Physical oceanography is one of several sub-domains into which oceanography is divided.
Physical oceanography refers to the study of physical conditions and processes within the ocean, especially the motions and physical properties of ocean waters. These include Numerical Modeling (circulation, sea state, dispersion), Remote Sensing (in-situ, satellite), Monitoring (coastal and offshore oceanographic cruises) as well as Climatic changes of the marine system.
Activities
Operational Oceanography
The Center takes advantage of operational oceanography to develop/improve and operate the various components of the monitoring and forecasting systems through the CYCOFOS.
Sea Level Monitoring
The Oceanography Center participates in the MedGLOSS network that aims to provide long term monitoring in the Mediterranean sea on sea level changes, particularly of the sea level rise that may caused by the global warming and the melting of the polar ice.
North East Atlantic Mediterranean Tsunami Warning System
The Oceanography Center is participating in NEAMTWS, an activity of the Intergovernmental Oceanography Commission (IOC), particularly in the Working Group regarding the networking for operational sea level monitoring.
Gliders
Since 2008, the center is equipped with 2 autonomous underwater vehicles – Gliders which contribute greatly to the study of the physical parameters of the water. With these relatively small and very efficient instruments, it is possible to collect many months of high-resolution data from the upper 1000 m of the sea and cover thousands of kilometers on a single set of batteries. Measurements include temperature, salinity, currents, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll, and turbidity. The measurements obtained by the Gliders complement the existing observing programs and numerical modeling of the Levantine Basin carried out by the Center.
Cruises
The Center performs scientific open sea cruises, periodically, in the EEZ of Cyprus in the Levantine Basin.