Scribd
Upload
515 views33 pages

Oceanography Lecture 1

This course provides an overview of oceanography, emphasizing the interrelationships between subdisciplines of ocean science. It establishes a foundation for understanding environmental issues related to oceans, climate, and coastal zones. Oceanography involves the study of all aspects of the oceans, including marine life, currents, waves, sediments, geology and more. The oceans cover most of the Earth's surface and influence weather and climate. Studying the oceans helps us understand marine resources and ecosystems as well as the ocean's role in climate. Oceanographic research involves biological, chemical, geological and physical subdisciplines.

Uploaded by

gene roy hernandez
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
515 views33 pages

Oceanography Lecture 1

This course provides an overview of oceanography, emphasizing the interrelationships between subdisciplines of ocean science. It establishes a foundation for understanding environmental issues related to oceans, climate, and coastal zones. Oceanography involves the study of all aspects of the oceans, including marine life, currents, waves, sediments, geology and more. The oceans cover most of the Earth's surface and influence weather and climate. Studying the oceans helps us understand marine resources and ecosystems as well as the ocean's role in climate. Oceanographic research involves biological, chemical, geological and physical subdisciplines.

Uploaded by

gene roy hernandez
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 33

Oceanography

OCEANOG
Course Description
This course presents the overview of the ocean environment with emphasis on
the interrelationship of sub disciplines of ocean sciences.
This course will also create foundation needed to be intelligently participating
in important societal discussions that involve environmental issues touching
on oceans, climate and coastal zones needed in dealing with the diversified
world of Cruise Line Industry and other sea-based and port-based cruise
experiences.

3
What is OCEANOGRAPHY?

4
Oceanography is the study of all
aspects of the ocean.

Oceanography covers a wide


range of topics, from marine life
and ecosystems to currents and
waves, the movement of
sediments, and seafloor geology.

5
Why study the
ocean???

6
“The Ocean is everything I want
to be. Beautiful, Mysterious,
wild and free”

7
About 71% of Earth’s surface is
covered by oceans. Land is only 29%
of the earth’s surface.
If the earth were flat, the oceans would
cover it to a depth of 2440 meters! (~
1.7 miles)

8
9
Properties of
Ocean Water

13
A. Composition of Ocean Water
1. H2O is 96.5 %
2. other elements is 3.5%
3. salinity – dissolved salt content of a body of water
B. Temperature of Ocean Water
1. as temperature increases, density decreases
2. surface temperature – from 2OC (Arctic) to 28OC (equator)
3. subsurface temperature – from 1OC to 3OC
4. thermo cline – zone where there is a sharp difference in temperature
between surface and deeper water.

14
C. Pressure – pressure increases as the ocean depths
increases

D. Color – natural color is blue, but can be affected by


pollutants or microscopic plants

15
Oceans

a continuous body of salt water that


covers approximately 70% of the
Earth
A. PACIFIC – the largest, deepest, covers 1/3 of the
Earth’s surface, contains approximately ½ of the
Earth’s water.

B. ATLANTIC – second largest, contains Mediterranean,


Caribbean and North Seas, shallower than Pacific and
Indian
C. INDIAN - deeper than the Atlantic,
shallower than the Pacific

D. ARCTIC – surrounds the


geographic North Pole
20
We study the ocean for the following reasons…

• The ocean has a vast amount of living space that we know little about.
What lives there and how do these organisms interact? How are they
adapted to their environment?
We also study the ocean for the following reasons…

• Past climate research (paleoclimates) –


Cores
• The ocean’s influence on weather and
climate.
(CO2 (1/3 of all emissions) absorption, El Nino,
hurricanes)
• There are many minerals in the sea.

(Manganese nodules, oil drilling platforms,


etc…)

24
25
We also study the ocean for the following reasons…

• Human use of the ocean.


• Fisheries, causes of fluctuations in resources, influence
of commercial & sport fishing. Fin & shellfish etc…
Aquaculture – Salmon, Mussels, etc…
• Carrageenan from macroalgae: source of Food.
• Drugs from marine organisms.
Oceanographic Research is generally
broken up into sub-disciplines

28
Biological: Ocean life from microbes to whales. How they interact with
physical & chemical & geological features. Pollutant effects. Aquaculture,
fisheries, etc…

Chemical: Trace metals, salts, gases, pollutants, distributions,


transformations.

Geological: Plate tectonics, sedimentation, volcanism.

Physical: Currents & atmospheric interactions deep & surface currents, rate
of flow. Waves & tides. Prediction of future changes.
29
all – hot topics cross
disciplines

30
Biogeochemistry – nutrient & chemical
transformations and cycles over time
Geophysics – seismology, paleomagnetics,
plate tectonics
Biocomplexity – ecology in the face of chemical
& physical constraints
Marine genomics & proteomics – census of
marine life; diversity
Other areas of interest
× Archaeology
× Law of the sea
× Rules of navigation
× Ocean engineering
× Resource management
Thank you for listening

A PPT Presentation by:

Gene Roy P. Hernandez

You might also like