Spring 2008 Seminars at IMS
Document Actions
Marine Sciences: Complete Course Listing
051 First Year Seminars (3). The seminars are designed to enable first-year students to work closely with top professors in classes that enroll twenty students or fewer. See the Registrar's Directory of Classes or go on-line to semester listings for specific offerings.
101 The Marine Environment (GEOL 103) (3). Introduction to natural science emphasizing physical, chemical, biological and geological phenomena in oceanic and coastal environments. Human use of, and impact on, marine resources. Open to undergraduate non-science majors (science majors see MASC 401). Fall and Spring. Bruno, Marko, Albert.
223 Coastal Geology of North America (GEOL 223) (3).
Prerequisite, Introductory Geology (GEOL 101, 103, 105, 159, 109, or
111). Introduction to selected coastal regions and their evolution over
historic and geologic time. Case studies focus on impacts of global
change and human activity on estuaries, beaches, salt marshes, and
coral reefs. Lectures and field trip. A&S Physical Science
perspective.
401 Oceanography (BIOL 350, ENVR 417, GEOL 403) (3).
Prerequisites, major in a natural science or at least two college-level
courses in natural sciences. The origin of ocean basins, chemistry and
dynamics of seawater, biological communities and processes, the
sedimentary record, and the history of oceanography. Term paper.
Intended for students with college science background; other students
should see GEOL 103. Three lecture hours a week. Staff.
470 Estuarine and Coastal Marine Science (ENST 222) (4).
Prerequisites, Math 231 and either PHYS 104 or CHEM 101. Introduction
to estuarine and coastal environment: geomorphology, physical
circulation, nutrient loading, primary and secondary production, carbon
and nitrogen cycling, benthic processes, and sedimentation.
Consideration given to human impact on coastal systems with emphasis on
North Carolina estuaries and sounds. Includes a mandatory weekend field
trip and recitation. Fall. Alperin.
504 Biological Oceanography (BIOL 657, ENVR 520) (4).
Prerequisites, BIOL 201 or 475 or permission. Physical, chemical and
biological factors characterizing estuarine and marine environments
emphasizing factors controlling animal and plant populations, including
methods of analysis, sampling, and identification. Four lecture hours
per week plus field trips. Spring. Bruno, Marko.
505 Chemical Oceanography (GEOL 505) (4). Prerequisite, one
semester of physical chemistry or CHEM 480, or permission of
instructor. Variation and abundance of sea water constituents, the
chemical, physical and biological processes contributing to their
distribution as well as problems of dispersion of conservative and
nonconservative substances. Three lecture and two recitation hours a
week. Spring. Martens, Alperin. Arnosti.
506 Physical Oceanography (GEOL 506) (4). Prerequisites, Math
231, 232, PHYS 104, 105, or permission. Descriptive regional
oceanography, equations of motion, the Ekman layer, wind-driven
currents, thermohaline circulation modern observations. waves, tides.
Four lecture hours a week. Fall. Bane, Seim.
705 How to Give a Seminar (1). Discussion of methods and
strategies for giving effective technical presentations. Topics will
include seminar structure, use of visual aids, personal and
professional presentation, and responding to questions.
706 Seminar in Oceanography (1). Discussion of theories and
research concerning ocean systems. Topics will stress the interactions
between physical, chemical, geological, and biological processes in the
sea. Separate sections will be offered at UNC-CH and at the Institute
of Marine Sciences, Morehead City. Fall and Spring. Staff.
411 Oceanic Processes in Environmental Systems (ENST 411, GEOL 403) (4). See ENST 411 description.
415 Environmental Systems Modeling (ENST 415, ENVR 461, GEOL 403) (3). Prerequiisites, MATH 383, PHYS 105 or PHYS 117 (may be taken concurrently), or permission of instructor. Methods for developing explanatory and predictive models of environmental processes are explored. Includes discussion of the relevant scientific modes of analysis, mathematical methods, computational issues and visualization techniques. Two lecture hours and one computer lab hour a week. Spring. Rial, Scotti, Werner.
450 Biogeochemical Processes in Environmental Systems (ENST
450, ENVR 415, GEOL 403) (3). Prerequisites, MATH 231; BIOL 101; CHEM
251 or 261; PHYS 105 or 117; GEOL 111 or GEOL 213; or permission of
instructor. Principles of chemistry, biology and geology are applied to
analysis of the fate and transport of materials in environmental
systems, with an emphasis on those materials that form the most
significant cycles. The course examines these processes in systems that
contain the hydrosphere, lithosphere, atmosphere and biosphere. Three
lecture hours and one lab hour a week. Fall. (alternate years).
Arnosti, Martens.
123 Marine Carbonate Environments (GEOL 434) (4). Prerequisite,
permission of instructor. Chemical and biological origins of calcium
carbonate, skeletal structure and chemomineralogy, breakdown,
preservation, sedimentation, and early diagenesis are studied in a
variety of deep and shallow environmental settings, in order to
understand skeletal genesis, limestone origin and carbonate facies
variability. Field trip to Florida, Bahamas, or Bermuda. Lab exercises;
research report. Three lecture and three laboratory hours a week.
Spring. Alternate years.
430 Coastal Sedimentary Environments (GEOL 430) (3).
Prerequisite, GEOL 56 or permission of instructor. . An introduction to
modern shallow-water classic environments and their sediments,
emphasizing barrier islands, deltas, estuaries, wetlands, and tidal
flats. Includes local field trips and discussion/application of data
collecting techniques. Spring. Alternate years. Staff.
483 Geologic and Oceanographic Applications of Geographical
Information Systems (GEOL 483) (4). Prerequisites, four natural
science courses or permission of instructor. Focus on applying GIS
concepts and techniques to mining and petroleum geology, resource
assessment, hydrogeology, coastal and marine geology, physical
oceanography, engineering geology, and a geologic perspective on land
use.
431 Micropaleontology (GEOL 431) (4). Prerequisite, Invertebrate
Paleontology 132, or Marine Ecology 440, or permission of instructor.
An in-depth study of the biostratigraphy, paleoecology, and taxonomy of
various microfossil groups (i.e., Foraminifera, ostracodes, conodonts,
coccoliths, Radiolaria, diatoms, acritarchs, dinoflagellates, etc.)
dependent upon individual student objectives. Three lecture and three
laboratory hours a week. On demand.
436 Coastal Processes (4) An interdisciplinary description and
analysis of environmental processes that form and maintain coastal
habitats. Coastal aspects of geology, fluid dynamics, chemistry and
biology are considered. Two lectures per week and two coastal
fieldtrips.
449 Ecology of Wetlands (ENVR 432) (4). Prerequisites, 1 year of
biology, 1 year of chemistry, 1 semester of ecology, and permission of
instructor. An introduction to the functioning of freshwater and
estuarine marsh and swamp ecosystems, with emphasis on systems of the
southeastern U.S. Fall. Staff.
472 Barrier Island Ecology and Geology (6). Prerequisite,
courses in general ecology and geology, or permission of instructor. An
integration of barrier island plant and animal ecology within the
context of physical processes and geomorphological change. Emphasis on
management and impact of human interference with natural processes.
Summer. Bruno, Peterson, Wells.
550 Biogeochemical Cycling (GEOL 550) (3). Prerequisites, MASC
(GEOL) 553 or 440 or GEOL510, or ENVR421, or MASC 505, or permission of
instructor. Biogeochemical cycling explores interfaces between marine,
aquatic, atmospheric and geological sciences emphasizing processes
controlling chemical distributions in sediments, fresh and salt water,
the atmosphere, and fluxes between these reservoirs.Fall and Spring.
Arnosti, Martens, Teske.
141 Special Problems in Marine Biology (BIOL 562) (3-6).
Prerequisites, BIOL 657 and permission of instructor. Survey of current
problems and intellectual approaches in any of the following areas:
Marine Ecology (Peterson); Marine Chemical Ecology (Lindquist); Marine
Microbes (Paerl). Hours and credits by prior agreement (with five or
more laboratory and conference hours a week per unit credit). Fall,
Spring, and first or second summer sessions. Offered on demand at the
Institute of Marine Sciences, Morehead City, N.C. Staff of Institute of
Marine Sciences.
551 Biogeochemical Techniques (2). Pre- or corequisite, MASC
505. Introduction to fundamental techniques used in biogeochemical
research including sampling, instrumental, and wet chemical analytical
measurements, use of stable isotopes and rate measurements using
radioactive tracers. Spring. Albert.
552 Organic Geochemistry (GEOL 552) (3) Prerequisites, MASC 505
or CHEM 261, or permission of instructor. Sources, transformations, and
fate of natural organic matter in marine environments. Emphasis on
interplay of chemical, biological, and physical processes which affect
organic matter composition, distribution, and turnover. Fall.
(Alternate years.) Arnosti.
553 Geochemistry (GEOL 512) (3). Prerequisites, GEOL 403 or 111,
CHEM 102, or permission of the instructor. Introduction to the
application of chemical principles to geological problems, with
emphasis on isotopic methods. Spring. Benninger.
440 Marine Ecology (BIOL 462) (3). Prerequisites, BIOL 201 or
475. A survey of ecological and oceanographic processes structuring
marine communities in a broad range of habitats with an emphasis on
experimental approaches to addressing both basic and applied problems
in marine systems. Three lecture hours a week. Fall. Alternate years.
Bruno.
742 Molecular Population Biology (BIOL 752) (4). Prerequisite, BIOL 471 and permission of instructor. Hands-on training, experience, and discussion of the application of molecular genetic tools to questions of ecology, evolution, systematics, and conservation.
442 Marine Biology (BIOL 457) (3). Prerequisites, MASC 101 or
BIOL 101. A survey of plants and animals that live in the sea:
characteristics of marine habitats, organisms, and the ecosystems will
be emphasized. Marine environment, the organisms involved, and the
ecological systems that sustain them. Fall. Moran.
560 Fluid Dynamics (GEOL 560, ENVR 452, PHYS 660) (3).
Prerequisite, Physics 103 or permission. The physical properties of
fluids, kinematics, governing equations, viscous incompressible flow,
vorticity dynamics, boundary layers, irrotational incompressible flow.
Three lecture hours a week. Fall. Scotti.
480 Modeling of Marine and Earth Systems (ENVR 160, GEOL 480)
(1-3). Prerequisite, MATH 232 or permission of the instructor.
Mathematical modeling of the dynamic system, linear and nonlinear. The
fundamental budget equation. Case studies in modeling convective
transport, biogeochemical process, population dynamics. Analytical and
numerical techniques, chaos theory, fractal geometry. Three lecture
hours per week. Spring. Rial, Scotti, Werner.
561 Time Series and Spatial Data Analysis (3). Prerequisites,
differential and integral calculus. Analysis of time series,
one-dimensional spatial series, and two-dimensional spatial series.
Parametric and non-parametric spectralestimation. Harmonic analysis.
Filtering. Objective analysis. Includes computer projects. Three
lecture hours a week. Spring. Alternate years. Seim.
470 Estuarine and Coastal Marine Science (ENST 222) (4).
Prerequisites, MATH 231 and either PHYS 104 or CHEM 101. Introduction
to estuarine and coastal environment: geomorphology, physical
circulation, nutrient loading, primary and secondary production, carbon
and nitrogen cycling, benthic processes, and sedimentation.
Consideration given to human impact on coastal systems with emphasis on
North Carolina estuaries and sounds. Includes a mandatory weekend field
trip and recitation. Fall. Alperin .
562 Turbulent Boundary Layers (2). Prerequisites: MASC 506 or
MASC 560, or permision from instructor. Turbulence and transport in
near-bottom boundary regions. Turbulence and mixing theory in boundary
layers. Field deployment and recovery of turbulence measuring
instruments. Data analysis from turbulence measurements. Alternate
summers. Scotti.
563 Descriptive Physical Oceanography (GEOL 563) (3).
Prerequisites, MASC 506 or permission. Observed structure of the
large-scale and mesoscale ocean circulation and its variability, based
on modern observations. In situ and remote sensing techniques,
hydrographic structure, circulation patterns, ocean-atmosphere
interactions. Three lecture hours a week. Spring. Alternate years.
Bane, Seim.
197 Special Topics in Coastal Studies (Var.). Prerequisites,
science background or permission. Analysis of coastal zone environments
and the processes that control them. Topic selection reflecting faculty
specialization, emphasis on field study. Lecture and laboratory hours
by arrangement. Fall, spring, and summer. Staff.
198 Special Topics in Physical Oceanography (Var.). Topics in
physical oceanography not covered in regularly scheduled courses. Fall,
spring, or summer. Staff.
199 Special Topics in Marine Sciences (Var.). Prerequisites,
science background and permission of instructor. Directed readings,
laboratory and/or field study of marine science topics not covered in
regularly scheduled courses. Lecture and laboratory hours by
arrangement. Fall, spring, or Ssummer. Staff.
215 Marine Mycology (BIOL 215) (6). Prerequisite, BIOL 424.
Structure, development, systematics and ecology of marine fungi. Seven
and one-half lecture and fifteen laboratory or field hours a week,
given on demand at the Institute of Marine Sciences, Morehead City.
Kohlmeyer.
781 Numerical ODE/PDE I (MATH 761, ENVR 761) (3). Single,
multistep methods for ODEs: stability regions, the root condition;
stiff systems, backward difference formulas; two-point BVPs; stability
theory; finite difference methods for linear advection diffusion
equations. Fall. Minion.
782 Numerical ODE/PDE II (MATH 762, ENVR 762) (3). Elliptic
equation methods (finite differences, elements, integral equations);
hyperbolic conservation law methods (Lax-Friedrich, characteristics,
entropy condition, shock tracking/capturing); spectral, pseudo-spectral
methods; particle methods, fast summation, fast multipole/vortex
methods. Spring. Minion.
783 Mathematical Modeling I (MATH 768, ENVR 763) (3).
Nondimensionalization and identification of leading order physical
effects with respect to relevant scales and phenomena; deviation of
classical models of fluid mechanics (lubrication, slender filament,
thin filing, Stokes flow); deviation of weakly nonlinear envelope
equations. Fall. Camassa.
784 Mathematical Modeling II (MATH 769, ENVR 764) (3). Current
models in science and technology: topics ranging from material science
applications (e.g. flow of polymers and LCPs); geophysical applications
(e.g., ocean circulation, quasi-geostrophic models, atmospheric
vortices). Spring. Camassa.
741 Seminar in Marine Biology (2). Discussion of selected
literature in the field of marine biology, ecology, and evolution.
Fall, spring, or summer. Marko, Bruno, Moran.
750 Modeling Diagenetic Processes (3). Prerequisite, MASC 480 or
permission of instructor. An introduction to the theory and application
of modeling biogeochemical processes in sediments. Diagenetic theory,
numerical techniques, and examples of recently developed sediment
models. Three lecture hours a week. Spring. alternate years.
Alperin.
761 Geophysical Fluid Dynamics (3). Prerequisites, MASC 560,
MATH 528, or permission from instructor. Momentum equations in a
rotating reference frame, vorticity, potential vorticity, circulation,
the shallow water model, Rossby and Kelvin waves, the Ekman layer.
Three lecture hours a week. Spring (Alternate years). Bane, Scotti,
Seim.
762 Ocean Circulation Theory (3). Prerequisites, MASC 506, MASC
560, MATH 529, or permission from instructor. Theories, models of large
scale dynamics of ocean circulation. Potential vorticity,
quasi-geostrophy, instabilities. Fall. (Alternate years). Bane, Scotti,
Seim, Werner.
763 Coastal Circulation (3). Prerequisites, MASC 506, MASC 560,
MATH 529, or permission from instructor. Dynamics of the coastal ocean.
Shallow water equations, boundary layer and long wave theory, wind
driven circulation, fronts, estuaries. Fall (Alternate years). Werner,
Luettich, Seim.
764 Ocean Circulation Modeling (3). Prerequisites, MASC 506,
MATH 529, or permission from instructor. Computational methods used in
modeling oceanic circulation. Numerical solution of equations governing
mass, momentum and energy equations. Spring. (Alternate years).
Werner.
765 Small-Scale Physics of the Ocean (3). Prerequisites, MASC
506, MASC 560. Physics of submesoscale processes in the ocean.
Non-equilibrium thermodynamics. Air-sea interaction. Mixing in the
ocean boundary layer, convection, double diffusion. Near-inertial and
high frequency internal waves. Three lecture hours a week. Spring
(Alternate years). Seim, Shay.
256 Seminar in Physical Oceanography (2). Prerequisite, MASC
506. Discussion of selected literature in the field of physical
oceanography. Spring. Staff.
940 Research in Marine Sciences (2 or more).
992 Master's Thesis (3 or more).
994 Doctoral Dissertation (3 or more).
* For additional information on course offerings, please contact the
Department's Academic Program Coordinator Naadii Salaam; telephone:
919-962-1252.