Oceanography Concepts Study Guide

Three Atmospheric Circulation Cells: Each hemisphere (north/south of the equator) contains three distinct atmospheric circulation cells: Hadley, Ferrel, and Polar cells.
Seasonal Climate Variation: Primarily due to the tilt of the Earth's axis of rotation, creating differences in sun exposure throughout the year.
Coriolis Effect: Ocean currents in the northern hemisphere turn to the right due to the Coriolis effect.

Salinity: Refers to the total amount of dissolved solids in ocean water, typically measured in parts per thousand (ppt) or Practical Salinity Units (PSU).
Heat Capacity of Water: Water's property that makes oceans slow to heat and slow to cool, allowing temperature moderation.
Water Molecule Structure: The angular shape of the water molecule creates polarity with both positive and negative poles.
Forchhammer’s Principle: Constant proportion of solids/salts in seawater.
Density of Water: Most dense at 4 degrees Celsius, influencing underwater gas solubility and thermodynamic distributions.
Residence Time: Average duration an atom stays in the ocean, significant for understanding nutrient cycling in marine environments.
Average Ocean pH: Approximately 8.0, acting as a buffer against acidity and alkalinity fluctuations.
Dissolved Inorganic Carbon: Enhances ocean buffering capacity to changes in acidity.

Ocean Water Composition: 97% of Earth's water is saline, with only 3% as freshwater.

The Big Bang: The universe began approximately 13.7 billion years ago.
Magellan’s Circumnavigation: Proved the possibility of global navigation.
Density Definition: Mass per unit volume is fundamental in physical science.
Geological Activity: Convergent plate boundaries are characterized by violent geological activity, impacting Earth's structure over billions of years.
Paleomagnetism: Used for measuring seafloor spreading and geological chronology.

Origin of Abyssal Plain Sediments: Most sediments originate from continental erosion and river discharge.
Continental Drift Theory (Alfred Wegener, 1912): Suggests a single landmass, Pangaea, existed over 200 million years ago.

Four Main Sciences of Oceanography: Physical, geological, biological, and chemical oceanography.
Exploration Milestones:
- Polynesian Exploration: Used navigation techniques via maritime stars and currents to colonize islands.
- Chinese Maritime Navigators: Utilized early compasses and navigational tools.
- Zheng He: Led significant explorations in the Indian Ocean during the Ming Dynasty.

Layers of Earth: In order of density - Crust, Lithosphere, Asthenosphere, Mantle, Outer Core, Inner Core.
Density Stratification: Influences geological structure and formation of oceanic crust.
Sea-Floor Spreading (Harry Hess): New sea-floor created at mid-ocean ridges, with old floor destroyed at subduction zones.

Thermocline: Zone of thermal discontinuity where temperature decreases rapidly with depth.
Halocline: Layer of seawater with significantly rapid salinity changes.

Types of Marine Sediments:
- Terrigenous: Eroded land materials.
- Biogenous: Organic materials from marine organisms.
- Hydrogenous: Minerals precipitated from seawater.
- Cosmogenous: Extraterrestrial materials.
Calcareous Ooze: Accumulation of organisms' remains, significant above the Calcium Carbonate Compensation Depth (CCD).

Coriolis Effect: Impacts weather patterns, resulting in clockwise rotation in the northern hemisphere and counterclockwise in the southern hemisphere. Influences wind direction and ocean currents.
Seasons: Result from Earth's axial tilt of approximately 23.5 degrees, impacting temperature and climate variability throughout the year.

Liquid vs Ice: Ice, being less dense than water, floats; structural differences lead to unique behaviors in freezing and buoyancy.
Hydrogen Bonding: Essential for water's cohesive properties, influencing its interaction with other compounds and its overall physical properties.
Pycnocline and Deep Ocean Zones: 18% of ocean water resides in the pycnocline zone, with the deep zone having a more uniform density.

High Specific Heat Capacity: Water's ability to absorb and release heat is crucial for moderate global climates and aquatic organism protection from thermal fluctuations.
Impact of Salinity on Freezing Point and Density: Increased salinity reduces the freezing point and increases the density of seawater.

Atmospheric Composition: Air primarily consists of nitrogen (78%) and oxygen (21%), playing roles in oceanic and climatic processes.
Ocean Circulation: High heat capacity of oceans regulates global climate patterns by transferring heat from equatorial regions toward the poles.