Oceanography

Catalog description

Note: Required overnight field trip when not offered fully online. <br> <br> Global ocean dynamics are part of an intricate system that influences world climate and both terrestrial and oceanic life. Basic principles and concepts are presented including ocean origins, ocean basin formation, seawater composition and characteristics, oceanic circulation, and the marine habitat providing a holistic view of the study of the oceans. Coastal processes such as waves and tides, erosion and deposition, and landforms are also considered. Laboratory activities will survey marine geology including plate tectonics and ocean basin topography, chemical oceanography, physical oceanography such as circulation, waves and tides, and biological oceanography including marine organisms, marine ecosystems, and nutrient flow. The lecture and laboratory will consider marine-produced and influenced natural resources, their exploitation, and concepts centered on sustainable uses. This course may be offered in a distance education format.