Introductory Dynamical Oceanography

by Stephen Pond, George L. Pickard, G L Pickard

Book Overview

'Introductory Dynamical Oceanography' 2nd ed provides an introduction to Dynamical Physical Oceanography at a level suitable for senior year undergraduate students in the sciences and for graduate students entering oceanography. It aims to present the basic objectives, procedures and successes and to state some of the present limitations of dynamical oceanography and its relations to descriptive physical oceanography.
The first edition has been thoroughly revised and updated and the new work includes reference to the Practical Salinity Scale 1978, the International Equation of State 1980 and the beta-spiral technique for calculating absolute currents from the density distribution. In addition the description of mixed-layer models has been updated and the chapters on Waves and on Tides have been substantially revised and enlarged, with emphasis on internal waves in the Waves chapter. While the text is self-contained readers are recommended to acquaint themselves with the general aspects of descriptive (synoptic) oceanography in order to be aware of the character of the ocean which the dynamical oceanographer is attempting to explain by referring to Pickard and Emery's 'Descriptive Physical Oceanography' 4th edition.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0750624965
• ISBN13: 9780750624961
• Release Date: January 1983
• Publisher: Butterworth-Heinemann
• Length: 349 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.8" x 8.7"

Customer Reviews

Dynamics 102: Meshes Well with Descriptive 101

Pickard & Pond (1983) is a textbook suitable for use in college courses for upper division undergraduate and beginning graduate students. It serves well as the second textbook on dynamics in a two-course sequence with description first, then dynamics. It also is suitable as a stand-alone textbook for a first introduction to dynamic physical oceanography. Its existence in print for 26 years is a measure of how well its authors have worked out explanations and weeded out errors. Single-course introductions to physical oceanography need textbooks like Knauss (2005) with a mix of descriptive and dynamic approaches. Because it avoids descriptive approaches, Pickard & Pond (1983) does not compete with Knauss (2005). Pickard & Pond (1983) based on dynamics also does not compete with Pickard and Emery (1990) based on description. Some users might believe that Pickard & Pond (1983) competes directly with Mellor (2008). Others might believe that Mellor (2008) has some material on the level of Pickard & Pond (1983) and some on the next level upward. To compare Pickard & Pond (1983) with other physical oceanography textbooks, see my reviews of Introduction to Physical Oceanography by Knauss (2005), Introduction to Physical Oceanography by Mellor (2008) and Descriptive Physical Oceanography by Pickard and Emery (1990).