1st Edition

Oceanography An Illustrated Guide

By S. A. Thorpe Copyright 1996
    352 Pages 513 Color Illustrations
    by CRC Press

    352 Pages
    by CRC Press

    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 Uses SI Units
    How the Science of Oceanography Developed
    The Atmosphere and the Ocean
    The Role of Ocean Circulation in the Changing Climate
    Ocean Weather - Eddies in the Sea
    Observing Oceans from Space
    Marine Phytoplankton Blooms
    Snow Falls in the Open Ocean
    The Evolution and Structure of Ocean Basins
    Slides, Debris Flows, and Turbidity Currents
    Mid-Ocean Ridges and Hydrothermal Activity
    The Ocean: A Global Chemical System
    The Marine Carbonate System
    A Walk on the Deep Side: Animals in the Deep Sea
    Light, Colour and Vision in the Ocean
    Ocean Diversity
    Life in Estuaries, Salt Marshes, Lagoons, and Coastal Waters
    Artificial Reefs
    Scientific Diving
    Marine Instrumentation
    The Sea Floor - Exploring a Hidden World
    Ocean Resources
    Waste Disposal in the Deep Ocean
    Some Commonly Used Words and Terms
    Acronyms
    Index

    Biography

    A. Thorpe, S.

    ...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