Dirty Water: Oceanic Clues About Climate Change
Many scientists believe they can better understand today's climate patterns by comparing them to those from the past. One way to do this is by examining ancient sediment samples.
Treasure Trove: Commercial Uses of Sediment
Marine sediments are enormously important economically. Gravel and sand are obtained from the ocean for use as construction materials. In addition to offshore diamond deposits, tin and titanium are found in the ocean. Oil and natural gas resources a...
The Ocean's Memory: Sediment Distribution Patterns
While sediments of all varieties can be found almost anywhere in the marine environment, there are some very distinct distribution patterns.
The Ocean's Memory: Sediments and Earth's Magnetic Field
As with climate changes, there have been some unexplained aberrations in Earth's magnetic field during the recent past. Marine sediments provide important information that may help scientists better understand those aberrations.
The Ocean's Memory: Biogenous Sediments
While most sediments are terrigenous, there are other sediments that are also found in the marine environment. Biogenous sediments are those that form from the shells or skeletons of marine animals.
Look Out Below: Sea Level and Global Warming
The precise role that global warming plays in determining sea level is a subject of considerable controversy. But many scientists believe there is a link.
The Ocean's Memory: Terrigenous Sediments
Sediment is the debris that accumulates on the surface of the Earth as the result of chemical, physical and biological processes. Most sediment, known as terrigenous sediment, forms when rain falls on soil and washes it into rivers, which then carry...
The Ocean's Memory: Obtaining and Analyzing Sediment Samples
Despite its temporary nature, sediment remains uniquely valuable. As a result, oceanographers have worked hard to refine the process of obtaining and analyzing sediment samples.
The Ocean's Memory: Oil, Gas and Manganese Nodules
Sediment is a uniquely valuable commodity within the marine environment. Oil, natural gas, coal, diamonds, gravel, sand, tin and titanium are all associated with marine sediment. Perhaps the most famous potential deep sea deposits are manganese nodu...
The Ocean's Memory: Sediments and Past Climate
As sediments get laid down, they carry with them a record of the kind of environment in which they were formed. Scientists can read that record and learn valuable information about past climate and temperature change.