Oceanography

SALINITY

The dissolved solids in seawater.

Density Currents

Currents in the ocean caused by differences in density. Salinity, Temperature, Suspended Solids,

Continental Shelf

Part of the Continent which is under water (a shallow area).

Continental Slope

The edge of the continent drops off to deep water.

Continental Rise

A gently sloping area at the base of the slope.

Abyssal Fan/Cone

Fan shaped deposits at the mouth of submarine canyons.

Abyssal Plains

They are the flattest places on the planet.

Sea Mounts

Under water volcanoes.

Guyots

Flat top seamounts, tops were cut off by wave action.

Mid-Ocean Ridges

Where new sea crust forms.

Trenches

Where sea floor crust sinks down into the earth and melted.

Fracture Zones

Where mid-ocean ridges are Broken by faults.

Tsunami

Tsunami is a seismic sea wave caused by an undersea earthquake.

Sea water

Sodium Chloride (NaCl), Magnesium (MgCl)

Mediterranean Sea/german subs

Ocean Profile

What % of the Earth’s surface is covered by oceans.

70%

What % of all water on Earth is seawater.

97%

Tsunamis are most common in this ocean

Pacific Ocean

The biggest Tsunami recorded

The 2004 Indian ocean Tsunami which killed 250,000 people

4 major oceans

Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Arctic

El Niño

Warm water builds up in the Eastern Pacific blockingthe upwelling rich water. Causes a collapse of the food chain.

La Niña

A colder than normal East Pacific making colder winters.