Physical Oceanography applies the laws of physics to investigate the structure and dynamics of ocean circulation and water properties, water mass formation, waves, tides, turbulence, and other physical phenomena. We study diverse systems, including estuaries, coastal regions, and the open ocean from the surface to its deepest depths, employing a combination of theoretical approaches, traditional and novel observational techniques, and mathematical and computer modeling. A better understanding of ocean physics is important for many interdisciplinary problems, such as investigating the factors influencing feedback in the climate system, polar heat transport, the global carbon cycle, oceanic and estuarine ecosystems, fish population dynamics, and larval transport.
