Oceanography Flashcards
5 Oceans
Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Southern, and Arctic.
Early Oceanography
The voyage of the HMS Challenger laid the foundation
for the modern science of oceanography.
Sonar
“Sound, Navigation, and Ranging”, a system that uses
acoustic signals and returned echoes to determine the
location of objects or to communicate. Scientists measure the time that the sound waves take to travel from the transmitter, to the ocean floor, and to the receiver in order to calculate the depth of the ocean floor. Scientists then use this information to make maps and
profiles of the ocean floor.
Submersibles
Underwater research vessels.
Bathysphere
One such submersible is the bathysphere, a spherical
diving vessel that remains connected to the research
ship for communications and life support.
Bathyscaph
Another type of piloted submersible, called a
bathyscaph, is a self-propelled, free-moving submarine.
Global Ocean
The body of salt water that covers nearly three-fourths of Earth’s surface.
ROV (remotely operated vehicle)
Other modern submersibles are submarine robots. ROV (remotely operated vehicle)
Bathymetry
Features of the ocean floor.
Continental Margin
The shallow sea floor that is located between the shoreline and the deep-ocean bottom.
Deep-Ocean Basin
The part of the ocean floor that is under deep water beyond the continental margin and that is composed of oceanic crust and a thin layer of sediment.
The Ocean Floor consist of two main parts…
The Continental Margin and The Deep-Ocean Basin.
The Continental Margin consist of…
The continental shelf, the continental slope, the continental rise, and submarine canyons.
The Continental Shelf
The part of the continent that is covered by water.
The Continental Slope
At the seaward edge of a continental shelf is a steep slope.
The Continental Rise
These sediments form a wedge at the base of the continental slope.
Submarine Canyon
The continental shelf and continental slope may be cut by deep V-shaped valleys. These are deep valleys.
The Deep-Ocean Basin consist of…
These features include broad, flat plains; submerged volcanoes; gigantic mountain ranges; and deep
trenches.
Trench
A long, narrow, and steep depression that forms on the ocean floor.
Abyssal Plain
A large, flat, almost level area of the deep-ocean basin.
Mid-Ocean Ridge
Underwater mountain ranges that run along the floors of all oceans.
Seamounts
Submerged volcanic mountains that are taller than 1 km.
Island
Seamounts that rise above the ocean surface.
Guyot
Submerged Seamounts.
The two main gasses in the Atmosphere…
Nitrogen and Oxygen
Carbon Sink
Because of this ability to dissolve and contain a large
amount of CO2 the ocean is referred as this.
3.5%
The amount of dissolved solids in ocean water.
Sea Salts
Give the ocean its salty taste.
Six most abundant elements in ocean water…
Chlorine, sodium, magnesium, sulfur, calcium, and
potassium.
Halite
Salt made of sodium and chloride ions.
Salinity
The measure of the amount of dissolved salts in
a given amount of liquid.
Pacific Ocean
The deepest and largest ocean.
Density
Major factor affecting deep currents.
Turbidity Current
Type of Deep-Ocean Current.
Long-Shore Currents
Form sandbars.
Deep-Ocean Basin
Part of ocean floor made of crust and thin layer of sediment.
Abyssal Plains
Flattest regions on Earth.
Asteroid Belt
Located between Mars and Jupiter.
Trench
Deepest place in Earth’s crust.
Exoplanets
Objects that circle stars other than our sun.
Submarine Canyon
Deep valley in continental shelf or slope.
Fetch
Distance wind blows across an area of sea to generate waves.
Winds
Major factor affecting surface currents.
Sonar
Used to measure depth of ocean floor.
Kuiper Belt
Region of Solar System located beyond Neptune; contains icy bodies.
Undertow
Irregular current caused by breakers pulling water back into deeper water.
Coriolis Effect
Causes curved paths of current and wind patterns.
Arctic
Smallest Ocean.
Wave Erosion
Causes an atoll to change to a guyot.
Sea
Large body of water that may be surrounded by land.
HMS Challenger
Voyage marked beginning of oceanography.
Trace Elements
Elements that exist in very small amounts.
Salinity and Temperature
Factors that affect Density.
Currents
Water in the ocean moving in giant streams.
Reflecting Telescope
Type of telescope in which initial image is formed by a concave mirror.
Rip Currents
Form when breakers return to the ocean by cutting channels through sandbars.
Fresh Water
Makes up 97.5% of ocean water.
Evaporation will…
The factor that along with precipitation will affect salinity.
Sargasso Sea
Vast, calm, warm area of Atlantic ocean.
Gas Giant
Planet with a complex ring system and has many moons.
Moons
Small bodies that orbit planets.
Calendar
System for measuring time by dividing it into days, weeks, months.
