Optics is an exciting chapter of pure physics and offers an increasing number of powerful applications to environmental studies, oceanography, or atmospheric science. The course on 'Optics in the Marine Environment' will offer a sound base, working knowledge, and insight into this dynamic field of physics. The course program is structured to provide students with the tools to apply basic optics to a wide variety of challenges in geophysical optics.
The material covered by the course will allow students to understand the physical background of geophysical optical measurements, to learn how to carry out optical measurements, and to design sampling programs (and instrumentation). The student will leave with a thorough understanding of existing optical instrumentation including applications of micro-optical devices (wavefront sensors, binary optical devices) for underwater measurements as well as active remote sensing applications such as lidar.
Some of the topics covered in the course are environmental optical instruments, radiative transfer and some applications, such as optically active layers in the upper ocean, lidar theory, underwater photography and visibility, and underwater communication.
Weekly homework, Mid term and Final exams.
Grades are based on 30% homework, 30% midterm exam, and 40% final exam.
Landau & Lifshitz. Electrodynamics of Continuous
Media, 1984.
Jackson. Classical Electrodynamics, 1998.
Chandrasaker. Radiative Transfer, 1960.
Walker. Marine Light Field Statistics, 1994.
Jerlov, Marine Optics,1976