Oceanography

Oceanography is the scientific study of the oceans. It is a sub-discipline of Earth science. Seventy percent of the earths surface is covered by oceans and this area encompasses diverse environments. Research is carried out on scales ranging from microscopic water drops to entire ocean basins. A variety of tools and techniques are employed and modern oceanography is further divided into four sub-disciplines:

• Biological Oceanography - The study of biological processes in the ocean. This field encompasses the ecology, taxonomy and physiology of organisms inhabiting the oceans.
• Chemical Oceanography - The study of the chemical composition of seawater. This field encompasses the study of biogeochemical cycles in the ocean and exchanges of chemicals between the water and surrounding environments including the sediments, atmosphere and land.
• Geological Oceanography - The study of geological processes within ocean basins. Topics include paleontology, vulcanology, plate tectonics and sedimentation processes.
• Physical Oceanography - The study of physical processes in the oceans. Topics include currents, tides, large scale ocean circulation and the formation of different water masses.