Introduction to Oceanography Course Overview PDF

INTRODUCTION TO OCEANOGRAPHY Course Overview  OCEANOGRAPHY Definition - (ocean = the marine environment, graphy = the name of a descriptive science) is literally the description of the marine environment - more accurately called...

INTRODUCTION TO OCEANOGRAPHY Course Overview  OCEANOGRAPHY Definition - (ocean = the marine environment, graphy = the name of a descriptive science) is literally the description of the marine environment - more accurately called the scientific study of all aspects of the marine environment - the integrated multi-disciplinary study of the oceans OCN121  Oceanography Four main disciples the study of the structure of the the study of the chemical composition seafloor and how it has changed and properties of seawater; how to through time; the creation of seafloor Geological Chemical extract certain chemicals from features; and the history of sediments oceanography oceanography seawater and the effects of pollutants deposited on it the study of waves, tides and currents; the study of the various oceanic life the ocean atmosphere relationship that forms and their relationships to one influences weather and climate; and Physical Biological another; adaptations to the marine the transmission of light and sound in oceanography oceanography environment and developing the oceans sustainable methods of harvesting seafood OCN121 Course Overview Oceanography Four main disciples sea floor tectonics dissolved components coastal processes temperature dependence Geological Chemical sediments oceanography oceanography stratification/density chemical hydrologic cycle tracers currents fisheries waves ecological surveys Physical Biological sonar oceanography oceanography microbiology thermal properties of water marine adaptations OCN121 Course Overview Course Overview Course Overview Course Overview OCN121 Course Overview Course Overview OCN121 Course Overview Course Overview Purpose of Laboratory Activity World map & History and Development of Oceanography To be familiar with the world geography which helps explain how things move/behave To have an initial information on what we know about the ocean PHYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHY Part 1 What is Physical Oceanography? - the study of the fluid motions of the ocean; its goal is to understand the processes (and their significance) at all time and space scales, to simulate these processes, and to make predictions OCN121 What do we study in physical oceanography? surface and internal waves large-scale waves affected by earth's air-sea exchanges rotation turbulence and mixin large-scale eddies Acoustics general circulation and its changes heating and cooling coupled ocean-atmosphere dynamics for weather and climate wave and wind-induced currents Tides Tsunamis storm surges OCN121  Some important concepts in oceanography Oceanography is a young science. Everything that was known about the physical oceans could be written in one book back in 1942 (The Ocean: Sverdrup, Johnson, and Fleming) The theory of the wind-driven ocean (Sverdrup, Stommel, Munk) came about in 1950. The theory of the deep circulation (Stommel) came about in 1958, but is still being refined today. Full-depth profiles of ocean density (giving water mass and flow characteristics) were made possible with the invention of the CTD (Brown, Hamon) in 1955. The first numerical ocean model (Bryan, Cox) was in 1969. Measurements with global coverage began when SeaSat was launched in 1978 to monitor SST, waves, sea ice, wind speed and direction. But measurements restricted to the surface. OCN121  Some important concepts in oceanography Oceanography is a young science. Everything that was known about the physical oceans could be written in one book back in 1942 (The Ocean: Sverdrup, Johnson, and Fleming) The theory of the wind-driven ocean (Sverdrup, Stommel, Munk) came about in 1950. The theory of the deep circulation (Stommel) came about in 1958, but is still being refined today. Full-depth profiles of ocean density (giving water mass and flow characteristics) were made possible with the invention of the CTD (Brown, Hamon) in 1955. The first numerical ocean model (Bryan, Cox) was in 1969. Measurements with global coverage began when SeaSat was launched in 1978 to monitor SST, waves, sea ice, wind speed and direction. But measurements restricted to the surface. OCN121 Surface currents resemble wind patterns OCN121  Some important concepts in oceanography Oceanography is a young science. Everything that was known about the physical oceans could be written in one book back in 1942 (The Ocean: Sverdrup, Johnson, and Fleming) The theory of the wind-driven ocean (Sverdrup, Stommel, Munk) came about in 1950. The theory of the deep circulation (Stommel) came about in 1958, but is still being refined today. Full-depth profiles of ocean density (giving water mass and flow characteristics) were made possible with the invention of the CTD (Brown, Hamon) in 1955. The first numerical ocean model (Bryan, Cox) was in 1969. Measurements with global coverage began when SeaSat was launched in 1978 to monitor SST, waves, sea ice, wind speed and direction. But measurements restricted to the surface. OCN121  The global abyssal circulation largely results from deep convection and sinking of surface waters in the North Atlantic and in the Weddell Sea (black circles) and upwelling of deep waters through the thermocline (aided by topography) elsewhere in the world’s oceans (Stommel 1958). OCN121  Some important concepts in oceanography Oceanography is a young science. Everything that was known about the physical oceans could be written in one book back in 1942 (The Ocean: Sverdrup, Johnson, and Fleming) The theory of the wind-driven ocean (Sverdrup, Stommel, Munk) came about in 1950. The theory of the deep circulation (Stommel) came about in 1958, but is still being refined today. Full-depth profiles of ocean density (giving water mass and flow characteristics) were made possible with the invention of the CTD (Brown, Hamon) in 1955. The first numerical ocean model (Bryan, Cox) was in 1969. Measurements with global coverage began when SeaSat was launched in 1978 to monitor SST, waves, sea ice, wind speed and direction. But measurements restricted to the surface. OCN121  Conductivity, Temperature, and Depth (CTD) The shipboard CTD is made up of a set of small probes attached to a large metal rosette wheel. The rosette is lowered on a cable down to the seafloor, and scientists observe the water properties in real time via a conducting cable connecting the CTD to a computer on the ship. Advantages: Remote sensing Very accurate Light weight (CTD only) Can be used at depths up to several thousand meters OCN121  Some important concepts in oceanography Oceanography is a young science. Everything that was known about the physical oceans could be written in one book back in 1942 (The Ocean: Sverdrup, Johnson, and Fleming) The theory of the wind-driven ocean (Sverdrup, Stommel, Munk) came about in 1950. The theory of the deep circulation (Stommel) came about in 1958, but is still being refined today. Full-depth profiles of ocean density (giving water mass and flow characteristics) were made possible with the invention of the CTD (Brown, Hamon) in 1955. The first numerical ocean model (Bryan, Cox) was in 1969. Measurements with global coverage began when SeaSat was launched in 1978 to monitor SST, waves, sea ice, wind speed and direction. But measurements restricted to the surface. OCN121 Many of today’s ocean and climate models can be traced back to Bryan and Cox’s model First numerical ocean model by Bryan and Cox in 1969. OCN121  Some important concepts in oceanography Oceanography is a young science. Everything that was known about the physical oceans could be written in one book back in 1942 (The Ocean: Sverdrup, Johnson, and Fleming) The theory of the wind-driven ocean (Sverdrup, Stommel, Munk) came about in 1950. The theory of the deep circulation (Stommel) came about in 1958, but is still being refined today. Full-depth profiles of ocean density (giving water mass and flow characteristics) were made possible with the invention of the CTD (Brown, Hamon) in 1955. The first numerical ocean model (Bryan, Cox) was in 1969. Measurements with global coverage began when SeaSat was launched in 1978 to monitor SST, waves, sea ice, wind speed and direction. But measurements restricted to the surface. OCN121 SEASAT In 1978, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory built an experimental satellite called SEASAT to test a variety of oceanographic sensors including imaging radar, altimeters, radiometers, and scatterometers. OCN121  Some important concepts in oceanography Direct measurements of ocean velocity from moving ships were made possible in 1980 (Joyce, Pinkel), through the invention of an acoustic current meter. Full depth profiles after 1990. In 1992 a pop-up float was developed that could be satellite- tracked (ALACE - Davis, Webb), leading to the profiling float. 1992- launch of TOPEX-Poseidon which can measure sea surface height, geostrophic currents, waves, and tides, is still revolutionizing our understanding of ocean dynamics and sea level rise. Global drifter and ARGO arrays reached density circa 2004 (Niiler, Roemmich): A new era of global ocean observation. OCN121 Acoustic OCN121  Some important concepts in oceanography Direct measurements of ocean velocity from moving ships were made possible in 1980 (Joyce, Pinkel), through the invention of an acoustic current meter. Full depth profiles after 1990. In 1992 a pop-up float was developed that could be satellite- tracked (ALACE - Davis, Webb), leading to the profiling float. 1992- launch of TOPEX-Poseidon which can measure sea surface height, geostrophic currents, waves, and tides, is still revolutionizing our understanding of ocean dynamics and sea level rise. Global drifter and ARGO arrays reached density circa 2004 (Niiler, Roemmich): A new era of global ocean observation. OCN121 ALACE concept OCN121  Some important concepts in oceanography Direct measurements of ocean velocity from moving ships were made possible in 1980 (Joyce, Pinkel), through the invention of an acoustic current meter. Full depth profiles after 1990. In 1992 a pop-up float was developed that could be satellite- tracked (ALACE - Davis, Webb), leading to the profiling float. 1992- launch of TOPEX-Poseidon which can measure sea surface height, geostrophic currents, waves, and tides, is still revolutionizing our understanding of ocean dynamics and sea level rise. Global drifter and ARGO arrays reached density circa 2004 (Niiler, Roemmich): A new era of global ocean observation. OCN121 TOPEX-Poseidon OCN121  Some important concepts in oceanography Direct measurements of ocean velocity from moving ships were made possible in 1980 (Joyce, Pinkel), through the invention of an acoustic current meter. Full depth profiles after 1990. In 1992 a pop-up float was developed that could be satellite- tracked (ALACE - Davis, Webb), leading to the profiling float. 1992- launch of TOPEX-Poseidon which can measure sea surface height, geostrophic currents, waves, and tides, is still revolutionizing our understanding of ocean dynamics and sea level rise. Global drifter and ARGO arrays reached density circa 2004 (Niiler, Roemmich): A new era of global ocean observation. OCN121 Argo floats OCN121 Integrated Global Ocean Observations  A few more important concepts about the Ocean and Oceanography The ocean is not well known. We can now describe the time-average circulation of the ocean fairly well, but have only begun to describe its variability. The equations describing a turbulent ocean subject to chaotically variable winds and uneven solar forcing on a rotating planet are complex and unsolvable (without simplifying assumptions). Observations are essential for understanding the ocean. Lack of observations and sampling errors are insurmountable in oceanography and can lead to misleading concepts. Oceanographers are relying more and more on large data sets from satellites, floats, and moorings and less and less on observations collected from ships. Dr. Lisa Beal OCN121 The ocean is an integral part of the climate system OCN121 Climate modes from ocean-atmosphere feedbacks 1.El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) 2.North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) 3.Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) 4.Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) 5.SubAnnular Mode (SAM) OCN121 Course Overview The Oceans Ocean services: Stores heat energy Regulates the Earth’s climate Navigation Transportation Recreation Habitat for marine organisms Source of food Biggest laboratory The global ocean – 70% of the Earth’s surface OCN121 Course Overview The Oceans 71% of the Earth’s surface covers 139 million miles2 or 361 million km2 contain a volume of about 1.37 billion km3 of water OCN121 Course Overview The Major Oceans OCN121