This course is designed to be of interest and relevance for all students majoring in Physics, Engineering, Mathematics, or physical streams of marine or climate science, including those enrolled in the Bachelor of Global and Ocean Science program.  It aims to establish fundamental concepts in fluid dynamics, and to apply these concepts to a wide range of practical applications.

The course begins with an overview of the field of fluid mechanics, and description of the physics governing fluid flow.  These physical principles are applied to a number of examples, including waves, stratified flows, convection and fluid instability.  The course includes the dynamics of buoyancy-driven flows, and the effects of planetary rotation, allowing investigation into the circulation of the oceans and the atmosphere.  The physics of the greenhouse effect and ocean-atmosphere coupling, which lead to climate dynamics, are also included.

A course highlight is a series of experiments in the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory.

PHYS3034 Honours Pathway Option

Students taking this option will identify an area of the course syllabus of interest to them and undertake an individual project that extends the material covered in the course. This project should be developed in consultation with the Course Lecturers, and possibilities include completion of a reading project or an additional laboratory experiment and report. Assessment of the project will be undertaken in a manner appropriate to the project (for example, a written report or essay, or a short talk) and agreed to with the students concerned. Students undertaking an HPO project need submit only two (of the four) assignments of their choice in the course, with the project and remaining two assignments worth a total of 20% of the final grade. The assessment weighting for laboratory reports and the final exam will remain the same.

On satisfying the requirements of this course, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Understand a range of fluid flows in terms of the fundamental physical principles and equations that govern them.
2. Understand how common theoretical, laboratory and numerical techniques can be used to investigate fluid flows.
3. Recognise common applications of fluid dynamics concepts in geophysical, environmental and engineering contexts.
4. Develop their problem-solving and physical modelling ability for a range of flows.
5. Develop their ability in technical scientific writing.

Assessment will be based on:

• Four assignments developing problem-solving and modelling skills (20% in total; LO 1-4)
• Technical report on each of the four laboratory experiments, undertaken and subsequently written up as part of a small group typically consisting of 3-4 class members (20% in total; LO 1-5)
• Final examination (60%; LO 1-4)

A total of 24 lectures, 12 interactive tutorials and 12 hours of laboratory work.

Requires PHYS2016, PHYS2017, MATH2305, MATH2306 or MATH2405, or approval from Head of Department.