Oceanography Pathfinder
INTRODUCTION
Oceanography is the field of science that involves the study of the ocean. There
are four main branches of oceanographic study: biological, chemical, geological, and
physical.
1) Biological Oceanography is also called marine biology. It focuses on plant and
animal life in the ocean and their ecological aspects.
2) Chemical Oceanography is often referred to as marine chemistry and as the name
suggests, studies the chemical make-up of oceans.
3) Geological Oceanography or marine geology, is the branch that studies the
dynamics of the ocean floor, including plate tectonics.
4) Physical Oceanography is known as marine physics. This branch of study
examines the physical attributes of the ocean such as temperature, tidal movement,
waves, and currents.
Oceanographers work closely with researchers in other fields such as
climatology, so it is truly and interdisciplinary field. A scientist who studies
oceanography will likely have a background in an exact science like biology or
chemistry. That foundation provides the knowledge necessary to collect and
analyze data for successful oceanographic research. There is much information
available about this dynamic field, but this pathfinder provides a basic overview of
resources for further study about the field of oceanography. The resources are
listed with those containing broad, general information first, and those with more
specific detail sited further in the pathfinder.
ENCYCLOPEDIAS
Wikipedia.org - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oceanography
This online encyclopedia provides an excellent overview of the oceanography field
and the disciplines involved in the study of the ocean. It also provides details and
descriptions of the individual branches of oceanography. The user will also find a
brief history of the field as well as active links to many sites for further, more
specific study. These links include oceanographic institutes and organizations.
Overall, a great site to start research in this area.
Interdisciplinary Encyclopedia of Marine Sciences
This resource provides over 800 alphabetical entries that cover all of the
oceanographic disciplines. It includes biographies of important people in the field
and descriptions of pivotal moments in oceanographic science. The 3 volumes are
written for grades 9 and up, so it is a resource that is useful for beginning
knowledge of oceanography. References are given at the conclusion of each article
to guide further research on a topic.
Nybakken, J.W., Broenkow, W.W., & Vallier, T.L. (2002). Interdisciplinary
Encyclopedia of Marine Sciences (3 vols.). Grolier, Inc.
Encyclopedia of Ocean Sciences
Considered the most comprehensive encyclopedia in the field, leading scientists in
all disciplines of oceanography contribute to the 400+ articles. The entries are
written for an audience of undergraduates, academics, and professionals and are
available in full text from ScienceDirect.
Steele, J., K. Turekian and S. Thorpe. (2001). Encyclopedia of Ocean Sciences (6
vols.). San Diego: Academic Press.
BOOK
The Fundamentals of Oceanography
This is a basic oceanography text that provides a broad view of marine life and the
field of oceanography. It is not meant to be a comprehensive resource, but is meant
to simply introduce key concepts and topics on the study of the ocean. It targets
those individuals who seek a better understanding of oceanography and presents
information in a clear, concise manner. It is written by professors in the field of
oceanography and would be a good place to learn basic terminology and practices.
Sverdup, K., Duxbury, A., & Duxbury, A. (2005). The Fundamentals of Oceanography
(5th ed.) United States: McGraw Hill Higher Education.
ELECTRONIC BOOK
"Founders of Oceanography and Their Work, An Introduction to the Science of the
Sea", by William Abbott Herdman
Although written quite a few years ago, this is an important paper about the roots of
oceanography. The author discusses the development of oceanography as its own
field of science, and devotes entire chapters to the individuals who pioneered this
effort. The author, himself a founder of the field, also gives the reader a glimpse of
some of the early science in the field. This is a fascinating article for anyone
interested in delving into the roots of oceanography.
Herdman, William Abbott. "Founders of Oceanography and Their Work, An
Introduction to the Science of the Sea" (July 1, 1923). Scripps Institution of
Oceanography Archives. History of Oceanography: Paper herdman.
http://repositories.cdlib.org/sio/arch/ho/herdman
JOURNAL
Oceanography
This magazine is the official magazine of the Oceanography Society and contains
peer-reviewed articles from scientists in the field. It also reports news articles,
meeting dates, book reviews, and other important announcements in the world of
oceanography. It is published four times a year and is a nice reference for current
events in oceanography.
Oceanography Magazine. The Oceanography Society, Rockville, MD. ISSN: 10428275.
OPEN SOURCE JOURNAL
The Open Oceanography Journal - http://www.bentham.org/open/tooceaj/
This journal provides open access to full-text, peer-reviewed articles about current
developments in the field of oceanography.
WEBSITES
Google Ocean (part of Google Earth) - http://earth.google.com/
This is an amazing resource that allows the user to view underwater images of the
ocean. Using this new feature from Google Earth, a person can perform a virtual
exploration of the ocean floor and see marine life up close. The site covers ocean
exploration, climate change issues, and endangered species. The user can also view
historic ocean expeditions and 3D images of shipwrecks.
Scripps Institute of Oceanography - http://www.sio.ucsd.edu/
This is the site for one of the oldest oceanographic research institutes in the world.
Information can be found on research projects conducted by Scripps in the areas of
physical, chemical, biological, geological, and geophysical oceanography. Major
studies of the moment focus on climate change, biodiversity loss, and rise in sea
level. The studies are conducted on every continent and in every ocean on the
planet, so the user gets a global view of current oceanographic research. This is a
great resource from one of the premiere oceanographic institutes.
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) - http://www.whoi.edu/
This site is maintained by the largest independent oceanographic institution in the
U.S. WHOI is a non-profit research and education facility whose purpose is to
advance oceanic science. The institute is divided into five departments - applied
ocean physics and engineering, biology, geology and geophysics, marine chemistry
and geochemistry, and physical oceanography. The website offers information
about the research conducted in each department and has a wonderful section on
current ocean topics. The section provides an overview of the topic and a link to all
of the research that the WHOI has conducted in that area. This is a great site for
current information about oceanographic research.
The World Ocean Observatory - http://www.thew2o.net/
This is a site created for the universal exchange of information about the ocean and
oceanographic research. It serves as a place for education and discussion about the
ocean, including man and nature's global relationship with marine systems. There
are links from the site to organizations, publications, events, and on line resources
that focus on the ocean as a vital part of our world. There are also forums led by
experts that users can take part in. This is an educational sight that everyone from
experts to novices are encouraged to join and contribute ideas.
DATABASES
National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC) - http://www.nodc.noaa.gov/
The NODC is managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and
contains the world's largest collection of publicly accessible oceanographic data.
The data available has been collected by federal agencies, state and local
government agencies, universities and research institutions, and private industry.
The NODC's primary purpose is to ensure that costly data that is as old as 100 years
is archived and maintained properly. Much of the data is accessed for educational
purposes and for use in research of current issues like climate change. The database
contains a large amount of data and though it is available for anyone to use, some
instruction might be required to navigate efficiently. The NODC is in the process of
improving usability.