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EAS 212 > Lecture 1 > Flashcards

Lecture 1 Flashcards

1
Q

What is physical oceanography?

A
  • it is the study of waves, tides and currents
  • > also looks at ocean-atmosphere interactions
  • > lastly looks at transmission of light and ssound in the ocean
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2
Q

What is chemical oceanography?

A
  • studies chemical composition and properties of seawater
  • > looks at dissolved solids and gasses in the ocean
  • > finally looks at effects of pollutants
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3
Q

What is biological oceanography

A
  • study of various oceaninc life-forms

- >their distribution and relationships to one another

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4
Q

What is a moore time series

A
  • any permanent structure that a ship or instrumentations are attached to
  • limited in spatial abilities but is vast in temporal ability

-goes from hourly to inter-annual measurements in time

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5
Q

What is remote sensing

A
  • ability to use satellites to gain info about the ocean

- >high spatial but variable temporal

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6
Q

What is the temporal resolution and the spatial resolution of repeat trans-basin sections

A

-there is large spatial scale or less temporal resolution

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7
Q

Is there more data for salinity or temperature

A
  • more data for temperature

- >if there is separation of seasons, the difference in data collection is more pronounced for salinity

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8
Q

How does the amount of ocean data differ from near surface to deep surface

A

-less data for deep surface

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9
Q

Does Argo have enhanced resolution

A
  • yes there is enhanced resolution

- >Argo can also go down as far as 1000 metres

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10
Q

What processes are important in physical oceanography

A
  • heat storage and transport in the oceans
  • the exchange of heat with the atmosphere and the role of the ocean in the climate
  • wind/thermal forcing of the surface mixed layer
  • the wind-driven circulation
  • the dynamics of ocean currents
  • the formation of water types and masses
  • the deep circulation
  • equatorial dynamics and El Nino
  • waves in the ocean
  • > both surface and internal
  • waves in shallow water and coastal processes
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11
Q

What processes are important in chemical oceanography

A
  • control on the chemical composition in the ocean
  • distribution and cycling of element in the ocean
  • box models, mass balance and residence time
  • air-sea gas exchange
  • organic matter production, export, and re-mineralization
  • remineralization and burial in sediments
  • interaction of oceanic cycling of elements
  • carbon cycle, carbon dioxide and climate
  • marine pollutants
  • behavior of isotopes and their use as tracers of past and present oceanographic and climate processes
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12
Q

What processes are important in biological oceanography

A
  • chemical and physical factors influencing distribution patterns of lifeforms in the ocean
  • food chain dynamics
  • nutrient cycling and initial steps of chemical energy fixation
  • primary production
  • biological pump
  • responses to the result of man’s activities in the oceans
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13
Q

What are the three things used to study oceans

A

-theory, observations and numerical models

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14
Q

Can the three things used to study oceans(theory, observation and numerical models) be used separately?

A

No

1) Ocean processes are non-linear and turbulent
- >so theories are simplified

2) Observations are sparse in time and place
- >so observations cannot be used to describe oceans

3)Numerical models are approximations of the real life system and can’t represent small scale processes

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15
Q

Describe the Earth’s oceans

A

1) Pacific
- >largest ocean
- >makes up about 1/3 of the Earth’s entire surface
- >all of Earth’s continents could fit with room left over
- >the deepest ocean and named due to its calm weather

2) Atlantic
- >half the size of the pacific

3)slightly smaller than the Atlantic

4) Arctic
- >world’s smallest and shallowest ocean
- >surrounded by land
- >influenced by large rivers draining into it
- >has a permanent layer of ice on the surface

5) Southern Ocean
- >opposite of the arctic ocean

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16
Q

Why is it more difficult to study the ocean? Name 5 reasons

A

1) Seeing through the ocean water
- >water is a more efficient absorber of electromagnetic radiation(including light) than the atmosphere is
- >r

2) Inaccessibility
- >we can’t breathe water
- >also average ocean depth is around 3800 metres versus an average height of 840 metres on land
- this means that most of the ocean is as remote from the sea surface as the top of the mountains from the land

3) Pressure
- ocean pressure increases at 1 atm every 10 metres of depth
- instruments and submersibles need to be designed to survive these great pressures
- >they are very expensive

4) Conductivity/Corrosion/Fouling
- seawater conducts electricity, causing short circuits to electrical equipment
- >special water tight housing is needed for electric items
- seawater is corrosive
- >meaning special metals are needed to avoid rust and corrosion
- marine organisms grow on items left in the water
- >fouling them
- >this causes difficulties for instruments with moving parts

5) Wave motion
- >the ocean surface is dynamic
- >this causes problems with working on a moving ship with heavy equipment

17
Q

What are the three provinces for the ocean floor

A

1) Continental margins
- >shallow-water areas close to the continents

2) Deep-ocean Basins
- >deep-water areas farther from land

3) Mid-ocean Ridges
- >shallower areas near the middle of an ocean

18
Q

How are mid-ocean ridges and deep-ocean basins created

A
  • it is created by sea-floor spreading
  • also created as continents split apart
  • > new continental margins are formed
19
Q

What are the two types of continental margins

A

1) Passive Margins
- >not close to any plate boundary
- >eg; east coast of US

2) Active Margins
- >associated with plate boundaries
- >eg; west coast of US

20
Q

What are the four features of a Continental margin

A

1) Continental shelf
- >generally flat zone
- >extending from the shore beneath the ocean surface to a point at which a marked increase in slope angle occurs

2) Continental slope
- >below and beyond the shelf break
- >where deep ocean basins begin
- >total relief in this area is similar to that found in mountain ranges on land

3) Continental Rise
- >Transition zone between the continental margin and deep ocean floor

4) Abyssal plains
- >extend from the base of the continental rise into the deep-ocean basins

21
Q

What are the two main marine province environments

A

1) Pelagic environment
- >ocean water itself
- >where drifters and swimmers live out their lives in complex food webs

2) Benthic environment
- >ocean bottom
- >where marine algae and animals that do not float or swim spend their lives

22
Q

What two provinces can the Pelagic Provinces further be subdivided into?

A

1) Neratic Province
- >extends from shore seaward and includes all water less than 200 m

2) Oceanic Province
- >Seaward of neritic province
- >including depths of beyond 200 metres

23
Q

What are the four sections of the Oceanic Province

A

1) Epipelagic
- >from the surface to 200 metres

2) Mesopelagic
- >from 200 metres to 1000 metres

3) Bathypelagic
- >from 1000 metres to 4000 metres

4) Abyssopelagic
- >below 4000 metres

24
Q

What is the single most important factor in determining distribution of life in the oceans

A

-light is the single most important factor in determining distribution of life in the oceans

25
Q

What are the 3 zones based on the availability of sunlight

A

1) Euphotic zone
- >extends from the surface to a depth where there is still enough light to support photosynthesis
- >around 100 metres

2) Disphotic zone
- >has a small measurable quantity of light
- >extends from the euphotic zone to where the light can no longer penetrate

3) Aphotic zone
- >no light
- >usually around 1000 metres

26
Q

Is oxygen and nutrients abundant in surface water

A
  • yes
  • > because oxygen is abundant due to mixing with the atmosphere and plant photosynthesis

-nutrient content is low as they are consumed by algae

27
Q

Describe the oxygen minimum layer

A
  • at deeper depths
  • > oxygen decreases as it is consumed by heterotrophic organisms
  • > this consumption produces an oxygen minimum layer coinciding with a nutrient maximum
28
Q

Are nutrients and oxygen in high levels below the oxygen minimum layer

A
  • yes
  • > because below the OML, nutrients and oxygen remain high as it is replenished with high oxygen cold water from polar regions
  • > organic matter is remineralized at depth

EAS 212 (7 decks)

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