Research | Physical Oceanography

Work to understand the the dynamics of the oceans, their physical properties, and how water moves within them.

Physical oceanographers seek to understand the physical processes that govern the circulation of the ocean and the coupled atmosphere-ocean system. Research at GSO includes satellite remote sensing; computer modeling of atmosphere and ocean processes; laboratory modeling of geophysical fluid dynamics; observational studies in air-sea interaction, mixing processes, or large-scale circulation — often using unique instruments developed at the University; and more.

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Research

Lab	People	Themes
Dynamics of Ocean Currents and Fronts	Kathy Donohue Randy Watts	The group’s aim is to understand the physics of large- and meso-scale varying currents and associated fronts in oceanic temperature and salinity fields, including meanders, rings and eddies.
Air-Sea Interaction Research Group	Tetsu Hara Isaac Ginis	The group’s research interests focus on air-sea interaction processes, including ocean surface waves, near surface atmospheric turbulence, upper ocean turbulence and mixing.
Hurricane Modeling Group	Isaac Ginis Tetsu Hara	The group’s research interests focus on the structure, variability, and dynamics of the coupled ocean-atmosphere system from small to large space and time scales.
Ocean Circulation and Biogeochemistry Lab	Jaime Palter	The lab studies ocean circulation in order to understand the cycling of  carbon, oxygen, nutrients, and the ocean’s role in climate.
Surf Lab (SURFace Processes Lab)	Nick Pizzo	The lab uses a combination of theory, numerics, laboratory and field techniques to learn more about the physics of our oceans and atmosphere, as well as their coupling
Omand Lab	Melissa Omand	The lab group studies the physical movement of organic carbon in the ocean. We specialize in situ imagine and optical proxies from autonomous platforms.

Researchers