Oceanography: Major Bodies, Branches, and Mapping Techniques

Black Sea

A major body of water located in Eastern Europe.

Atlantic Ocean

A major body of water located between the Americas to the west and Europe and Africa to the east.

Tasman Sea

A body of water located between Australia and New Zealand.

Arctic Ocean

The smallest and shallowest of the world's five major oceans, located around the North Pole.

Southern Ocean

The body of water encircling Antarctica.

Pacific Ocean

The largest and deepest ocean, located between Asia and Australia to the west and the Americas to the east.

Sea of Japan

A marginal sea located between Japan, Russia, and the Korean Peninsula.

Caribbean Sea

A sea located in the tropics of the Western Hemisphere, bordered by the Caribbean islands.

Hudson Bay

A large body of saltwater in northeastern Canada.

Indian Ocean

The third largest ocean, located between Africa, Asia, Australia, and the Indian subcontinent.

Arabian Sea

A body of water located between the Arabian Peninsula and the Indian subcontinent.

Mediterranean Sea

A sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East.

Geological Oceanography

The branch of oceanography that studies the seafloor and geological features.

Biological Oceanography

The branch of oceanography that studies marine organisms and ecosystems.

Chemical Oceanography

The branch of oceanography that studies the chemical composition and properties of seawater, including salinity

Physical Oceanography

The branch of oceanography that studies the physical conditions and processes of the ocean, including waves and tides.

Latitude

The measurement of distance north or south of the Equator.

Longitude

The measurement of distance east or west of the Prime Meridian. Before GPS, you needed a CHRONOMETER (accurate clock) to determine.

Sonar

A technology used to measure depth in the ocean.

Polaris

The North Star, used by ancient sailors to determine latitude.

Topography of the seafloor

The study of the underwater landscape, including features like mountains and valleys.

Geological

Branch of oceanography covering the topography of the seafloor and sand.

Biological

Branch of oceanography covering the coral reef ecosystem.

Chemical

Branch of oceanography covering the salinity of the ocean.

Physical

Branch of oceanography covering the tides and currents of the ocean.

Lines of longitude

MEASURE east/west of the Prime Meridian.

Lines of latitude

MEASURE north/south of the Equator.

Sea of Okhotsk

sea between the Kamchatka Peninsula, Kuril Islands, Sakhalin, Hokkaido, and Siberia

Bering Straits

Separates Alaska and Russia