Beneath the Surface: Light in the Ocean
One of the defining elements that distinguishes one ocean layer from another is the presence or absence of light. The impact of light in the marine environment is significant. It affects the behavior of marine animals and has an impact on their anat...
Beneath the Surface: Ocean's Horizontal Layers, The
The area beneath the surface of the ocean is laid out in discrete zones and layers. These provide a convenient framework within which to analyze ocean structure.
Beneath the Surface: Spreading, Scattering and Shadow Zones
The rate at which sound spreads out in the ocean is affected by scattering, which often occurs when sound waves hit boundaries, like the seafloor and the ocean surface. When sound waves scatter, they may cause the formation of a shadow zone.
Beneath the Surface: Using Sound to Study the Ocean's Interior
Sound is sometimes used to study the ocean's interior. For example, the speed of sound in the ocean can be used to measure the temperature between the source and the receiver.
Beneath the Surface: Water and the Speed of Sound
Sound in the ocean travels about five times as fast as it does in the atmosphere. As with light, absorption plays a major role.
Beneath the Surface: Use of Sound by Marine Mammals
Marine mammals use sound in much the same way that animals on land use their sight and, to some extent, their hearing. It offers the best means by which to detect their prey at a distance.
Its in the Water: Salinity, Density, and Temperature
Obtaining accurate salinity measurements is vitally important because salt, along with temperature, has a significant impact on the density of seawater. And this, in turn, greatly affects ocean structure and circulation.
Beneath the Surface: Physical Processes and Marine Chemistry
Marine chemistry is used to understand physical processes, such as ocean circulation, as well as various biological processes.