Oceanography Basins

The physical sciences are a massively diverse discipline. Within the context of the physical sciences, one might explore a wide range of phenomena, utilizing a wide range of differing methodologies and theoretical perspectives. For instance, the same discipline that emphasizes the study of organisms, their function, and interaction with the ecosystem in the field of biology, may also emphasize the study of the earth itself and natural geological processes in the field of earth science and oceanography. Earth science is a particular discipline of scientific inquiry which has been invaluable in constructing a coherent narrative of the geological history of the planet, as well as in understanding the nature and character of certain natural phenomena, such as weather and temperature effects. Oceanography addresses more specific concerns by studying the deep oceans and the shallow coastal oceans. Biology, chemistry, geology and physics together make oceanography a richly interdisciplinary science. With recent cultural emphasis being placed upon ecological and conservational concerns such as global warming and ecological development, oceanography studies are growing in importance and relevance. As an example of this, one might take a brief look at one particular topic of inquiry in oceanography, the study of ocean basins, and its relevancy towards present day environmentalist discussions, concerns and historical importance. This paper defines the concept of an ocean basin and to establish a foundation for the rest of the paper. To begin a study into ocean basins and how they are relevant to ecological concerns, one must first clearly understand what an ocean basin is. The ocean basin, also known as the abyssal plain is the part of the ocean consisting of the “deepest waters above oldest oceanic lithosphere,” (Allen, 2004). Imagine that one were on a shore and walking out into the ocean; as one progressed, one

Cited: Allen, R. (2004). The physical structure of oceanic lithosphere. University of California Berkeley. Retrieved 10/10/2011< http://seismo.berkeley.edu> Journal of Physical Oceanography, 37(5), 1177-1191. Jauhari, P. & Iyer, S. (2008). A comprehensive view of Manganese nodules and volcanics of the Central Indian Ocean basin. Marine Georesources and Geotechnology, 26(4), 231-258. Nelson, S. (2003). The Ocean Basins. Tulane University. Retrieved 10/15/2011 Pidwiny, Michael & Jones, Scott. (2010). Introduction to Physical Geography. Retrieved 10/10/201 Polyakov, I., Timokhov, L., Alexeev, V., Bacon, S., Dmitrenko, I., Fortier, L., Frolov I., Gascard, J., Hansen, E., Ivanov, V., Laxon, S., Mauritzen, C. Perovich, D., Shimada, K., Simmons, H., Sokolov, V., Steele, M., & Toole, J.(2010). Arctic ocean warming contributes to reduced polar ice cap. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 40 (12), 2743-2756. Timmermans, M., Melling, H., & Rainville, L. (2007). Dynamics in the deep Canada basin, Arctic Ocean. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 374), 1066-1076. U.S. National Science Foundation & Japans Ministry of Culture (2005) The Integrated Ocean Driling Program. Retrived 10/19/2011 Wallace, A., (1892). The permanenceof the Great Oceanic Basins. Western Kentucky University. Retrieved 10/15/2011 WHOI Sea Grant Program & Sea Grant Project (2009). Retrieved 10/16/2011