GEOL 200 Introductory Physical
Geology study guide 2024 Athabasca
University
, GEOL 200 Introductory Physical Geology study guide 2024 Athabasca University
Oceanography
Scientific study of all aspects of the oceans, a true multidisciplinary science.
Geology
Sea floor tectonics, coastal processes, sediments, hydrological cycle.
Geography
Wind belts, weather, coastal landforms, world climate.
Biology
Fisheries, ecological surveys, microbiology, marine adaptations.
Chemistry
Dissolved components, temperature dependence, stratification/density, chemical tracers.
Physics
Currents, waves, sonar, thermal properties of water.
Astronomy
Tidal forces, oceans on other planets, origin of water, origin of life.
How much of the earth is covered by water?
~71%, 97% of that is saline water and 3% is fresh water
How much of the fresh water on Earth is useable?
0.3%
What is an ocean?
Vast body of saline water occupying depressions on the Earth's surface
Ocean basin profile
Chart showing the profile of the ocean floor including the continental shelves on either side, trenches,
and ridges.
,What are the Earth's oceans?
Arctic, Atlantic (North and South), Indian, Pacific (North and South) and Southern. Divided using
artificial and arbitrary boundaries.
Seas
Smaller bodies of saline water on the peripheries of oceans. Partially enclosed by land, ridges, rises
and island chains. Often, but not always, over continental margins.
Surface area of the ocean
361 132 000 km2
Volume of the ocean
1 332 000 000 km3
Average depth of the ocean
3 688 m
Deepest depth of the ocean
~11 km, Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench
What is Earth's largest feature?
The pacific ocean basin
How many people have been to Challenger Deep?
27
How was Challenger Deep found?
The HMS Challenger (1872-1876) was taking "Radiolarian Ooze" samples of the ocean floor and used
the samples to estimate the depth of the oceans. Estimated a depth of approximately 8184 m.
Who were the first people to go to Challenger Deep?
Don Walsh and Jacques Piccard on the Trieste submersible in 1960.
Which submersible has been to Challenger?
Limiting Factor. It has been 19 times since 2019.
Ocean exploration
Oceans did not prevent spread of humanity, it played a key role as a road between places.
, What drove ancient civilizations to explore, study and travel the ocean?
Food - increased access, nutritional advantage, and economic advantage; Politics and power; Money;
Quest for knowledge.
Mediterranean Sea - Phoenicians
From 2000 BCE, trade routes throughout the region, different ship styles for trade and war, travelled
into the Atlantic, Red Sea, Indian Ocean near Egypt, Lebanon and Syria.
Exploration of Mediterranean, circumnavigation of Africa.
Mediterranean Sea - Ancient Greeks and Egyptians
From 2000 BCE, trade routes throughout the region, different ship styles for trade and war, travelled
into the Atlantic, Red Sea, Indian Ocean near Alexandria.
Use of Mediterranean, Nile River and Red Sea, cartography.
Mediterranean Sea - Ancient Greeks
Wide and stable cargo ships, narrow and fast warships.
3rd century BC - Alexander the Great, Repository of scientific knowledge, the beginning of marine
science and the flourishing of cartography.
Pytheas
Used latitude to travel North.
Hipparchus
Developed the current longitude and latitude grid system.
Eratosthenes
Used shadows, day of the year and trigonometry to confirm the Earth is round and calculate Earth's
circumference to be 40 000 km (actual is 40 032 km).
Ptolemy
150 AD, publishes Geography - compilation of geographical knowledge.
Updates Eratosthenes circumference of the Earth to be 29 000 km - wrong.
Pacific - Polynesians
The 'easiest' islands were colonized first which led to over population and resource depletion,
religious warfare. Lead to outward spreading, colonization even further away.
Developed technological advances and navigational techniques.
Stick diagram