The Physics of Oceans and Atmospheres (POA) research discipline contains two core subdisciplines: Physical oceanography and atmospheric sciences.
Teaching and Research Faculty
Andrea Allan, Jack Barth, Jesse Cusack, Simon de Szoeke, Edward Dever, Melanie Fewings, Jonathan Fram, Amrapalli Garanaik, Jessica Garwood, Jennifer Hutchings, Andrea Jenney, Mike Kosro, Jim Lerczak, Ricardo Matano, Phil Mote, Jonathan Nash, Larry O'Neill, Tuba Özkan-Haller, Brodie Pearson, David Rupp, Roger Samelson, Andreas Schmittner, Kipp Shearman, Karen Shell, Emily Shroyer, Nick Siler, Eric Skyllingstad, Yvette Spitz, Justin Wettstein, Greg Wilson, Ed Zaron, Seth Zippel
POA Email Lists
Go to the CEOAS Email Lists Box Note and search for "poa" using Ctrl-F (Windows, Linux, Chrome OS), ⌘-F (Mac), or tap (upload) then Find on Page (phone or tablet).
Physics of Oceans and Atmospheres Seminar Series
Tuesdays from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in Burt 193 (except where noted)
Winter Term 2025
POA seminars will be held on Tuesdays at 3:30 PM in Burt 193. If you would like to present, are hosting a visitor, know someone who might be interested, or have speaker suggestions, please contact Mareike Koerner, who is organizing this term's POA seminars. Also welcome are suggestions for non-OSU visiting speakers. POA discipline seminar funds are available to provide partial travel support for external visitors if needed.
- January 14 – Jonathan Nash, Why we observe: New perspectives in ice melt dynamics through in-situ observation at the glacier ice-ocean interface
- January 21 – Roger Samelson, Model estimates of global surface wind and wave drift: work in progress
- February 11 – Matthew Noto
Human-Centered Design (HCD) Implementation Through Autos Framework Application in Marine Technology Development for The Oregon Dungeness Crab Fishery
Abstract: High-resolution measurements in nearshore environments are necessary to monitor the impacts of climate change on local ocean conditions and their implications for local communities. To enhance the spatial and temporal resolution of these measurements, collaborative efforts with fishers present a valuable opportunity that requires user-friendly technology. Utilizing fishing vessels as platforms for oceanographic data collection offers a cost-effective and consistent means of gathering large quantities of data, complementing traditional methods. However, recruitment of participants can be challenging. On the coast of Oregon, several Dungeness crab fishers have collaborated with academic scientists to collect dissolved oxygen measurements, but the program's expansion requires the successful engagement of additional partners. This project seeks to improve technology uptake by testing a user-centered design framework to strengthen sensor prototypes. By incorporating feedback from scientists and fishers, the project aims to enhance the utility of the sensors for diverse applications, including scientific research and the crabbers’ operational practices. We hypothesized that improving the sensors’ functionality for both groups would lead to increased participation from crabbers and scientists in deploying the sensors. The resulting framework is a practical guide for designers and scientists to gather and integrate user feedback effectively. This approach is particularly valuable in citizen science initiatives where the technology developers are often removed from direct engagement with key user groups during the design process. By bridging this gap, the framework can help maximize the adoption and utility of ocean sensing technologies in collaborative data collection efforts.
- February 18 – Mareike Körner
Symmetric Instability ventilates Low-Oxygen Bottom Water at a bottom attached front
Abstract: Submesoscale dynamics play a key role in the oceanic energy cycle and drive material transport that shapes marine ecosystems. In this study, we present observational evidence of symmetric instabilities (SI) at the Mississippi River Plume front. The data was collected during the Submesoscales Under Near-Resonant Inertial Shear Experiment (SUNRISE), a project focused on exploring the interactions between wind-driven near-inertial oscillations, internal waves, and submesoscale dynamics in the energetically rich environment of the northern Gulf of Mexico. The observed SI occur during a transition from downwelling to upwelling winds. Downwelling winds initially push the front onshore. These winds introduce negative potential vorticity (PV), destabilizing the front with respect to submesoscale instabilities. Weak stratification and high mixing rates accompany the downwelling winds. Alternating bands of velocity and tracers suggest active SI during this period. As the winds weaken and shift to upwelling conditions, the system restratifies, yet the banded structures persist for about 36 hours. The instabilities are supported by negative PV input from the bottom boundary layer on the shoreward side of the front. The velocity bands associated with SI transport heat and oxygen along the sloping isopycnals, providing a pathway for exchange between surface and bottom waters. After approximately 36 hours, increasing upwelling winds cause the surface front to move offshore, leading to strong upper ocean stratification.These findings highlight SI as a mechanism for ventilating the bottom boundary layer, with potential impact for heat flux and oxygen transport even in the absence of direct wind forcing.
Zoom link
- February 25 – Speaker TBA, Title TBA
- March 4 – Seth Zippel, Title TBA
- March 11 – Jay Austin, Title TBA
- March 18 – Jinliang Liu, Title TBA