Oceanography

What?

Oceanography is the branch of Earth science that studies the ocean. It 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.

Many people associate careers in oceanography as consisting of swimming with marine animals at a marine life park or snorkeling in crystal-clear tropical waters studying coral reefs. In reality, these kinds of jobs are extremely rare and there is intense competition for the few jobs that do exist. Most oceanographers work in fields that use science to solve a particular problem in the ocean. Some examples include:

What is the role of the ocean in limiting climate change?
What kinds of pharmaceuticals can be found naturally in marine organisms?
How does sea-floor spreading relate to the movement of tectonic plates?
What economic deposits are there on the sea floor?
Can rogue waves be predicted?
What is the role of longshore transport in the distribution of sand on the beach?
How does a particular pollutant affect organisms in the marine environment?

Job Duties of Oceanographers
  • Geological oceanographers and geophysicists
  • Physical oceanographers
  • Chemical oceanographers and marine geochemists
  • Biological oceanographers, marine biologists, and fisheries scientists
  • Marine and ocean engineers
  • Marine archaeologists

"Blup2 Conservation: Towards Better Ocean for Tomorrow"

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