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Introduction

Introduction to Oceanography GEOL 2503 Dr. David Bush University of West Georgia Department of Geosciences. Introduction. Why do we care about the oceans?. Do we care about the oceans?. There is something for everybody!. Why Study the Oceans?. Scientific curiosity Travel Commerce

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Introduction

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  1. Introduction to Oceanography GEOL 2503 Dr. David BushUniversity of West GeorgiaDepartment of Geosciences Introduction

  2. Why do we care about the oceans?

  3. Do we care about the oceans?

  4. There is something for everybody!

  5. Why Study the Oceans? • Scientific curiosity • Travel • Commerce • Food • Minerals including salt • Fresh Water • War/Defense

  6. Earth—The Water Planet • Water 71% of Earth surface area • oceans and seas • Land 29% of Earth surface area • includes lakes, streams, rivers • Earth is a water planet but efforts are concentrated on land • Oceanography studies all aspects of oceans

  7. Oceanography includes all aspects of study, but there are four main areas. • Geological Oceanography • Chemical Oceanography • Physical Oceanography • Biological Oceanography

  8. Geological Oceanography • Size and shape of ocean basins • Ages of the sea floor • Ocean rocks versus continental rocks • Sediments that cover the seafloor

  9. Chemical Oceanography • Sea water composition • Extracting useable materials dissolved in seawater • Obtaining fresh water from seawater • Dissolved gases and their exchange between sea and air • Buffer reactions

  10. Physical Oceanography • Water motion—waves, currents, tides • Transmission of energy—sound, heat, light • Water masses • Pressure

  11. Biological Oceanography • Life of the sea • How sea life affects environment • What life needs for optimum development • Food chains • Migration patterns • Habits of food fish, prey, and predators

  12. There are many other areas of Oceanography, including: • Engineering • Meteorology • Ecology

  13. Marine Engineering • Equipment to secure samples 7 miles below ship • Breakwaters, piers, seawalls • Extracting power from energy of waves and tides • Designing submarines and other submersibles • Drilling platforms for oil and gas exploration • Nuclear waste disposal? South Coast of Sicily, Italy. Sea Walls and jetties used to create a harbor. Peter A. Scholle

  14. Oceans and Meteorology • Oceans determine world climatic conditions • Oceans affect local weather • Oceans are dominant factor in heat budget • Oceans are the “flywheel of atmospheric circulation”

  15. A sea otter feeding offshore Southern California. They were hunted almost to extinction, mainly for fur. Marine Ecology • Pollution • Extinction of marine species • Loss of wetlands • Negative environmental impacts

  16. Textbook—not required • An Introduction to the World’s Oceans (tenth edition) • by Sverdrup and Armbrust—published by McGraw-Hill • Not required, but strongly recommended

  17. Syllabus Review • We will quickly review the syllabus in class • Log into the class WebCT site to see the full syllabus • Pay special attention to the class calendar, announcements posted, and emails for important items.

  18. Course Packs • Required • Include all PowerPoint slides • Available in the bookstore

  19. Contacting me • Please email me via CourseDen and not my regular UWG email • Office phone 679-839-4057

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