OCEAN 421 Tides, Tsunamis, Storm Surges (3) NW

Class web page: https://courses.washington.edu/ocean421

Tides, tsunamis, storm surges - these oceanographic phenomena, some of the most impactful upon our lives, share a common underlying physical mechanism. In this course we explore these processes both as problems in physics and in terms of their environmental and societal impact. We will address topics such as:

- Causes for tides – why tides happen twice a day; why one low tide is lower than the other in Puget Sound; and why tides vary over a month and by the season

- Tides as a source of energy that drives global ocean circulation

- Can tides become a source of renewable energy for humans?

- Why a tsunami can cross the ocean without affecting ships in the middle – but can suddenly become destructive once it reaches the shore

- Potential for predicting and forecasting tsunami

- How a storm such as a hurricane can cause widespread flooding of the coastal region

Class meets in Ocean Teaching Building, Room 211
MWF 1:30 - 2:20 p.m.