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Today’s Tune in GEO/OC 103 “Ocean Man” from the soundtrack of the Spongebob Squarepants Movie
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Registration Problems? Please see... Melinda Peterson Geosciences Departmental Office 104 Wilkinson Hall petersom@geo.oregonstate.edu 737-1238
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“The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry…” Return Qwizdom remotes to Bookstore with your receipt If your refund is less than $61.41: –Obtain receipt from Bookstore transaction –Write name and student ID on receipt –Receipt to Dr. Wright after class, during office hours, or under her door If Bookstore will not take accept your remote contact Dr. Wright
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More Reminders Dr. Wright’s office hours are right AFTER class –MW, 1:50-2:50, Wilkinson 114, open, first come, first served –Additional time for “interviews” after class F, Apr 6 and 13 Dr. Duncan’s office hours are right BEFORE class –MW, 11:00-12:00, COAS Admin Lounge NO LABS THIS WEEK
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“Water World” “Earth is a unique planet, possibly one of the few in the galaxy that has water. Nearly 71% of it’s surface is ocean. From space, Earth is brilliantly blue, white in places with clouds and ice, sometimes swirling with storms. At it’s surface the ocean is in constant motion with powerful currents that stretch for thousands of miles and towering waves. Beneath the ocean’s surface lie hidden mountain ranges, vast trenches tens of thousands of feet deep, immense hot springs, and huge volcanoes spewing molten rock in massive eruptions.” -- T. Garrison
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Chapter 1
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“Just the Facts…” Over 97% of the water on the Earth is in the ocean. The average depth of the ocean is about 4000 meters. The Mariana Trench is 11,022 m deep, the deepest spot on the planet. –8 tons per sq. in. –Mt. Everest is “only” ~8667 m above sea level
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“Just the Facts…” Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaii, measures ~10,600 m from the ocean floor, making it the tallest mountain on the planet (surpassing even Mt. Everest). The ocean contains some 5 trillion tons of salts –If dried and spread evenly, that mass would cover the entire planet to a depth of 45 m.
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Why Study the Ocean? Major influence on weather and climate Source of food, energy, medical drugs Transportation Military significance Recreational resource Major influence on the health of the planet Culture and history
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Historical Review of Oceanography Roots traced to ocean exploration. Describing the oceans
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Historical Review of Oceanography The 18th century was marked by –Improvements in navigation and mapping –Accumulation of data for charts Temperature, currents
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In the United States, Benjamin Franklin (1769-1770) published the first chart of the Gulf Stream Historical Review of Oceanography (Cont.)
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In Britain, James Cook (1768-1779) –Constructed charts of coastlines especially for the South Pacific –Secondary discovery the Hawaiian Islands Historical Review of Oceanography (Cont.)
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In the 19th century curiosity about the oceans increased and voyages for scientific purposes were initiated
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Charles Darwin: British naturalist –Voyage of the Beagle (1831-1836), studied geology and biology of the South American coastline Developed theory of evolution based on natural selection Published On the Origin of the Species (1859) $1200!
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The Voyage of the HMS Beagle Charles Darwin Route of the HMS Beagle
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Edward Forbes: British naturalist (1815- 1854) –Proposed the hypothesis that no life (azoic) existed in the oceans below 550 m Historical Review of Oceanography (Cont.)
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Matthew Fontaine Maury: U.S. naval officer –Compiled information on winds and currents –Published The Physical Geography of the Sea (1855) –“Father of physical oceanography” Historical Review of Oceanography (Cont.)
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C. Wyville Thompson: British explorer –Directed the Challenger Expedition (1872-1876) First major scientific expedition Globe-encircling voyage Chemical, physical, and biological measurements and collections Disproved Edward Forbes “azoic theory” by collecting sea life from waters as deep as 9000 m Historical Review of Oceanography (Cont.)
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The Challenger Expedition
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Modern Oceanography Major interdisciplinary expeditions, e.g., the Meteor Expedition: German (1925-1927) – Bottom topography – Vertical profiles of salinity, temperature, oxygen Subsequent growth, World War II, urgent need for information on the physical structure of the oceans
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What is Oceanography Today?
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Geological Oceanography (Marine Geology) Study of rocks and sediments & processes responsible for their formation.
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Marine Geophysics Study of rock structure in the ocean basin, properties of rocks such as magnetism, occurrence of earthquakes.
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Dec 26, 2004 9.0 Eq, Sumatra 275,950 killed Image courtesy of BBC
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March 28, 2005 8.7 Eq, Sumatra 290 killed Image courtesy of USGS
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April 2, 2007 8.1 Eq, Solomon Islands Google Maps ~28 killed
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Physical Oceanography How and why ocean currents flow, air-sea interactions such as the generation of waves by the wind.
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Chemical Oceanography Composition of sea water and the processes controlling and altering its composition, including marine pollution.
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Biological Oceanography (Marine Biology) Organisms that live in the oceans and their relationships to the environment.
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Ocean Engineering Design and installation of oceanographic instrumentation and vehicles
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Today ocean research is conducted by investigators in specialized marine institutions, as well as universities, and state and federal agencies The emphasis is on interdisciplinary, process-oriented research and international cooperation Modern Oceanography (Cont.)
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1903www.sio.ucsd.edu 1930www.whoi.edu 1949www.ldeo.columbia.edu
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Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Woods Hole, MA Scripps Institution of Oceanography UC-San Diego
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Current and Future Oceanographic Research international greater focus on international efforts and large scale interdisciplinary expeditions –Many scientists –Many ships “remote sensing” “unmanned” platforms
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New Technology for Probing the Sea
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TOPEX/Poseidon satellite launched in 1992. Seasat-A, the first oceanographic satellite, was launched in 1978.
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Summary: What is Oceanography? Broad science focused on the oceans –Geology/geophysics, chemistry, physics, biology, engineering Highly interdisciplinary Also highly collaborative We are still exploring (!) but … Feeds also into ocean policy, management, and conservation
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