Lesson

Lesson Plan

To gain a better understanding of how remote sensing can be applied to oceanography, one must have an understanding of what oceanography encompasses. Lets briefly discuss Oceanography:

What is Oceanography?

Oceanography is the study and exploration of the ocean.

What are the Branches of Oceanography?

I. Biological Oceanography -- the study of organisms in the ocean and how they interact within an ocean environment

Characteristics of Organisms to Study
1. Distribution (throughout the oceans)
2. Behavior
3. Evolution
4. Life Processes
Two Biological Categories to Investigate within Oceanography Include
1. Botany -- the study of plants
2. Zoology -- the study of animals

II. Chemical Oceanography -- involves the mapping of organic and inorganic chemistry

Two Chemical Categories Include
1. Organic -- the chemistry of carbon compounds, generally involving plants and animals
2. Inorganic -- the chemistry of compounds made up of elements other than carbon
Why Study the Chemical Properties of the Ocean?
1. To aid in providing food for earth's population -- all living things depend on the presence of specific chemical nutrients to survive
2. For finding new sources of energy
3. Discover substitutes for resources
4. Strengthening national security
5. Protecting the environment

III. Geological Oceanography

Geography
1. The study of the physical nature and history of the earth
2. The structure and development of the earth's surface (above and under water), the composition of the earth's interior, rock types, and life forms found in fossils
Categories of Geology to Investigate in the Oceans
1. Mineralogy and Petrology -- the study of classification, location, composition, and structures of minerals and rocks underwater
2. Physical geology -- the process that brings about changes in the earth
3. Historical geology -- the history of changes in the earth

IV. Physical Oceanography -- the study of the causes of various motions of ocean waters, for instance, currents, tides, winds, and the properties of water such as temperatures, salinity, and pressure

Goals of studying physical aspects include
1. To gain a better understanding of the movement and structure of the ocean
2. To understand the interactions of water with the two boundaries of air and sediments
3. The relationship between the ocean to the other branches of oceanography

V. Meteorological Oceanography

Marine Meteorologists -- receive data about the oceans in order to predict the weather because atmospheric and ocean interactions are major factors in determining the weather

VI. Environmental Oceanography

To study and develop methods of protecting the oceans and its characteristics
To explore and develop the ocean's resources further

Now, lets determine what Remote Sensing is:

To learn more in-depth knowledge of the technology behind remote sensing, jump to the technology section now!

Remote Sensing and Oceanography

Remote sensing data is obtained from ships, weather buoys, aircraft, and satellites. These data include:

general circulation of the ocean,
observing oceanic transport of chemicals and materials,
determining seasonal oceanic variability on a global scale, and
descriptions of the interactions of surface conditions and physical properties between ocean and atmosphere.

Data obtained from the oceans contributes to:

developing estimates of the exchange of chemicals between the upper layers and interior of the oceans,
identifying processes and balances of general circulation in the oceans, and
constructing models for diagnosis, simulation and prediction of the ocean's general circulation.

To gain hands-on knowledge of remote sensing as it relates to oceanography, jump to the lab experiment now!

Adapted from Groves, Don. The Oceans: A Book of Questions and Answers, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1989.