Week 1- History of Oceanography Flashcards
What is oceanography?
The interdisciplinary study of the physical and biological properties and phenomena of the ocean
How much of the earth’s surface is covered by water?
71%
How much of earth’s water is contained in the ocean (and is salt)
97% (not drinkable)
What is the ocean?
Vast body of saline water occupying depressions on the Earth’s surface
Where is the ocean shallowest?
Middle due to plate techtonics
The five main oceans
Arctic
Atlantic
Pacific
Southern
Indian
Concept of one world ocean
The ocean is one single entity
How deep is the deepest part of the ocean and what is it called?
11km
Challenger deep located in the Mariana Trench
What is the largest geographic feature on earth?
Pacific ocean basin
Who has been to the challenger deep?
Victor Vescovo on the Five Deeps Expedition in 2019
-discovered at least 4 new species
What drove ancient civilizations to explore, study and travel the ocean?
- Food (access, nutritional advantage)
- Economic advantage
- Politics/power
- Money
When did early exploration start?
2000 BC around the mediterranean
Travelled into the atlantic, red sea and indian ocean
Who started early exploration?
Phoenicians
Ancient Greeks
What and when was the Library of Alexandria?
3rd century BC (egypt)
- repository of scientific knowledge
- beginning of marine science
- flourishing of cartography
Three points about the vikings
- Had fast, stable, strong ships
- Reached iceland and greenland
- Settled in Vinland and established a settlement called L’Anse aux Meadows
Chinese explorations key points
- Led by Admiral Zheng He
- There were 7 voyages from 1405 to 1433
- They explored the Indian Ocean, Indonesia and to Africa
- Their fleet was greater than 417 ships
- Led to technological advancement (compass, central rudder)
What were the years of the age of discovery?
1400w to 1600s
Who were the primary voyagers?
French, English, Spanish, Portuguese and Dutch
Henry the Navigator main roles
Started European ocean-going era of exploration (1400)
Sponsored voyages and the development of the caravel
Christopher Columbus main roles
3 voyages
1492 thought they reached the East Indies
John Cabot main roles
Reached North America in 1497 (some believed he was first but vikings were there before him)
Ferdinand Magellan
First circumnavigation (1519-1522)
(sail around the world in one sail)
Captain James Cook main roles
(1728-1779)
British royal navy
Famous cartographer (map maker)
Drew maps of the pacific
His maps were used in WWII
Helped establish and maintain the British presence
Killed on a voyage in Hawaii
Capt. James Cook first voyage
- Transit of Venus (from Tahiti) - mapped in this in across the sun
- Had a ‘secret’ mission to find southern land (Terra Australis Incognita) *he failed
Who was Tupaia?
A polynesian navigator
Tupaia and Cook’s first voyage
Helped Cook navigate his was from Tahiti to Aotearoa (New Zealand)
Tupaia’s interactions with the Maori made it possible for Cook to reach Australia
Capt. James Cook second voyage
Continued search for Terra Australis
Still believed that a large land mass could be found
Was Cook the first to discover Antarctica?
Oral history says Maori may have been first but not sure
Polynesians and the Pacific
- Where ?
- Common traits?
Polynesian triangle (Pacific ocean)
Common traits in language, customs and society
Excellent way finders
Capt. James Cook third voyage goal
Return Omai to his homeland (young man from Raiatea) which was a cover for his plan to discover the Northwest passage
*Jan 18, 1778 was killed in Hawaii
Non-instrumental methods of way finding
- Position of sun and stars
- Natural cues such as waves, currents, wildlife behaviour
- info passed on by oral tradition (master to apprentice)
What was the challenger expedition and when was it?
First true scientific expedition
4 year voyage from Dec 1872 to May 1876
*First use of the term oceanography
Where did the challenger expedition travel?
Left London to North America and made a detour in Halifax in 1873
What did the challenger expedition discover?
The Challenger Deep!!
Scientific goals of the challenger expedition
- Investigate the physical conditions of the deep sea
- determine the chemical composition of seawater at various depths
- Establish and chart the nature of marine sediments and determine their provenance
- Study the distribution and abundance of organisms at diff depth and determine their origins
What was a misbelief of the challenger expedition explorers?
That life was not possible below 549m
What did the Challenger expedition discover? (2)
- 4700 new species
- salinity, temp and water density measurements
- data on ocean currents, meteorology, sediment distribution
- coral reef locations
Matthew Fontaine Maury main roles
(1806-1873)
Pathfinder of the sea
Father of oceanography
1st to use word oceanography
1st oceanography text
What did Matthew Fontaine Maury do?
- collect data on winds, currents, water temp, biology
- developed charts that showed the fastest shipping lanes
Why was Matthew Fontaine Maury bad?
Believed in slavery
Fast shipping lanes for slavery
Marie Tharp main roles
(1920-2006)
- Created the first scientific map of the ocean floor
- Contributed to continental drift
What did Marie Tharp prove/discover?
The existence of mid ocean ridges and rift valleys (proof of plate techtonics) in 1952
WHO IS CHRISTAS FAV GEOLOGIST?
Marie Tharp
