- Docente: Lorenzo Mentaschi
- Credits: 7
- SSD: GEOS-04/C
- Language: Italian
- Teaching Mode: In-person learning (entirely or partially)
- Campus: Ravenna
- Corso: First cycle degree programme (L) in Environmental Sciences (cod. 8011)
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from Sep 21, 2026 to Dec 09, 2026
Learning outcomes
The course is meant to give the basic knowledge of hydrodynamics and thermodynamics for the ocean and the atmosphere both at the mathematical-physical level and the phenomenological one. The course starts by illustrating the climatological structure of the ocean and the atmosphere, vertical and horizontal, winds and currents, and discussing the radiative balance of the Earth and it ends with fundamental equations for atmospheric and oceanic motion and their useful approximations.
Course contents
- Introduction to the structure of atmosphere and ocean
- Earth's observational systems: satellites, buoys, profiling floats
- Observed state of the ocean and atmosphere
- Mathematical preliminaries: Lagrangian vs Eulerian descriptions
- Radiative balance with exercises
- Equations of motion with gravity and Coriolis force
- Continuity equation with advection-diffusion-reaction processes
- Turbulence fundamentals
- Thermodynamics applied to atmospheric and oceanic contexts
- Weather phenomena: thunderstorms, convection
- Scale analysis techniques
- Climate change
Readings/Bibliography
1) Atmosphere, Ocean and Climate Dynamics: An Introductory Text, 2007
by John Marshall (Author), R. Alan Plumb (Author)
2) Lecture Notes from Pinardi : Note del Corso di struttura dell'Atmosfera e Oceano
3) IPCC AR6 Report
Teaching methods
Frontal lectures and exercises
Assessment methods
The examination consists of a written test followed by an oral defense. The written test includes quantitative exercises (radiative balance, equations of motion with Coriolis force, scale analysis) and conceptual questions on the structure of the coupled atmosphere-ocean system. The oral defense verifies understanding of fundamental physical principles and the ability to connect theory with observation.
Teaching tools
Lecture slides produced by the instructor and supplementary materia (available on e-learning platform)
Office hours
See the website of Lorenzo Mentaschi