OCEANOGRAPHY DEFINED
Biological Oceanography
Biological
Oceanography is concerned with the interactions of populations of marine organisms
with one another and with their physical and chemical environment. Because
these interactions are frequently complex, and because the concepts and techniques
used are drawn from many fields, biological oceanography is of necessity,
interdisciplinary. Knowledge of physical and geological oceanography is pertinent.
Hydra picture, taken by Thomas Bosch, is found at the Cnidaria
Home Page.
Physical Oceanography
Physical
Oceanography is the study of the physical processes in the ocean and the interaction
of the ocean with the atmosphere. Physical oceanographers study currents,
tides, waves, and convection in the deep ocean, along coasts, and in the surf
zone. They also study the heat budget of the ocean including solar heating,
evaporation, infrared radiation into and out of the sea, and the transport
of heat and salt by currents. The goal of their work is to understand and
predict the processes including such important processes as El Niño,
tsunamis, tides, the role of the ocean in climate and the ice ages, and the
influence of the oceans on local climate. In doing their work they often construct
elaborate numerical models of the circulation, and they develop instruments
used on ships and satellites. The following map depicts global sea surface
temperature.
From Texas A&M University's
Physical Oceanography Page.
Geological Oceanography
Geological
Oceanography is the study of the geology of the lands covered by water, just
as geologists have tried to understand the geology of the lands ashore. Marine
geologists compile data about the topography or shape of the ocean floors,
the distribution and type of bottom sediments, the composition and structure
of the underlying rocks, and the geologic processes (plate tectonics theory)
that have been at work throughout the seafloor's history. Using this information,marine
geologists assess the mineral resources of the seafloor, predict the location
of certain hazards, investigate marine geologic processes, and add to our
overall scientific understanding of Earth. The following map depicts the geology
of the seafloor. Areas in red are the areas of most recent formation
From NOAA-National
Geophysical Data Center
Chemical Oceanography
Chemical
Oceanography is the study of chemical processes in the ocean. It includes
the study of the salinity of the ocean: the role of the ocean in global chemical
balances of carbon, nitrogen, and other important atmospheric gases; the fate
of chemicals carried into the ocean by rivers; the carbonate system; chemical
processes influencing biological productivity including nutrients, dissolved
organic matter, and trace elements; hydrothermal vent chemical systems; and
the use of chemical tracers such as tritium and chloroflourocarbons used to
study the ocean's circulation; and the use of chemical isotopes for studying
oceanic processes and dates.
Salinity map produced by the USGS
Revised on: 6 September, 2004
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