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earth sciences > Oceanography > Flashcards

Oceanography Flashcards

1
Q

define Oceanography

A

the scientific study of the oceans

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2
Q

HMS Challenger

A

the voyage that birthed oceanography

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3
Q

when was the HMS beagle voyage?

A

1831-1836

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4
Q

name the four interdisciplinary sciences of oceanography

A
  • Geology
  • Chemistry
  • Physics
  • Biology
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5
Q

name the four main ocean basins

A
  • Arctic
  • Atlantic
  • Pacific
  • Indian
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6
Q

are the oceans evenly divided between northern and southern hemispheres?

A

no

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7
Q

define Bathymetry

A

the measurement of ocean depths and the charting of the shape of the ocean floor
(made with sonar)

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8
Q

Define continental shelf

A
  • underlain by continental crust
  • extension of continent
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9
Q

Define Continental slope

A
  • boundary between continents and oceans
  • extends from outer edge of continental shelf to the ocean floor
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10
Q

Define Continental rise

A
  • steep continental slope merges into a more gradual slope made of sediment that moved downslope from the continental shelf
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11
Q

Define continental margin

A

the outer margins of continents where continental crust transitions to oceanic crust

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12
Q

what are three characteristics of passive continental margins

A
  1. Tectonically inactive (can still be dynamic)
  2. far from plate boundary
  3. nearly entire atlantic ocean and large portion of indian ocean
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13
Q

name three characteristics of active continental margins

A
  1. tectonically active
  2. at plate boundary
  3. most of pacific ocean
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14
Q

name the two types active continental margins

A
  • Accretionary wedges
  • Subduction erosion
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15
Q

what are Accretionary wedges

A
  • develop along subduction zone
  • sediment from ocean floor are scraped from descending ocean plate
  • scraped off sediment pressed against edge of overriding plate
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16
Q

what are Subduction erosion

A
  • sediment and rock scraped off bottom of overriding plate
  • carried into mantle by subducting plate
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17
Q

define deep-ocean trenches

A
  • long narrow troughs
  • deepest parts of the ocean
  • most occur in the pacific
18
Q

what is the ring of fire

A

sites of plate convergence where oceanic lithosphere subduct back into the mantle

19
Q

what are abyssal plains

A
  • deep, flat features
  • likely the most level places on earth
  • thick accumulations of sediments have buried an otherwise rugged ocean floor
20
Q

what are oceanic ridges

A
  • underwater mountain ranges
  • form along well-developed divergent plate boundaries
21
Q

what covers most of the ocean floor?

A

Sea-floor sediment

22
Q

what deposits sea-floor sediment?

A
  • turbidity currents
  • snow settling
23
Q

what are the three categories of sea-floor sediment?

A
  1. terrigenous
  2. hydrogenous
  3. biogenous
24
Q

what is terrigenous sediment?

A
  • derived from land minerals
  • minerals from the weathering of terrestrial rock
25
Q

what is hydrogenous sediment?

A
  • derived from water
  • minerals that crystalize directly from seawater through various chemical reactions
26
Q

what is biogenous sediment?

A
  • derived from organisms
  • shells and skeletons
27
Q

can a sea-floor sediment be jus one category?

A

no, all sea-floor sediments are a mixture of all three

28
Q

what is qualified the “storehouse for climate data”

A

Seafloor sediment

29
Q

what are the characteristics of ocean water?

A
  1. Salinity
  2. Acidity
  3. Temperature
  4. Density
30
Q

what is salinity

A
  • total amount of solid materials dissolved in water
31
Q

what makes up most of the salt in the ocean?

A

sodium chloride

32
Q

what are factors that determine salinity levels?

A
  1. temperature and precipitation
  2. seasonal differences in precipitation and snowmelt
33
Q

what are the two types of ocean water temperature?

A
  1. thermocline
  2. isothermal
34
Q

define thermocline

A
  • layer where temperature changes rapidly with depth
    (seen at low and mid-latitudes)
35
Q

define isothermal

A
  • same temperature
  • no thermocline
    (seen at high altitudes)
36
Q

what determines density?

A

Temperature
(as temperature decreases, the density increases)

37
Q

what is Pycnocline?

A

a zone where density changes rapidly with depth

38
Q

what is Plankton?

A

“wanderers”
too weak to swim against current

39
Q

what is Nekton?

A

“Swimmers”
capable of swimming against current

40
Q

what is Benthos?

A

“Bottom dwellers”

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