The Ocean Environment

Curriculum guideline

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Course
EAES 1240
Discontinued
No
Course code
EAES 1240
Descriptive
The Ocean Environment
Department
Earth & Environmental Sciences
Faculty
Science & Technology
Credits
3.00
Start date
End term
Not Specified
PLAR
No
Semester length
15 Weeks
Max class size
35
Course designation
None
Industry designation
None
Contact hours

Lecture: 2 hours/week 

and

Lab: 2 hours/week

Method(s) of instruction
Lecture
Lab
Learning activities

Lecture: includes lecture, video, class discussion, small group work;
Lab: includes individual and group assignments involving oceanic processes and analysis;
Field trip (field experience): optional visit to observe oceanic sites may occur at instructor discretion.

Course description
This course examines the ocean environment and its interactions with other Earth systems. Topics include the physical, chemical, geological and biological factors affecting the Earth's oceans. Current issues such as climate change, sea level rise, and pollution are examined. Field trips may be required. These field trips may take place outside of scheduled class hours.
Course content
  • Origin of the oceans: universe and Earth formation, outgassing
  • History of ocean science: voyages of discovery and colonization, scientific exploration after 1750, modern era after 1900
  • Plate tectonics and ocean basins: tectonic plates, earthquakes, Earth's layers, evidence for plate tectonics, plate boundaries, ocean bathymetry and mapping
  • Ocean sediments and rocks: sediment types, sediment distribution, sediment composition, ocean floor rock types
  • Water: molecular structure, bonding, heat capacity, density, temperature, salinity, moderation of atmospheric temperature, pycnocline, thermocline, halocline, water masses, refraction of sound and light, light penetration spectrum, solvent properties, seawater composition, dissolved gases, chemical equilibrium
  • Atmospheric circulation: hydrologic cycle, composition and density, solar heating, Coriolis effect, circulation cells, weather
  • Ocean circulation: Ekman spiral, gyres and currents, upwelling and downwelling, Langmuir circulation, ENSO, La Nina, thermohaline circulation
  • Waves: characteristics, depth effect, refraction, oscillation, internal waves, tsunamis
  • Tides: Newtonian model, effects of gravity and inertia, amphidromic systems, tides of diurnal, semi-diurnal and mixed types, tidal currents
  • Coasts and estuaries: sea level change (including Vail curve), erosional and depositional coasts, beaches, deltas, estuary types, reefs
  • Life in the oceans: physical and chemical factors, productivity, ecology, plankton, algae, plants, animals, carbon and nitrogen cycles, reefs, hydrothermal vents
  • Resources of the ocean: law of the sea, fisheries, whales, petroleum, minerals
  • Contemporary issues: may include waste disposal, sea-level rise, rising temperatures, decreasing biodiversity, eutrophication, coral bleaching, oil spills, national control of resources
  • Labs may cover the following topics:
    • Use of maps, profiles and graphs to describe and interpret data
    • Bathymetry
    • Sea floor spreading
    • Tides
    • Materials of the sea floor (sediments and rocks)
    • Sea water temperatures
    • Salinity
    • Currents
    • Waves
    • Life in the sea, food webs
    • Productivity
    • Seawater chemistry
    • Minerals and rocks
    • Ocean acidification
Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

  • discuss the formation of the oceans and interactions between the ocean, atmosphere, lithosphere and biosphere;
  • identify and describe historical highlights in the field of ocean sciences;
  • describe the circulation systems of the atmosphere, ocean and mantle;
  • identify and describe the materials of the ocean, atmosphere and lithosphere;
  • describe the major physical, chemical and biological processes occurring in the ocean;
  • illustrate ocean science concepts using maps, graphs, diagrams or demonstrations;
  • discuss contemporary environmental issues using knowledge of ocean sciences.
Means of assessment

Assessment will be in accordance with the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍøÆØÒ»Çø¶þÇø Evaluation Policy. The instructor will present a written course outline with specific evaluation criteria at the beginning of the semester. Evaluation will be based on the following:

Assignments  0-20%
Attendance and/or Participation 0-10%
Project 0-20%
Lab Assignments 10-20%
Lab Exams 15-25%
Term Tests(s) 20-30%
Final Exam 30%
Total 100%

 

 

Textbook materials

Consult the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍøÆØÒ»Çø¶þÇø Bookstore for the latest required textbooks and materials.  Example textbooks and materials may include:

Garrison. Current edition. Oceanography, An Invitation to Marine Science. Brookes/Cole (Cengage).

Segar. Current edition. Introduction to Ocean Sciences. Open source textbook.

Prerequisites

None

Corequisites

None

Equivalencies

None

Which prerequisite

none