Marine Sci 111

Course Overview

  • Courses: MSCI 111

  • Date: 8/27/2024

  • Reading Assignments: Prologue, Chapter 1.

Administrative Updates

  • Homework Assignments:

    • Homework 1: Due today (8/27) - Questions about interests and background.

    • Homework 2: Due Thursday (8/29) - Focused on dimensional analyses/metric conversions.

  • Online Resources:

    • Two Zoom sessions available on Moodle under the Homework Tile for additional help.

  • Upcoming Assessments:

    • Reading Quiz 1: Covers Prologue, Chapter 1, and Chapter 2; due Sunday (9/1) by 11 pm.

Historical Context

  • Exploration and Navigation:

    • Notable groups in maritime history:

      • Phoenicians: Ancient sea traders known for exploration.

      • Norse/Vikings: Renowned for their long voyages across the oceans.

      • Dutch Explorers: Significant contributions to maritime navigation.

      • Polynesians: Skilled navigators of the Pacific, famous for their use of stars and ocean currents to travel.

Key Historical Figures in Exploration

  • Prince Henry the Navigator:

    • Prominent figure in the early days of the Portuguese Empire and maritime exploration.

  • Important Voyages and Discoveries:

    • Bartholomeu Dias (1487): Discovered the Cape of Good Hope.

    • Christopher Columbus (1492): First voyage leading to the European awareness of the Americas.

    • Vasco da Gama (1497-1502): First to successfully navigate a sea route to India, connecting Europe and Asia directly.

Major Explorers and Expeditions

  • Ferdinand Magellan (1519-1522): Circumnavigation of the globe; significant for mapping ocean currents and discovering the Strait of Magellan.

  • Sir Francis Drake (1577-1580): Notable for being the second to circumnavigate the globe.

Understanding Latitude and Longitude

  • Latitude: Measures north/south position relative to the equator.

  • Longitude: Measures east/west position from the Prime Meridian.

  • Visualization: Importance of these coordinates in navigation and mapping.

Significant Milestones in Marine Science

  • Milestone Year (1800):

    • Identified as pivotal for advancements in marine science practices.

  • The Challenger Expedition (1872-1876):

    • Groundbreaking scientific expedition that greatly contributed to marine biology and oceanography knowledge.

Founding of Research Institutions (1875-1950)

  • Timeline of major research institutions founded related to marine science, starting from 1872 through 1940.

Advances in Marine Science

  • Modern Era:

    • Introduction and significance of satellite oceanography in contemporary marine studies.

The Water Planet

  • Overview of Earth as a planet largely covered by water, emphasizing its significance to environmental and marine science.