The History and Development of Oceanography - Term Paper Example

 Oceanography Abstract Oceanography is an amazing branch of science that has influenced human lives in surpassing ways. The objective of this report is to present the history of oceanography, the surrounding details that lead to its initiation and some improved ways of development in the field of study. How influential is this field of science to human environment? What are some major accomplishments of exploration of oceans. Since big surface of the earth comprise of beds of oceans, overwhelming information and knowledge are supposed to be explored and discovered for the benefits of human lives. This is the scope of coverage of discussion of this paper. Oceanography Introduction Have you ever wondered what lies hidden beneath the dark depths of the world’s oceans?By studying oceanography we can find abundance of knowledge deep into the oceans. Oceanography is the “scientific study, the life that inhabits them, and their physical characteristics, including the depth and extent of ocean waters, their movement and chemical make up, and the topography and composition of the ocean floors” (The American Heritage Science Dictionary, 2005). The history of Oceanography way back in 1680 is quite interesting in the person of Luigi FerdinandoMarsigli. What makes it interesting was this 21-year-old lad was concurrently on a political trip when he, unknowingly, involved himself in the history of oceanography. His eventful journey started on July 22, 1679, as he sailed from Venice to Istanbul for a political mission of collecting data because he was working as messenger between the Turkish and Venetian diplomats. He did not have a formal degree in the field of science but he showed considerable inclination toward mathematics and natural sciences. He was more interested in politics and government, thus his connection with the Venetian embassy had given him opportunity to learn about other cultures. So in this trip to Istanbul gave him opportunity to learn their local language and culture. Since he was a careful observer, and fond of experiments, this trip became a memorable voyage because it gave him interesting perspective on the nature of the impressive geographical features and remarkable current patterns of the Bosporus Strait, the two-layer flow. This sparked his imagination and moved him to perform deep observation and experimentation. He decided to measure the density of waters at various locations in the Bosporus Strait and the Mediterranean and Black Seas. Then, he measured the speed of the Bosporus surface current. Afterwards, he determined the depth at which the flow reversed its direction. Then he finally concluded that the Bosporus currents were just a simple consequence of the different water densities in the Black and Mediterranean Seas. Then, he published his observations and experiments in a book entitled “Observations around the Bosporus Strait or True Canal of Constantinople, Presented in a letter to Her Sacred Royal Majesty Queen Christina of Sweden”, originally written in Italian in 1681. This marked the history of Oceanography wherein the Black Sea and the Bosporus Strait played an important place (Soffientino&Pilson, 2005). Therefore, in conclusion, Marsigli considered two equally important foundations that made his place in initiating oceanography. These are: “his conceptual preparation toward explaining what he would eventually see, and the unique and easily accessible features of the Bosporus region”(p. 23). Report National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), admits that prior to satellite data, knowledge and information about the oceans had come from sporadic measurements collected from ships, floats and drifters, gathered in a relatively small area in the oceans. The data and information collected are not sufficient to describe the conditions of the diversity of oceans. Therefore, launching ocean-observing satellites brought us into a new era of marine discovery. Global mapping of seasonal changes in ocean surface topography, currents, waves, winds, phytoplankton content, sea-ice extent, rainfall, sunlight, and sea surface temperature are all become possible due to remotely sensed satellite data and modeling techniques. Conducting studies on all these patterns at a global scale facilitate forecast and lessen the disastrous effects of flood and drought. So far, images spawned by ocean observing satellite missions convey quantities about the most fundamental climate changes. Also, during the last decade, as NASA declares, forecasting models have benefited from satellite data enable them to have improved capacity to predict events such as El Niňo and other global and regional climate cycles. Furthermore, using these remote sensing data and computer models, scientists will develop a more improved investigation on how the oceans can affect the evolution of weather, hurricanes, and climate. NASA acknowledges that their mission is to foster an understanding of the total earth system and the natural effects, as well as human induced changes, on the global environment, wherein oceans play a major role in affecting changes in the world’s climate and weather. Fortunately, these newly developed field of exploration by the used of satellites make possible to understand the ocean in new and exciting ways (NASA Oceanography) Actually, we may consider our planet as an ocean planet because around 70% of the Earth’s surface consist of beds of oceans. No wonder that the oceans covers over 99% of the living space on earth because from the surface up to the deepest bottom are abundance of natural life.To understand the basic biological and chemical processes in the deep ocean, a deep submergence vehicle Alvin was used in routine access to the deep sea floor for over 25 years. In its journey to Galapagos Rift in search for hydrothermal vent communities, according to EOS (2003),” have provided the foundation of deep-sea vent biology as their study has led to fundamental discoveries of chemoautorophy and novel symbioses in the deep sea” (p. 425 para.1) The Galapagos Rift was a promising site because it is part of a highly volcanic undersea rift cradled by a complex, globe-enriching chain of mountain ranges called the mid-ocean ridge system. Over 40,000 miles long, this colossal system weaves around the entire planet like the seam on a tennis ball. A particularly significant feature of the mid-ocean ridge system is that it is essentially a system, two mountain ranges, running parallel to each other and rising to 10,000 feet above the ocean floor. Between the ranges are the greatest chasms on earth, canyons up to 15 miles wide and 4 miles deep, four times deeper than the Grand Canyon of North America. At the foot of these chasms lie highly volcanic rift zones. In order to grasp the meaning of the things seen by researchers on the Alvin, we need a little insight into the way the earth is made. The ground beneath our feet is understood to be made up of a rigid layer, called the lithosphere, that rests on a mass of molten slow-flowing rock. Apparently, this rigid outer layer averages some 60 miles in depth and makes up only about .6% of the volume of the planet. The outermost part of it, the crust, is uneven, thicker, beneath the continents and as thin as 3.6 miles beneath the mid-ocean ridge system. Furthermore, this solid outer shell is not one piece, like the shell of an undamaged egg. Instead, it appears to be broken into a number of large, rigid plates and many smaller ones, all of which are called tectonic plates. These make up the continents and ocean basins. The plates move in relation to one another. Where they draw apart, they thin out and form the rifts of the mid-ocean ridges. Worldwide, plates move at an average of about one inch per year. According to the plate tectonic theory, as the plates diverge along the ridge system, they allow hot rock from the mantle, the region below the crust, to rise. The hot material forms new oceanic crust along the rift zone, but this does not result in the plates’ fusing together. Instead, they continue to part, which makes the rift system resemble a massive wound that never heals. While a plate has new layers added to it at the mid-ocean ridges, its other extremity slowly slips beneath its neighbor and descends into the hot mantle below. There it becomes assimilated into the mantle. The region where a plate descends is called a subduction zone. Subduction zones contain some of the world’s deepest trenches. The Mariana Trench off Guam in the Pacific Ocean, for instance, is over 36,000 feet deep. Were Mount Everest, the highest terrestrial mountain, placed in this trench, its summit would still be 7,000 feet below sea level. EOS (2003) declares that researchers rider of vehicle Alvin recognized the importance of their investigative strategy in a historical context for early discoveries of hydrothermal venting at the Galapagos Rift, since they have performed surveys that employed a variety of shipboard and near-bottom instrumentation. Conclusion These significant scientific approach with it operational results feature the progressive method scientists have employed, such as deep submergence vehicle systems as synergistically utilized to heighten data collection and rapidly address scientific inquiries beneath the deep ocean at the lowest level of sea floor. As modern technology continually advances, more progressive exploration can be implemented and more systems, paradigms, can be instituted so that more discoveries and achievements may be attained. With the wide areas of the earth covered by oceans, expect massive knowledge will continue to abound. Good enough that the achievements attained in the field of oceanography have contributed a lot for the advantageous effects and positive influence on human environment. Scientists and researchers efforts, especially the NASA researchers, deserves commendation and applause for their continued efforts of improving and implementing more advance ways in exploring the belly of the earth, the OCEANS. References Deep Submergence Synergy: Alvin and ABE explore the Galapagos Rift at 86*W. (2003) EOS, Transactions, American Geophysical Union. 84. 41,14. (pp.425-440). Retrieved Nov. 27, 2011 from http://homepage.mac.com/jonathan_eisen/PDFs/69.Shank.EOS.pdf NASA Oceanography. (n.d.). NASA Homepage. Retrieved Nov. 27, 2011 from http://science.nasa.gov/earth-science/oceanography/ Soffientino, B. &Pilson, M. E. Q., (2005). The Bosporus Strait: A special place in the history of Oceanography. Vol.18.2, (pp. 17-23). Retrieved Nov. 27, 2011 from http://www.tos.org/oceanography/issues/issue_archive/issue_pdfs/18_2/18.2_soffientino_ et_al.pdfhttp://www.tos.org/oceanography/issues/issue_archive/issue_pdfs/18_2/18.2_sof fientino_et_al.pdf Read More