Going with the Flow: Ocean Circulation Patterns
Among the largest structural features in the open ocean are the subtropical gyres that occur in the major ocean basins. But while gyres loom large in
Subject: ocean
Transcript: [narrator:] from vagn ekman forward, oceanographers have tried to gain a greater understanding of the motion and direction of ocean currents. People
Its in the Water: Measuring Salinity
Efforts to measure salinity have long been a fundamental part of chemical oceanography. At one time, this was done by simply weighing the salt. Then, for years, salinity was determined based on the concentration of chloride. Today, salinity is measu...
Subject: ocean
Transcript: To get ocean temperatures from satellites. However, there's not yet a satellite available To tell us the ocean salinity. So, oceanographers are working
Going with the Flow: Ocean Currents: Cause and Effect
In addition to their role in El Nino and other weather events, ocean currents are also important for delivering nutrients, especially along
Subject: ocean
Transcript: [narrator:] while ocean currents play a significant role Min the creation of el nino events, their global impact extends well beyond weather
Food for Thought: Transfer of Energy, The
While the term "food chain" is still used by some to describe the transfer of energy between organisms, others contend that the complex nature of this process is better described by the word "web," rather than "chain."
Subject: ocean
Due West: Point Mugu Naval Air Station
Restoration and protection of the Point Mugu, California wetlands has been a great success story, despite the challenges associated with agricultural runoff and other by-products of urbanization.
Subject: ocean
Transcript: was potentially Being polluted or that somehow metals were migrating off-site Into the ocean, or being taken Up in the food chain or in plants. So the
Due West: Malibu Coast, The
The Malibu coast is plagued by serious erosion problems-especially landslides. Given that coastal erosion is an unavoidable fact of life, the focus in this fabled community is not so much on stopping it, but finding ways to live with it. These inclu...
Subject: ocean
Transcript: the ocean And to potential coastal erosion Than many other cities in other places. We also happen to have confluence Of mountain building here-- Very
Due West: Aliso Creek
, carrying with it pollutants and contaminants, and empties into the Pacific Ocean. The results can be dire for both marine and human life.
Subject: ocean
Transcript: bacteria From dog droppings and other sources. And all of this comes down through the storm drains And it comes out into the ocean. [narrator:] in addition
Food for Thought: Primary Producers and Photosynthesis
Primary producers are marine organisms so small that most of them can't be seen individually without magnification. But despite their small size, primary producers are extremely important. They take energy from other sources-primarily the sun-and us...
Subject: ocean
Transcript: [narrator:] the world ocean is, among other things, home to a rich variety of fishes. these extraordinary creatures are valued for their beauty
First Steps: The History of Marine Exploration: Matthew Fontaine Maury
Perhaps the first person for whom oceanography was a full-time occupation, Matthew Fontaine Maury began charting winds and ocean currents for the
Subject: ocean
Transcript: -time occupation, began charting winds and ocean currents for the united states navy. And this basically was a pioneering effort In understanding the different
Dirty Water: Toxic Metallic Compounds
Along with oil and excess nutrients, toxic metallic compounds can also make their way to the marine environment and cause damage that may be passed along through the food web.
Subject: ocean