Free, Open, and Affordable Resources: Earth, Atmosphere and Environment

Oceanography is the branch of Earth science that studies the ocean and covers a wide range of topics, including marine organisms and ecosystem dynamics; ocean currents, waves, and geophysical fluid dynamics; plate tectonics and the geology of the sea floor; and fluxes of various chemical substances and physical properties within the ocean and across its boundaries.

This textbook outlines the major processes and features of the world's oceans. Content starts with a review of important fundamentals of the natural and physical science related to oceanography. Following chapters focus on Earth history and evolution of life through time.

This text is an introduction to the geological, chemical, physical and biological aspects of the world's oceans and interactions of these different aspects. Topics include the history of oceanography; historic and modern oceanographic instruments; plate tectonics and marine geology; the marine-land interface; ecological problems of the local bay, estuary, delta and state-wide water resources; the oceans’ roles as a dominant influence on the earth, its climate, and the lives of its inhabitants; food, drug, and mineral energy resources from the sea; global and local ocean resource management, aquacultural techniques and practices; preservation of marine environments; and the deep sea, its properties, animals and their adaptations.