United States
£ GBP
Please note that the 2023 hardback is an unmodified reprint of the 1996 original.
Oceans cover over 70% of the planet's surface and are essential to life on earth, yet their deepest mysteries remained unexplored until very recently when 20th century technological advances allowed the vast expansion of our frontiers of knowledge, and worldwide interest in oceanography grew rapidly.
Combining the skills of 40 contributors from world-renowned teaching and research establishments, this richly illustrated introduction to oceanography is suitable for coursework and appeals to a wide readership without compromising standards of scientific rigour.
With coverage ranging from history and instrumentation to the physical geography, meteorology, biology and chemistry of the sea and its ecosystems, Oceanography provides the reader with an authoritative, comprehensive guide while promoting awareness of current ecological concerns governing man's relationship with the oceans.
Foreword
Prologue
Preface
The Global Oceans
The Geological Time Scale
Standard International (SI) Units
Commonly used SI Units
1. How the Science of Oceanography Developed
2. The Atmosphere and the Ocean
3. The Role of Ocean Circulation in the Changing Climate
4. Ocean Weather - Eddies in the Sea
5. Observing Oceans from Space
6. Marine Phytoplankton Blooms
7. Snow Falls in the Open Sea
8. The Evolution and structure of Ocean Basins
9. Slides, Debris Flows and Turbidity Currents
10. Mid-Ocean Ridges and Hydrothermal Activity
11. The Ocean: A Global Chemical System
12. The Marine Carbonate System
13. A Walk on the Deep Side: Animals in the Deep Sea
14. Light, Colour and Vision in the Ocean
15. Ocean Diversity
16. Life in Estuaries, Salt Marshes, Lagoons, and Coastal Waters
17. Artificial Reefs
18. Scientific Diving
19. Marine Instrumentation
20. the Sea floor - Exploring a Hidden World
21. Ocean Resources
22. Waste Disposal in the Deep Ocean
Some Commonly Used words and Terms
Acronyms
Index
"[...] coverage, presentation and price ensure this book a place on every serious student's shelf [...] once begun, it's hard to put down."
– New Scientist
"An impressive, thorough and very well illustrated volume [...] an unrivalled compendium of knowledge."
– Offshore Engineering
"The authors are experts [...] it is a delight to dip into."
– Nature
