Math 2.0

Geophysics Definition

Physical oceanography

Builds on Navier–Stokes equationsCoriolis forceWater waves

Definition

Physical oceanography is the study of the ocean as a physical system. Its objects of study are:

  1. the distribution of temperature, salinity and density in the ocean;
  2. the motions of sea water at all scales, from the general circulation and its currents to waves, tides and turbulent mixing;
  3. the exchanges of momentum, heat and fresh water between the ocean, the atmosphere and the sea ice.

The motions are modelled by the Navier–Stokes equations in a frame rotating with the Earth, with the Coriolis force and gravity. An equation of state gives the density of sea water.

Remarks

Example: explaining why the strongest currents of the subtropical gyres lie at the western side of the ocean basins is a problem of physical oceanography, under clause 2. Non-example: the study of plankton populations belongs to biological oceanography, since it concerns living organisms rather than the physical state of the water. Physical oceanography is often divided into descriptive oceanography, which maps the observed state, and dynamical oceanography, which explains it with the equations of motion.

Reading path

To understand this page from the ground up, read these 29 pages in order. The foundations come first.

Show the path as a graph
Cross product, concept, no evidence levelCross productconceptDerivative, concept, no evidence levelDerivativeconceptEuclidean space, object, no evidence levelEuclidean spaceobjectEuclidean vector, concept, no evidence levelEuclidean vectorconceptIdentity matrix, object, no evidence levelIdentity matrixobjectMatrix, definition, no evidence levelMatrixdefinitionNavier–Stokes equations, concept, no evidence levelNavier–Stokes equatio…conceptOrdinary differential equation, concept, no evidence levelOrdinary differential…conceptVector space, definition, no evidence levelVector spacedefinitionWater waves, concept, no evidence levelWater wavesconceptVelocity, concept, no evidence levelVelocityconceptClassical mechanics, concept, no evidence levelClassical mechanicsconceptSquare matrix, definition, no evidence levelSquare matrixdefinitionTranspose, definition, no evidence levelTransposedefinitionLinear map, definition, no evidence levelLinear mapdefinitionMomentum, concept, no evidence levelMomentumconceptInertial frame of reference, concept, no evidence levelInertial frame of ref…conceptOrthogonal matrix, definition, no evidence levelOrthogonal matrixdefinitionMultilinear map, definition, no evidence levelMultilinear mapdefinitionNewton's laws of motion, statement, no evidence levelNewton's laws of moti…statementOrthogonal group, object, no evidence levelOrthogonal groupobjectAlternating multilinear map, definition, no evidence levelAlternating multiline…definitionDeterminant, definition, no evidence levelDeterminantdefinitionSpecial orthogonal group, object, no evidence levelSpecial orthogonal gr…objectAngular velocity, concept, no evidence levelAngular velocityconceptRotating reference frame, concept, no evidence levelRotating reference fr…conceptFictitious force, concept, no evidence levelFictitious forceconceptCoriolis force, concept, no evidence levelCoriolis forceconceptPhysical oceanography, definition, no evidence levelPhysical oceanographydefinition
Each page uses the pages above it. The colour of the bar on a box shows how strong the evidence is, and the box also gives it as text. The list has the same pages.
  • no evidence level
  1. Cross product concept
  2. Derivative concept
  3. Euclidean space object
  4. Euclidean vector concept
  5. Identity matrix object
  6. Matrix definition
  7. Navier–Stokes equations concept
  8. Ordinary differential equation concept
  9. Vector space definition
  10. Water waves concept
  11. Velocity concept
  12. Classical mechanics concept
  13. Square matrix definition
  14. Transpose definition
  15. Linear map definition
  16. Momentum concept
  17. Inertial frame of reference concept
  18. Orthogonal matrix definition
  19. Multilinear map definition
  20. Newton's laws of motion statement
  21. Orthogonal group object
  22. Alternating multilinear map definition
  23. Determinant definition
  24. Special orthogonal group object
  25. Angular velocity concept
  26. Rotating reference frame concept
  27. Fictitious force concept
  28. Coriolis force concept
  29. Physical oceanography definition

Further reading

  1. Web https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_oceanography
About this page
Tag3CR5H114BR
URIm2://3CR5H114BR
Kinddefinition
WritingW0 stub
MSC86A05, 76U05
DefinesPhysical oceanography
UsesNavier–Stokes equations, Coriolis force, Water waves
Changed3 November 2026

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