This work provides a wide perspective of the oceans by examining their places in the earth sciences, drawing together all the key strands of ocean study and presenting a holistic view of ocean processes, ancient and modern.
Part 1 The essentials of modern oceanography: introduction - basics of oceanography for Earth scientists; the nature of seawater and its importance in ocean processes; the movement of ocean waters; crust-ocean interactions; marine sedimentary deposits; marine ecosystems and oceanography. Part 2 Evolution of the oceans in geological time: studying the oceans in geological time; Precambrian ocean change; trends in Phanerozoic oceans; short-term changes in Phanerozoic oceans. Part 3 Human impacts on the ocean systems: degradation of the marine environment; ocean systems and the anthropogenic greenhouse; conclusion - an earth science perspective of the oceans; appendix - chemistry for oceanographers.
