Oceanography

Ocean Floor Relief Features

• Relief of the ocean floor: continental shelf, continental slope, continental rise, abyssal plain, mid-ocean ridges, ocean trenches, seamounts, guyots

Ocean Floor Relief: Plate Tectonic Basis

• Ocean floor relief — plate tectonic basis: spreading ridges, subduction trenches, hotspot islands

Temperature of Ocean Water: Vertical & Horizontal Distribution

• Temperature of ocean water: vertical distribution (thermocline), horizontal distribution, factors affecting ocean temperature

Salinity of Ocean Water: Factors & Halocline

• Salinity of ocean water: definition, measurement (PSU), factors affecting salinity, halocline

Density of Ocean Water: Factors & Pycnocline

• Density of ocean water: factors (temperature, salinity, pressure), pycnocline, thermohaline circulation

Composition of Sea Water: Salts, Gases & Nutrients

• Composition of sea water: major salts, dissolved gases, nutrients

Ocean Circulation: Surface Currents & Causes

• Ocean circulation: surface currents — causes (wind, Coriolis, pressure gradient, density)

Warm Ocean Currents: Gulf Stream, Kuroshio etc.

• Warm ocean currents: Gulf Stream, North Atlantic Drift, Kuroshio, Brazil Current, Agulhas

Cold Ocean Currents: Labrador, Benguela, Peru etc.

• Cold ocean currents: Labrador, Benguela, California, Peru/Humboldt, Canary, Oyashio

Deep Ocean Circulation: Thermohaline Conveyor Belt

• Deep ocean circulation: thermohaline circulation (THC); conveyor belt concept

Waves: Formation, Types & Parts

• Waves: formation, parts (crest, trough, wavelength, amplitude), types (wind waves, swell, seiche)

Tides: Causes, Types & Tidal Bores

• Tides: causes (gravitational pull of Moon & Sun), spring tides, neap tides, tidal bores, tidal range

Coral Reefs: Formation, Types & Classification

• Coral reefs: formation (symbiosis of zooxanthellae & coral polyps); fringing reef, barrier reef, atoll

Coral Reef Threats: Bleaching & Acidification

• Coral reef threats: bleaching (ocean warming), acidification, pollution, over-fishing

Sea Level Changes: Causes & Implications

• Sea level changes: eustatic, isostatic, tectonic causes; current sea level rise & implications

Marine Resources: Fish, Minerals, Energy

• Marine resources: fish, mineral (polymetallic nodules, hydrothermal vents), oil & gas, renewable energy

Ocean Hazards: Tsunami — Causes & Warning Systems

• Ocean hazards — Tsunami: causes (underwater earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruptions), wave characteristics, early warning systems

Ocean Hazards: Cyclone & Storm Surge

• Ocean hazards — Cyclone: ocean’s role in intensification (warm SST), storm surge

Practical: T-S Diagram & Ocean Current Mapping

• Practical: T-S Diagram (temperature-salinity plot); ocean current mapping; tidal analysis

Supplementary Topics: Oceanography

No specific topics listed.