Oceanography
Oceanography (also known as oceanology or marine science) is a branch of Earth science that studies the ocean. It covers a wide range of topics, including marine organisms and ecosystem dynamics; ocean currents, waves, and geophysical fluid dynamics; plate tectonics and the geology of the sea floor; and fluxes of various chemical substances and physical properties within the ocean and across its boundaries.
History[edit]
The study of oceanography can be traced back to ancient times, but its more modern form developed in the 19th century with the Challenger expedition. This British expedition was a scientific exercise that made many discoveries to lay the foundation of oceanography.
Branches[edit]
Oceanography is divided into four primary branches:
- Biological oceanography or marine biology: the study of the plants, animals and microbes of the oceans and their ecological interaction with the ocean.
- Chemical oceanography or marine chemistry: the study of the chemistry of the ocean and its chemical interaction with the atmosphere.
- Geological oceanography or marine geology: the study of the geology of the ocean floor including plate tectonics.
- Physical oceanography or marine physics: the study of the physical conditions and physical processes within the ocean such as waves, currents, eddies, gyres and tides.
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