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