AOSC421

This course introduces the oceanography of the Chesapeake Bay and Mid-Atlantic bight, with a focus on physical oceanographic processes, the impact of ocean circulation on the coastal and estuarine environment, and the future of our coast in a changing climate. This will include major topics in coastal oceanography such as the shelf circulation, waves and tides, estuarine circulation, and sea-level rise. In addition to lecture, students will read recent selections from the scientific literature, develop a report on an oceanographic issue relevant to Maryland coastal waters, and take part in a research cruise on the Chesapeake Bay.