The Department of Oceanography, the only one of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa, aims to advance knowledge of all facets of the oceans around Africa and in the Southern Hemisphere. Understanding the impact of our oceans on the atmosphere and ultimately climate change is central to many of the research interests of staff in the department. Emphasis is on the physical environment in the oceans and atmosphere and their interactions. The main focus of the department is on teaching and research in physical oceanography, atmospheric science and climatology in South Africa and elsewhere in Africa.
The Department has research groupings in sea-going observations, satellite marine remote sensing, marine biogeochemistry, the Southern Ocean, the Agulhas Current system and South West Indian Ocean, the Benguela upwelling system, coastal oceanography, numerical modelling, the science underpinning operational oceanography, marine and coastal meteorology, severe weather, and climate change and variability. It hosts the Nansen-Tutu Centre for Marine Environmental Research, the international French-RSA ICEMASA collaboration, and a DST/NRF Chair in coupled ocean-atmosphere modelling.
RESEARCH IN OCEANOGRAPHY AND ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCE Oceanography: Ocean and atmospheric modelling, coastal oceanography, air-sea interaction, shelf dynamics, marine climatology, climate change and variability, marine and coastal meteorology, extreme events, regional oceanography, marine and atmospheric biogeochemistry (Professors C J C Reason and M Rouault, Associate Professors M Vichi, and I J Ansorge, Lecturers Drs S E Fawcett and K Altieri).
Undergraduate Courses
SEA2005S MARINE SYSTEMS 24 NQF credits at HEQSF level 6
Convener: Dr S Fawcett
Course entry requirements: BIO1004F/S or GEO1009F, CEM1000W, SEA2004F
Course outline: Building on the principles of oceanography, this more advanced course will cover the main ocean and atmosphere systems. This includes an introduction to Earth system dynamics and the study of interactions between physical processes and major biogeochemical cycles. The physical forcing and ecosystem responses will be quantitatively illustrated for upwelling systems, oligotrophic systems, coastal systems around South Africa and the Southern Ocean. Emphasis will be on treating the systems in an integrative manner. The course comprises six 2-week modules, which cover the above topics. Methods of data sampling and analysis will be covered in the tutorials and practicals
SEA2005S MARINE SYSTEMS 24 NQF credits at HEQSF level 6
Convener: Dr S Fawcett
Course entry requirements: BIO1004F/S or GEO1009F, CEM1000W, SEA2004F
Course outline: Building on the principles of oceanography, this more advanced course will cover the main ocean and atmosphere systems. This includes an introduction to Earth system dynamics and the study of interactions between physical processes and major biogeochemical cycles. The physical forcing and ecosystem responses will be quantitatively illustrated for upwelling systems, oligotrophic systems, coastal systems around South Africa and the Southern Ocean. Emphasis will be on treating the systems in an integrative manner. The course comprises six 2-week modules, which cover the above topics. Methods of data sampling and analysis will be covered in the tutorials and practicals
SEA3004F OCEAN & ATMOSPHERE DYNAMICS 36 NQF credits at HEQSF level 7
Convener: Associate Professor M Vichi
Course entry requirements: PHY1031F or equivalent, BIO1004S or GEO1009F, CEM1000W, SEA2004F, SEA2005S.
Course outline: The Ocean & Atmosphere dynamics course will begin to specialise in advanced material related to physical oceanography, atmospheric science and climate. These topics will include a quantitative approach to ocean/atmosphere dynamics, theories of circulation and the development of ocean and atmospheric weather systems, coupled ocean/atmosphere processes, interactions and feedbacks with the carbon cycle in the earth system and climate change. Methods of analysis of both observations and model data will be covered in the tutorials and practicals.
ISCED Categories
