDoug LutherLorenz MagaardJay McCreary (IPRC)Margaret McManusMark MerrifieldPeter MullerBrian Powell (welcome!)Bo QiuKelvin Richards (IPRC)Niklas Schneider (IPRC)Axel Timmerman (IPRC)

PhD-level researchers (non-IPRC):Jerome AucanGlenn CarterJulia Hummon

Many IPRC researchers contribute to PO strength in SOEST.

Presentation topics illustrate the diversity, but are weighted towards observations, modeling, and operational activities.

Peter Muller: Towards a statistical mechanical model of the climate systemBo Qiu: Mesoscale observations, present and futureMargaret McManus: Regional Coastal Ocean Observing System (RCOOS) developmentDoug Luther: Observatories, global-scale observing systems; future directions and opportunitiesKelvin Richards and Brian Powell: Regional and process modelingRoger Lukas: PO graduate student recruiting and education

The topics are interrelated.

The health of the enterprise requiresdiversity and balance, within and among individuals:

among observations, theory, and modeling;among “small science”, “big science”, and operational activities;

and among research, teaching, and service.

Applying oceanography requires understanding ofocean processes, starting from solid theoreticalunderpinnings.

Observing systems (satellite altimetry) andtechnologies developed for observing systems (ARGO)contribute to classical process-oriented studies; andthey will be able to contribute even more in the future.

An increase in what we might call operationaloceanography is occurring, and the question is what role wewant to play. It would be unwise as well as unpalatable forus to abandon our interests and activities in basic researchwhile jumping on the observation system bandwagon. We needto foster the development of scientifically and economicallysound observing systems--but much of the administrative andoperational implementation should be delegated to those moreskilled in these activities.

In parallel with the development of regional observingsystems is the growth of larger-scale and global observingsystems, usually with a strong emphasis on climate.Satellite remote sensing systems and the ARGO programare obvious examples; cabled ocean observatories areanother. These systems require centers of expertise inoperation, data processing, and analysis; SOEST can become amajor locus of such centers.

Progress in numerical modeling largely involves aninward movement to smaller spatial and shorter temporalscales, and an outward movement to include coupling amongthe ocean, atmosphere, and land, and among physical,chemical, and biological processes. Modeling on theregional scale is at the forefront because it can includeboth of these movements by resolving sub-mesoscalephysics, biology, and ocean-atmosphere interaction.

We need to more effectively recruit top students to learnthe full range of skills required for future professions inoceanography, from the nuts-and-bolts operation ofobservation and modeling systems to curiosity-drivenresearch into how the ocean works and interacts with theatmosphere. Such recruiting, and the education that mustfollow, requires improved public relations--to make brightstudents aware of the opportunities--combined with newcurricular tracks directed toward the needs of theprofession for the next few decades. Examples include aclimate track in collaboration with meteorology, andoperational tracks for the observational and modelingsegments of observing systems.