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Oceanography
Unit information: Oceanography in 2017/18
Please note: you are viewing unit and programme information
for a past academic year. Please see the current academic year for up to date information.
Unit name |
Oceanography |
Unit code |
EASC30017 |
Credit points |
10 |
Level of study |
H/6
|
Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1B (weeks 7 - 12)
|
Unit director |
Professor. Robinson |
Open unit status |
Not open |
Pre-requisites |
Successful completion of the mandatory units in Year 1 and Year 2 of an Environmental Geoscience, Geology, Geology and Biology or Palaeontology and Evolution programme at Bristol.
|
Co-requisites |
n/a
|
School/department |
School of Earth Sciences |
Faculty |
Faculty of Science |
Description including Unit Aims
An overview of the physical, chemical and biological aspects of oceanography in the sense that they relate to environmental geosciences.
The unit aims to:
- provide a qualitative analysis of the dynamics of wind-driven surface current systems, and of density-driven circulation in the deep oceans.
- investigate the biogeochemical cycling of elements in the ocean, and water-sediment interactions on the seafloor.
- describe and explain interactions between marine plants and animals in relation to the physical and chemical properties and dynamic behaviour of the sea water in which they live.
- explore methods for quantifying the rates of processes operating in the ocean system including sedimentation, ocean circulation and chemical perturbations
- introduce the aspects of the ocean-atmosphere system that are relevant to climate change on the Earth on timescales of 102 - 106 years.
- assess the role of oceans in controlling levels of atmospheric CO2
The second year unit EASC20027 Atmospheric Processes will be of value; students who have not taken this unit will be expected to complete additional introductory reading.
Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the unit you will be able to:
- describe and explain the reasons for the temperature, salinity and density structure of the oceans.
- explain how deep water masses form and describe the global conveyor system.
- discuss the distribution of elements in seawater and identify their sources and sinks.
- debate the abiotic factors affecting biological productivity in the oceans
- discuss the carbon and oxygen cycles in the ocean-atmosphere system.
- analyse the processes that lead to the observed regional distribution of biogenic carbonate and siliceous sediments on the ocean floor, describe early diagenetic processes in deep sea and hemi-pelagic sediments.
- analyse palaeoclimate data and draw inferences from such data regarding the past climate of the Earth.
- discuss why oceans are important in the atmospheric CO2 cycle and critically analyse the different hypotheses as to how the oceans respond to, or cause, variations in atmospheric CO2 on a variety of timescales
- make use of the information in the scientific literature to inform knowledge of the ocean system
Teaching Information
15 Lectures and 5 practicals
Assessment Information
- 90% 3 hour closed book exam
Reading and References
Essential
- Ocean Circulation. The Open University.
- Seawater: Its Composition, Properties and Behaviour. The Open University.
- Ocean Chemistry and Deep Sea Sediments. The Open University
- Ruddiman, W.F. (2000) Earth's Climate: Past Present and Future. W.H. Freeman & Co.
- Talley, Pickard, Emery and Swift, Descriptive Physical Oceanography An Introduction (sixth Edition) (2011). Elsevier Ltd.
Recommended
- Henry Elderfield (Ed), Heinrich D Holland and Karl K Turekian (Exec Eds). The oceans and marine geochemistry. Vol. 6 (2006). Elsevier.
- The Ocean Basins: Their structure and evolution. The Open University
Further Reading
- Sarmiento and Gruber, Ocean Biogeochemical Dynamics, (2006), Princeton University Press.
- Libes, S.M. 1992. Marine Biogeochemistry. John Wiley & Sons.