Descriptive Physical Oceanography, Sixth Edition, provides an introduction to the field with an emphasis on large-scale oceanography based mainly on observations. Topics covered include the physical properties of seawater, heat and salt budgets, instrumentation, data analysis methods, introductory dynamics, oceanography and climate variability of each of the oceans and of the global ocean, and brief introductions to the physical setting, waves, and coastal oceanography.
This updated version contains ocean basin descriptions, including ocean climate variability, emphasizing dynamical context; new chapters on global ocean circulation and introductory ocean dynamics; and a new companion website containing PowerPoint figures, lecture and study guides, and practical exercises for analyzing a global ocean data set using Java OceanAtlas.
This text is ideal for undergraduates and graduate students in marine sciences and oceanography.
Key Features
- Expanded ocean basin descriptions, including ocean climate variability, emphasizing dynamical context
- New chapters on global ocean circulation and introductory ocean dynamics
- Companion website containing PowerPoint figures, supplemental chapters, and practical exercises for analyzing a global ocean data set using Java OceanAtlas
Preface
Chapter 1. Introduction to Descriptive Physical Oceanography
1.1. Overview
1.2. Space and TimeScales of Physical Oceanographic Phenomena
Chapter 2. Ocean Dimensions, Shapes, and Bottom Materials
2.1. Dimensions
2.2. Plate Tectonics and Deep-Sea Topography
2.3. Seafloor Features
2.4. Spatial Scales
2.5. Shore, Coast, and Beach
2.6. Continental Shelf, Slope, and Rise
2.7. Deep Ocean
2.8. Sills, Straits, and Passages
2.9. Methods for Mapping Bottom Topography
2.10. Bottom Material
2.11. Ocean Basins
Chapter 3. Physical Properties of Seawater
3.1. Molecular Properties of Water
3.2. Pressure
3.3. Thermal Properties of Seawater: Temperature, Heat, and Potential Temperature
3.4. Salinity and Conductivity
3.5. Density of Seawater
3.6. Tracers
3.7. Sound in the Sea
3.8. Light and the Sea
3.9. Ice in the Sea
Chapter 4. Typical Distributions of Water Characteristics
4.1. Introduction
4.2. Temperature Distribution of the Oceans
4.3. Salinity Distribution
4.4. Density Distribution
4.5. Dissolved Oxygen
4.6. Nutrients and Other Tracers
4.7. Age, Turnover Time, and Ventilation Rate
4.8. Optical Properties of Seawater
Chapter 5. Mass, Salt, and Heat Budgets and Wind Forcing
5.1. Conservation of Volume and Mass
5.2. Conservation of Salt
5.3. Three Examples of the two Conservation Principles
5.4. Conservation of Heat Energy; the Heat Budget
5.5. Geographic Distribution and Temporal Variation of the Heat-Budget Terms
5.6. Meridional Heat Transport
5.7. Buoyancy Fluxes
5.8. Wind Forcing
Chapter 6. Data Analysis Concepts and Observational Methods
6.1. Oceanographic Sampling
6.2. Observational Error
6.3. Basic Statistical Concepts
6.4. Variation in Space: Profiles, Vertical Sections, and Horizontal Maps
6.5. Variation in Time
6.6. Multidimensional Sampling
6.7. Water Property (Water Mass) Analyses
Chapter 7. Dynamical Processes for Descriptive Ocean Circulation
7.1. Introduction: Mechanisms
7.2. Momentum Balance
7.3. Temperature, Salinity, and Density Evolution
7.4. Mixing Layers
7.5. Response to Wind Forcing
7.6. Geostrophic Balance
7.7. Vorticity, Potential Vorticity, Rossby and Kelvin Waves, and Instabilities
7.8. Wind-Driven Circulation: Sverdrup Balance and Western Boundary Currents
7.9. Wind-Driven Circulation: Eastern Boundary Currents and Equatorial Circulation
7.10. Buoyancy (Thermohaline) Forcing and Abyssal Circulation
Chapter 8. Gravity Waves, Tides, and Coastal Oceanography
8.1. Introduction
8.2. General Properties of Waves
8.3. Surface Gravity Waves
8.4. Internal Gravity Waves
8.5. Large-Scale Continental Shelf and Coastal-Trapped Waves
8.6. Tides
8.7. Water Properties in Coastal Regions: River Runoff
8.8. Estuaries
8.9. Coral Reefs
8.10. Adjacent Seas
Chapter 9. Atlantic Ocean
9.1. Introduction and Overview
9.2. Forcing
9.3. North Atlantic Circulation
9.4. Tropical Atlantic Circulation
9.5. South Atlantic Circulation
9.6. Depth Dependence of the Atlantic Ocean Circulation
9.7. Meridional Overturning Circulation in the Atlantic
9.8. Atlantic Ocean Water Masses
9.9. Climate and the Atlantic Ocean
Chapter 10. Pacific Ocean
10.1. Introduction and Overview
10.2. Wind and Buoyancy Forcing
10.3. North Pacific Circulation
10.4. South Pacific Circulation
10.5. Pacific Ocean Mesoscale Eddy Variability
10.6. Depth Dependence of the Pacific Ocean Circulation and Meridional Overturn
10.7. Tropical Pacific Circulation and Water Properties
10.8. El Niño/ La Niña and The Southern Oscillation (ENSO)
10.9. Pacific Ocean Water Masses
10.10. Decadal Climate Variability and Climate Change
Chapter 11. Indian Ocean
11.1. Introduction and Overview
11.2. Wind and Buoyancy Forcing
11.3. Monsoonal and Tropical Ocean Circulation
11.4. South Indian Ocean Subtropical Circulation
11.5. Indonesian Throughflow
11.6. Red Sea and Persian Gulf Outflows
11.7. Intermediate and Deep Circulation
11.8. Water Masses
11.9. Climate and the Indian Ocean
Chapter 12. Arctic Ocean and Nordic Seas
12.1. Introduction
12.2. The Nordic Seas
12.3. Baffin Bay and Hudson Bay
12.4. Arctic Ocean: Circulation and Ice Drift
12.5. Arctic Ocean Water Masses
12.6. Arctic Ocean Transports and Budgets
12.7. Sea Ice in the Arctic
12.8. Climate Variations and the Arctic
Chapter 13. Southern Ocean
13.1. Introduction
13.2. Forcing
13.3. Southern Ocean Fronts and Zones
13.4. Southern Ocean Circulation and Transports
13.5. Southern Ocean Water Masses
13.6. Eddies in the Southern Ocean
13.7. Sea Ice in the Southern Ocean
13.8. Climate Variability in the Southern Ocean
Chapter 14. Global Circulation and Water Properties
14.1. Global Circulation
14.2. Global Mass Transports and Overturning Circulation
14.3. Heat and Freshwater Transports and Ocean Circulation
14.4. Global Property Distributions
14.5. Eddy Variability and Diffusivity
14.6. Climate and the Global Ocean
Chapter S1. Brief History of Physical Oceanography
S1.1. Scientists on Ships
S1.2. Organized Expeditions Prior to the Twentieth Century
S1.3. Scandinavian Contributions and the Dynamic Method
S1.4. The Meteor Expedition
S1.5. World War II and Mid-Twentieth Century Physical Oceanography
S1.6. A Brief History of Numerical Modeling in Physical Oceanography
Chapter S4. Typical Distributions of Water Characteristics
Chapter S5. Mass, Salt, and Heat Budgets and Wind Forcing
Chapter S6. Data Analysis Concepts and Observational Methods
Chapter S7. Dynamical Processes for Descriptive Ocean Circulation
7.1. Introduction: Mechanisms
7.2. Momentum Balance
7.3. Temperature, Salinity, and Density Evolution
7.4. Mixing Layers
7.5. Response to Wind Forcing
7.6. Geostrophic Balance
7.7. Vorticity, Potential Vorticity, Rossby and Kelvin Waves, and Instabilities
7.8. Wind-Driven Circulation: Sverdrup Balance and Western Boundary Currents
7.9. Wind-Driven Circulation: Eastern Boundary Currents and Equatorial Circulation
7.10. Buoyancy (Thermohaline) Forcing and Abyssal Circulation
Chapter S8. Gravity Waves, Tides, and Coastal Oceanography
S8.7. Water Properties in Coastal Regions: River Runoff
S8.8. Estuaries
S8.9. Coral Reefs
S8.10. Adjacent Seas
Chapter S9. Atlantic Ocean
Chapter S10. Pacific Ocean
Chapter S11. Indian Ocean: Supplementary Materials
Chapter S12. The Arctic Ocean and Nordic Seas
Chapter S13. Southern Ocean
Chapter S14. Global Circulation and Water Properties
Chapter S15. Climate and the Oceans
S15.1. Introduction
S15.2. Climate and the Atlantic Ocean
S15.3. Climate and the Pacific Ocean
S15.4. Climate and the Indian Ocean
S15.5. Climate and the Arctic Ocean
S15.6. Climate and the Southern Ocean
S15.7. Global Ocean Climate Change
Chapter S16. Instruments and Methods
S16.1. The Impact of Space and Timescales on Sampling and Instrumentation
S16.2. Platforms
S16.3. Depth and Pressure Measurements
S16.4. Water Property Measurements (Temperature, Salinity, Density, and Tracers)
S16.5. Current Measurements
S16.6. Acoustic Methods for Observing Changes in Temperature or Density
S16.7. Sea-Level Measurement
S16.8. Radiation and Optical Measurements
S16.9. Satellites
s16.10. Data Archives and Data Centers
References
Color Plates
Index
Added Refs from Supplemental Material
- Wilks, Statistical Methods in the Atmospheric Sciences, 2e, 2005, 9780127519661, $94.95
- Jensen, Statistics for Petroleum Engineers And Geoscientists, 2000, 9780444505521, $165.00
- Emery and Thomson, Data Analysis Methods in Physical Oceanography, 2000, 9780444507570, $123.00
- Marshall and Plumb, Atmosphere, Ocean, and Climate Dynamics, 2007, 9780125586917, $76.95
