Presentation

Click on the image to get a presentation of the Dept. (2008)

The Department of Physical Oceanography (DOF-ICM) is one of the four research departments at the Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM, Barcelona), a component of the Mediterranean Centre for Marine and Environmental Research (Centre Mediterrani d'Investigacions Marines i Ambientals, CMIMA) of the Spanish Research Council (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas,CSIC).

Most of the research is being carried out through Spanish National R+D programs, the European Union Framework Program, and the European Space Agency Earth (ESA) observation programs. DOF-ICM has also participated in several technological actions, especially in the development of systems for Lagrangian measurements and computing tools for the acquisition, visualization and analysis of oceanographic data.

RESEARCH AREAS and ACTIVITIES:

Geophysical fluids theory: large-scale circulation boundary currents, thermocline circulation, potential vorticity theorems, beta effect on the vorticity equation, quasigeostrophic and semi-geostrophic balances, Lagrangian/Eulerian/relative flow descriptions, gravity-inertial waves, vertical velocity, instability conditions, diapycnal mixing.

Mesoscale dynamics: frontal regions, vortices, coastal upwelling, baroclinic currents, mixed layers, rotating laboratory models, topographic interaction, submarine canyons, fine structure, particles dispersion, objective data analysis, boundary layers, the coastal transition zone, coastal jets, eastern and western boundary layers, upper and bottom mixed layer.

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Descriptive oceanography: characteristics and evolution of water masses, marine circulation, effect of mesoscale structures on circulation, experimental techniques (oceanographic instrumentation, oceanographic cruises), influence of ocean dynamics on Mediterranean ecosystem, processes in the coastal zone and continental shelf.

Numerical modeling of geophysical fluids: 3D models of mesoscalar processes and inertio-gravitatory waves, OPA regional models, stochastic model of Lagrangian dispersion, shallow water models, modeling of topographic effects, process models.

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Remote sensing of the sea surface salinity: radiometric measurements of oceanic emissivity, surface roughness, algorithms to retrieve geophysical parameters, calibration and validation with in situ and numerical data, spatial and temporal salinity variability, buoy data assimilation, correction of remote salinity measurements, setting a center for upper-level data generation.

Analysis of remote sensing data: multifractal methods for color, temperature and altimetry data, maximum singularity method, estimates of surface velocities, surface velocity probability density function, pattern recognition and tracking, oil spills, algae blooms tracking, data diffusion, large-scale statistical oceanic properties.

Climatic change: thermohaline circulation, deep and intermediate waters, southern ocean, biogeochemical cycles, idealized models of climate change, glacial-interglacial cycles, physiological oceanic characteristics, oceanic metabolic rate.

Interdisciplinary oceanography: physical-biological interaction at different scales, nutrient fluxes, primary production, remineralization, population dynamics, toxic algae, sediment transport, biogeochemical fluxes, otoliths recognition and classification systems.

The department also carries out teaching and training tasks, receiving students for short-term visits (3-6 months) and participating in two master-doctoral programs, one with the Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya and the other with the Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, both with the quality recognition of the Spanish Science and Education Ministry. As part of these programs during the period 2003-2007 the department faculty has supervised six doctoral thesis and four career projects. During this same period the department has hosted five visiting scientists, from the Office of Naval Research, University of Wisconsin and Duke University (USA), Shirshov Institute of Oceanology (Russia) and from Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique (France).

BRIEF HISTORY (under construction)

1949	Marine Biology Section within the Institute of Applied Biology (Prof. F. García del Cid)
1951	Fisheries Research Institute (IIP)
1987	Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM)
1979 - 1994	Research Unit in Oceanography within IIP and later ICM
1994 - 2006	Physical Oceanography Group (GOF) within the Dept. of Marine Geology and Physical Oceanography
01/2007 - Today	Dept. of Physical Oceanography

Agustí Julià (1940-2009)

Agustí was the "instruments man" at ICM for more than forty years, an expert in radiocommunications and a veteran in oceanographic campaigns. He was always at the core of any initiative dealing with designing or improving instrumentation for measurements at sea, and ready to improve his skills to better face the institute technical needs: from going to Bergen to learn about current meters, to Ifremer vessels to be trained in moorings deployment, to DLR to know about ocean remote sensing, or being part of the small group that went to Antarctica to find a site for the first Spanish base there twenty-five years ago. Agustí always take care of our moorings, from designing the architecture to searching for the optimum swivel or chasing train wheels, until being on board to supervise the deployment manoeuvre after making the last security knot. He was involved in SMOS field activities from the very beginning, and was a key person for the success of the WISE campaigns in 2000 and 2001. His last field activity was the deployment of buoys for the SMOS Validation Rehearsal Campaign in April 2008, using the new surface drifters for precise salinity measurements he had contributed to develop and build. He always worked tyrelessly with enthusiasm and incredible optimism, and never said "No" to any request for helping in field work or fixing all kinds of devices. ICM will never be the same without Agustí, and we will miss him for ever.
Physical Oceanography Department

"Dear friends,

We have to regret informing you that today we ost our colleague and friend Agustí, who has been at the forefront of the oceanographic instrumentation activities in our institute for decades. He always worked tyrelessly with enthusiasm and incredible optimism, and never said "No" to any request for helping in field work or fixing all kinds of devices.

We will miss him."

Jordi

"Desde la UTM de Vigo queremos expresar nuestro mas sentido pesame tanto a la familia de Agustin como a sus amigos y compañeros de trabajo."

Saludos
Antonio Muñoz

"me acuerdo muy bien de el, aun pasamos poquito tiempo juntos trabajando con los flotadores alla en Barcelona hace anyos. Me acuerdo de él como de una persona muy carinyosa y amable.
Me da mucha pena esta noticia.

Laura"
Laura Ursella
Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e Geofisica Sperimentale
Trieste, Italia

"we are really saddened to get these news from you. He has been such a wonderful colleague and always ready to help. We will deeply miss him."
Gilles Reverdin,
LOCEAN, Univ. Paris VI, boite 100, 4, place Jussieu, 75252 Paris Cx 05, France

"Hem rebut la notícia a Menorca i estem molt tristos. Justament abans d'ahir vaig trobar-me en José Pozo de l'UTM a l'aeroport de Jerez i li vaig demenar si sabía algo d'en Agustí. També vaig parlar amb ell no fa gaire després de la primera intervenció. ... Vaig comencar al seu costat a l'oceanografía. M'agradaría dir-li adeu. Sis plau digam ont i cuant si fos possible. Una forta abracada,"
Miquel Moll
EMS Sistemas de Monitorización Medio Ambiental, S.L. c/ Teodora Lamadrid, 40 E-08022 Barcelona , Spain

"Estoy muy triste por esta noticia. El poco que he trabajado con Agusti me deja un recuerdo inolvidable y su desaparición debe ser difícil de superar. courage. toute mon amitie",
Antonio
Antonio Lourenço
Laboratoire d'Océanographie Climat et Approches Numeriques
Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris

"I have met Agusti only twice at your institute but very rapidly I have appreciated his kindness and skills. This is a very sad news. Cheers,"
Jacqueline
Jacqueline Boutin
LOCEAN
UPMC - Tour 45-55-5eme etage
Case 100
4, place Jussieu 75252 PARIS Cedex 05 - FRANCE

"envio mis condolencias por la perdida de Agustí, siempre lo recordaremos como una persona muy optimista!
un abrazo
Pepe"
José de Jesús Salas Pérez
Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias.
Universidad Veracruzana.
Km. 7.5 Carretera Tuxpan-Tampico, Col. Universitaria, 92780, Tuxpan-Veracruz, México

"Tot el personal de Repsol de la Base de Tarragona que el coneixiem lamentem profundament la seva perdua. El mes sincer pesam per la seva familia i tots vosaltres.
T'agraïria em fessis saber l'hora de l'enterrament o be la celebracio d'algun acte per tal assistir-hi i fer-vos costat.

Gracies i salutacions."
Oscar Serra
Jefe de Base Tarragona
Repsol-YPF Exploración y Producción

"je te remercie de m'avoir prévenu personnellement. Je suis abasourdi. Quel âge avait-il et de quoi est-il décédé? Je suis persuadé qu'il s'est donné à fond jusqu'au dernier moment. Je garderai sincèrement le souvenir de "quelqu'un de très bien". Je ne connaissais pas sa famille mais, si tu as l'occasion de leur parler au nom de ses collègues, au moins par la pensée, compte-moi parmi ceux qui l'estimaient beaucoup. Il n'y a aucune règle ni justice dans la vie et nous ne sommes vraiment "rien" ... penses toi aussi à en profiter au maximum ...
Je suis vraiment très triste ce soir. "A nos âges", nous allons avoir malheureusement de plus en plus de nouvelles de ce genre; mais celle-là est particulièrement triste parce qu'Agusti était sans doute apprécié de tous.
Je dis souvent aux amis qu'ils faut savoir conjuguer parfaitement le verbe "profiter" à "l'impératif présent" (profite, profitons, profitez) ...
A bientôt pour de meilleures nouvelles j'espère.
Amitiés"

ClaudeClaude Millot
Antenne LOB-COM-CNRS
Base IFREMER
BP 330
Zone Portuaire de Bregaillon,83507 La Seyne-sur-mer, France

"Muchas gracias por avisar. Le echaremos de menos.
Un abrazo"
Simón
Institut Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats
CSIC-UIB
Esporles, Mallorca

"Siento el fallecimiento de vuestro compañero. Por favor transmite mis condolencias a su familia.

Atentamente"
Andrés Borges

SEOSAT Project Manager EADS CASA ESPACIO Avda. Aragón 404, 28022 Madrid (SPAIN)

"Esto si que es un triste noticia.Gracia por comunicarmela Muchos recuerdos y mis padecimiento a su familia y amigos Espero que hay sido suave el despido

Un abrazo"

Christian Ortega
Collecte Localisation Satellites
Toulouse, France

"Ho sento molt.
Una abraçada.
Joan Albert "

Prof. J.A. Sanchez-Cabeza
Head, Radiometrics laboratory International Atomic Agency Marine Environment Laboratory 4, Quai Antoine 1er 98000 Monaco

"Me he quedado de piedra. La verdad. Aunque no estuve mucho tiempo en el ICM, recuerdo a Agusti por su sonrisa y por la ambilidad que todos los dias compartio mientras yo estuve alli. Mucho animo a todos los que habeis compartido tanto tiempo con Agusti. Un abrazo muy fuerte, Jordi.
Laura "

Laura Herraiz Borreguero
Quantitative Marine Science PhD student
CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research And University of Tasmania
GPO Box 1538, Hobart, Tasmania, 7001 Australia

"Lo siento muchísimo. Lo poco que lo conocí fue suficiente para saber que tenía un enorme corazon.

Javier"

Javier Marcello Ruiz
Edificio de Señales y Comunicaciones (ULPGC)
Campus Universitario de Tafira, 35017 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria - SPAIN

"I am very sorry for Agusti.

Manuel."
Dr. Manuel Martin-Neira
ESTEC / TEC-ETP
SMOS Instrument Principal Engineer Keplerlaan 1, Postbus 299, 2200-AG NOORDWIJK, THE NETHERLANDS

"mis condolencias por tan triste pérdida.
Un fuerte abrazo
Alicia"

Alicia Lavín
Instituto Español de Oceanografía
Santander

"mi más sentido pésame a la familia y amigos del Agustí, lo hecharemos de menos.

Un abrazo,
Manolo Espino."

Laboratori d'Enginyeria Marítima Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
Barcelona

"Gracias por tu mensaje, me has hecho recordar toda una epoca pasada. Siento mucho lo de Agusti.
Un fuerte abrazo,
Nuri"
Nuria Barberán
Facultat de Física
Universitat de Barcelona

"Agusti era un hombre por el que yo sentia mucho aprecio y respeto. Le vi por ultima vez el verano pasado y estaba como siempre, en forma, de buen humor y siempre dispuesto a compartir su sabiduria. Que triste noticia.
Esta accesible el email o direccion de su familia para enviarles el pesame? No conozco en absoluto a su familia pero me gustaria contribuir con un granito de arena a reconfortarles, al menos que sepan de una persona mas que ha admirado y va a echar de menos a Agusti Julia.

Saludos,
Jacobo"
Jacobo Martín
International Atomic Agency
Marine Environment Laboratory
Monaco

"Una aferrada forta i sentida ! joaquim"

Joaquim Tintoré
Institut Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats
CSIC-UIB, Esporles, Mallorca

"Muchas gracias por informarnos de la triste noticia del fallecimiento de nuestro compañero Agustí Julià. Era un hombre encantador y siempre sonriente. Recuerdo los buenos momentos pasados juntos en un par de campañas en las que coincidimos.

Un fuerte abrazo,"

Aida F. Ríos
Directora
Instituto de Investigacions Mariñas
CSIC
Vigo

"doncs si que m'en recordo... no recordo la seva cara, però sí l'escena de la patacada.
ànims!
andreu"

Andreu Font
Institut d'Estudis Espacials de Catalunya

"Siempre recordaré la bondad, cercanía, compañerismo, voluntad de ayudar y responsabilidad profesional de este gran compañero y amigo que era Agustí.

Les acompaño en el sentimiento. La pérdida de esta gran persona también nos afecta a muchos de nosotros.

Un abrazo,"

Antonio García-Olivares ICM

"Us envie la meva condolència. L'Agustí era una persona de les que es fan voler des del primer moment i, com dius, molt disposada a ajudar. Ho sent molt,
Raquel"

Dr. Raquel Niclos Mediterranean Centre for Environmental Studies (Centro de Estudios Ambientales del Mediterraneo, CEAM)
14 Charles Darwin (Parc Tecnologic) 46980 PATERNA - Valencia – Spain

"Les meves mes sinceres condolences per l'Agusti alli on sigui, pels seus familiars, i per tots els companys de l'ICM que l'estimaven.

Gran entusiasta i pioner en l'adquisicio de mesures oceanografiques al Mar Mediterrani, l'Agusti sera recordat per la seva HUMILTAT, i grandesa de COR.
SEMPRE ROMANDRAS EN ELS NOSTRES CORS AGUSTI."

Enric Pallàs Sanz
University of California at San Diego California, USA

"Un bon company, sempre amable, atent i somrient, que s'entusiasmava per qualsevol cosa científica i sobretot tecnològica, sempre trobant solucions imaginatives per ajudar en les tasques dels demés. Un home amb esperit de nen. El trobaré a faltar."

Francesc Peters
ICM