1. Introduction to Oceanography Dr. Larry Atkinson Chapter 1

2. What is going on here? Link Link Link

3. Goal of the course: An introduction to the scientific discipline in all its diversity. An introduction to scientific problem solving and discovery. Conversational literacy of current issues.

4. Mechanics Syllabus – important dates Syllabus – important dates Lab – miss 3 and you fail Lab – miss 3 and you fail Cheating – one strike and you’re out Cheating – one strike and you’re out Testing – lecture, books, readings Testing – lecture, books, readings Office hours – by appt.: email or voice mail. Office hours – by appt.: email or voice mail.

5. How to succeed Attend class Attend class Do all assignments Do all assignments Read ahead of time Read ahead of time Don’t miss any deadlines Don’t miss any deadlines

6. Oceanography Young science Requires knowledge of other “traditional” sciences Interdisciplinary Important for many aspects of everyday life (that’s why we’re here)

7. Oceans 71% of the globe 71% of the globe Influence through geopolitics, climate, pollution, weather, recreation, food. Influence through geopolitics, climate, pollution, weather, recreation, food. Enjoyment and appreciation Enjoyment and appreciation Informed citizen on environmental and political issues that involve the earth & ocean around you. Informed citizen on environmental and political issues that involve the earth & ocean around you.

8. Examples of useful information Distribution of earthquake zones and areas most affected by sea level rise Distribution of earthquake zones and areas most affected by sea level rise Oil & mineral distribution – why & where Oil & mineral distribution – why & where Oceans & climate – ozone hole, atmospheric pollution, greenhouse effect, coral reefs (go see them now!), global warming (and rational debate about) Oceans & climate – ozone hole, atmospheric pollution, greenhouse effect, coral reefs (go see them now!), global warming (and rational debate about) Beach erosion & replenishment, sewage disposal, pollution (e.g., detergents and fertilizers) Beach erosion & replenishment, sewage disposal, pollution (e.g., detergents and fertilizers) Weather & hurricanes Weather & hurricanes Good fishing & surfing Good fishing & surfing Why the ocean is warm on the Atlantic beaches and cold on Pacific beaches Why the ocean is warm on the Atlantic beaches and cold on Pacific beaches

9. Why study the ocean???

10. The volume of living space in the ocean is huge compared to that on land. 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) Avg depth of the oceans 3800 m Avg height of land 875 m

12. Some statistics & fun facts Surface area to volume argument Area of the earth’s surface = 510,100,934 km 2 29% of that is land = 147,929,271 km 2 land if the vertical living area on land is 0.1 km (100m) deep (tip of tallest trees to depth of their roots)= 14,779,292.7 km 3 life-space on land The volume of the oceans is 3,763 x 10 6 km 3 The “living space’ on land is thus only 0.39% of that compared with the ocean. Next slide shows distribution of land vs ocean. Note major differences between N and S hemispheres.

14. The deepest trench in the ocean is Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench 11020 meters Longest Trench is Peru-Chile 5900 km.

15. The largest sea is the South China Sea, with an area of 1,148,500 square miles.

16. The Caribbean Sea is the deepest at 8,448 ft.

17. The largest ocean current is the Kuroshio Current. 25 - 75 miles/day, 1-3 knots, and extends some 3300 ft deep. The Gulf Stream is close to this current's speed.

18. Mean depth of the ocean is 3795m Atlantic is shallowest - 3332m Extensive “shallow” areas and 20.4% is shallower than 1000 meters. Indian Ocean - 3897 m Pacific Ocean - 4028 m Over 2X the volume of Atlantic

23. 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?

25. We also study the ocean for the following reasons… The ocean’s influence on weather and climate. (CO 2 (1/3 of all emissions) absorption, El Nino, hurricanes) There are many minerals in the sea. (Manganese nodules, oil drilling platforms, etc…) Past climate research (paleoclimates) – Cores

26. 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.

27. Oceanographic Research is generally broken up into sub-disciplines 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.

28. That’s not all – hot topics cross disciplines Biogeochemistry – nutrient & chemical transformations and cycles over time Biogeochemistry – nutrient & chemical transformations and cycles over time Geophysics – seismology, paleomagnetics, plate tectonics Geophysics – seismology, paleomagnetics, plate tectonics Biocomplexity – ecology in the face of chemical & physical constraints Biocomplexity – ecology in the face of chemical & physical constraints Marine genomics & proteomics – census of marine life; diversity Marine genomics & proteomics – census of marine life; diversity

29. Other areas of interest Archaeology Archaeology Law of the sea Law of the sea Rules of navigation Rules of navigation Ocean engineering Ocean engineering Resource management Resource management

30. How to study oceans Scientific method Scientific method

31. Important to remember for this class Fun of the big picture – try to keep it in mind Fun of the big picture – try to keep it in mind I’ll talk mainly in metric units. Only the US, Liberia, Burma and Myanmar have not adopted metric measurements. I’ll talk mainly in metric units. Only the US, Liberia, Burma and Myanmar have not adopted metric measurements. The importance of scales The importance of scales –Temporal and spatial – micro to mega Largely descriptive Largely descriptive Don’t focus on numbers rather than relative sizes Don’t focus on numbers rather than relative sizes Some numbers are important Some numbers are important –Age of the earth –Average depth of oceans

32. General course plan Origin – history and planetary Origin – history and planetary The container – ocean basins The container – ocean basins –Structure –Configuration (current and through time) What fills it What fills it –All about water –Ocean chemistry What moves it around What moves it around –Currents –Start on physical oceanography Add organisms Add organisms Throughout Throughout – anthropogenic influence/interactions, economics, politics --technology & sampling gear

33. Next time: Voyages and discovery Voyages and discovery –Reading – discovery is not dead Latitude and longitude Latitude and longitude The rise of oceanography The rise of oceanography

34. Take home points Scientific method Scientific method Volume of living space large in ocean relative to land Volume of living space large in ocean relative to land Most land is in the N hemisphere Most land is in the N hemisphere Average depth of the ocean is much greater than the average height of land Average depth of the ocean is much greater than the average height of land 3 major ocean basins: Atlantic, Pacific, Indian 3 major ocean basins: Atlantic, Pacific, Indian Oceanography important for weather and climate, human activities, minerals, paleoenvironments Oceanography important for weather and climate, human activities, minerals, paleoenvironments Major subdisciplines of oceanography and newer interdisciplinary topics Major subdisciplines of oceanography and newer interdisciplinary topics