Oceanography
Video Series Information - The
Endless Voyage
Oceanography 101
Each video combines on-location footage with
computer graphics in a way that is both engaging and informative. Individual
case studies focus on polar and tropical extremes, an ongoing coastal project,
and life at a major research institution. Learners will also hear from leading
scientists and academicians whose work has helped define the field of
oceanography.
All videos are closed captioned.
|
From the Big Bang theory to
the formation of planet Earth through the origins of life, scientists
summarize the profound influence of water on our planet and introduce the
science of oceanography. The evolution of
oceanography and the technology that has driven it are investigated, from the
early cartographers through the remarkable voyages lead by individuals who
had little more to guide them than a sense of adventure. Lesson 3 - Making the
Pieces Fit In 1965, John Tuzo Wilson
supplied the final piece of the puzzle necessary to the development of the
plate tectonics paradigm, which had its roots in Wegener’s 1912 theory of
continental drift. Though many questions
remain unanswered, the evidence for plate tectonics is found virtually
everywhere it is sought and continues to mount today. Polar wandering and the
characteristics of plate boundaries, hot spots, and earthquakes continue the
study of plate tectonics. Bathymetry is the study of
the topography of the ocean floor. This lesson examines the sea floor from
the continental margins to the abyssal plain, trenches, and hydrothermal
vents with their newly-discovered biota. New technology and techniques
continue to expand access to seabed studies. This lesson examines marine
sediments, which provide an important record of an ocean basin’s history. The
study of marine sediments employs the same techniques devised by terrestrial
geologists, and is of commercial and scientific interest across many
disciplines. The chemistry of water and
its unique physical properties and behavior are studied, as well as the
temperature, density, and salinity of the ocean’s water. Also considered is
the profound impact of the ocean on global temperatures. Lesson 8 - Beneath the
Surface The ocean is a dynamic
structure. This lesson explores the stratification, movement, and surface
conditions of that structure as well as how light and sound are affected by
the ocean environment. Through a comparative study
of the polar and tropic oceans, students are given the opportunity to
integrate and apply the facts and principles presented to this point in the
course. Lesson 10 - Something in
the Air The interaction of the
ocean, the atmosphere, and the land form an inseparable system. The
atmospheric composition, properties, and circulation of this system as well
as the Coriolis effect, wind patterns, and air masses are studied in this
lesson. Lesson 11 - Going with
the Flow Surface currents transfer
water and heat from tropical to polar regions and influence weather, climate,
and biological activity in the upper-water region. Using the El Niño phenomenon
for illustration, the effects of surface currents on climate are studied. Like wind-powered surface
currents, the density-driven thermohaline circulation plays a major role in
global heat transfer and in distributing dissolved gases and nutrients.
Chemical tracers are just one method used to study these deep water currents. Starting with the
disturbing forces that initiate movement of energy through the water, the
formation and propagation of both surface and internal waves are studied in
this lesson. Tsunami, seiches, storm
surge, and seismic sea waves are very large, potentially destructive waves
that can be triggered by earthquakes, volcanic activity, cyclones, and tidal
effects. These waves and long-term sea level change are this lesson’s focus. This lesson examines tides
and the forces that generate them. The equilibrium theory and the dynamic
theory of tides are presented. A look at the features of
coasts and the forces that shape them, including the characteristics of
coasts. Coral reefs, estuaries, lagoons, and wetlands are examined. The impact of human
activity on coastal areas is examined through studies of four areas along the
California coast. Using these studies, harbor and beach creation and
maintenance, erosion, water pollution, and wetlands preservation are
investigated. A scientific definition of
life is offered and evolution of life in the marine environment is examined.
The theory of evolution by natural selection is presented and biogeochemical
cycles are examined. The history of biological
classification is presented, and the six kingdoms into which taxonomists
currently divide all life are reviewed. The environmental factors and
processes that affect marine life are discussed. Primary productivity in the
marine environment is accomplished mainly by plankton. The types of plankton,
their distribution, and productivity are presented along with methods for
measuring primary productivity and factors that limit productivity. A study of the oxygen revolution,
the origins of life, and evolution and classification of the invertebrates
from least complexity of body form and function to greatest complexity. Continuing where the
previous lesson left off, the marine vertebrates, their feeding, defense, and
the ways in which the marine environment has shaped their evolution are
examined. In addition to fish, the marine reptiles, birds, and mammals are
considered. In order to explain the
distribution and abundance of organisms, their biological interrelationships
and physical limiting factors must be understood. Various marine communities
such as those of the rocky intertidal, sandy shores, estuaries, hydrothermal
vents, and the bathypelagic zone are explored in this lesson. This lesson surveys the
major physical, biological, energy, and nonextractive resources of the oceans
and details their economic worth, means of extraction, distribution,
abundance, present status, and future prospects. In excessive amounts, even
natural materials can be problematic, and sometimes cleanup can be more
damaging than the polluting event. This lesson examines pollution and
pollutants on both a local and global level. A look at some of the
factors, beyond the search for empirical truth, that motivate oceanographers.
Concentrating on global oceanographic initiatives, the study guide and text
readings encourage students to review, synthesize, and integrate some of the
larger ideas from the course. |