Oceanography: a key to better understand our world

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/oceanography

Introduction

### Course Review: Oceanography: A Key to Better Understand Our World #### Overview Coursera has partnered with leading institutions to provide a fascinating course entitled **"Oceanography: A Key to Better Understand Our World."** This course is designed to take learners on an educational voyage through some of the planet's most significant bodies of water, including the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic, Southern Indian, and South Pacific Oceans. It’s particularly suited for those interested in how oceanic conditions influence our environment, economy, and society, making it an excellent choice for both novice learners and those with a background in environmental science. The course focuses on a round-the-world regatta, where participants, the skippers, encounter various oceanographic phenomena such as strong currents, wave formations, and biological diversity. Through this engaging narrative, the course breaks down complex oceanographic concepts into understandable and relevant segments. #### Course Syllabus Breakdown The curriculum is comprehensive and divided into modules, each delving into vital oceanographic themes: 1. **The Mediterranean: A Model of an Ocean** - **Module 1A:** This module introduces students to the key principles of descriptive oceanography, discussing the physical characteristics of water including temperature, salinity, and pressure. The Mediterranean Sea is utilized as a model to explain these concepts. - **Module 1B:** An exploration of water masses and circulation focuses on how dense waters and bodies are formed. The significance of marine dynamics, including Coriolis force and geostrophic flow, is expertly outlined. 2. **The Global Ocean** - This module highlights the global significance of oceans, the interconnectedness of marine life, and the mysteries that still await discovery beneath the surface. 3. **Satellite Oceanography (Parts I & II)** - Learners are introduced to the importance of satellite observation in understanding ocean dynamics. Remote sensing and electromagnetic radiation concepts are explored, with applications in navigation being a central theme. 4. **Ocean Chemistry: A Chemical Industry with Wall-less Pipes** - An essential look into ocean chemistry, this section discusses how various elements interact in ocean waters and their implications for life and climate. The carbon carbonate system and its relationship to ocean circulation are also examined, enhancing understanding of global climate processes. 5. **Ocean Basins: A Memory Sustained for Millions of Years** - This module concludes with an overview of the Earth's crust evolution and the dynamic nature of ocean basins. Historical geological processes are linked to the current distribution of continental margins and ocean depths. #### Course Highlights - **Engaging Format:** The course weaves a captivating narrative of a regatta, which keeps learners interested while providing real-world applications for the concepts discussed. - **Scientific Rigor:** Each module encourages critical thinking about oceanographic principles while providing necessary scientific and mathematical frameworks. - **Interactive Learning:** By leveraging various multimedia features, including videos, quizzes, and interactive content, the course actively engages learners. #### Recommendation Overall, **"Oceanography: A Key to Better Understand Our World"** is a thoughtfully designed course that systematically builds your understanding of the oceans and their impact on Earth. Whether you are a student, educator, or simply a curious learner, this course offers valuable insights into the complexities of our planet's oceans. I highly recommend this course to anyone interested in environmental science, marine biology, or oceanography. The knowledge you gain will enhance your understanding of both local and global ecosystems and inspire a deeper appreciation for one of our planet's most vital resources—the oceans. Enroll today to embark on this enlightening journey through the waves!

Syllabus

1A - The Mediterranean: a model of an ocean - Temperature, salinity and pressure.

Module 1 addresses some of the fundamental concepts of descriptive oceanography related to the physical characteristics of water: the vertical distribution of temperature and salinity, TS diagram, stability and destabilization of the water column, the formation of water dense and deep, the water masses and circulation. It is necessary also introduces concepts to understand the relationship between the distribution of the mass of water, its surface topography of a regional or larger scale, and called geostrophic circulation, where it plays a fundamental role the Coriolis force. While the concepts presented have general applicability, examples are the Mediterranean, starting with the characteristics of the waters near Barcelona, where it begins and ends the Barcelona World Race, and ending with the general circulation of the water masses around the Mediterranean.

In this module you will learn how dense waters and water bodies are formed. Where the Mediterranean will be used as a model of ocean. As well as some of the fundamental concepts of marine dynamics, which is how the Coriolis and pressure gradient force is formed. Besides the importance of dynamic topography and geostrophic flow. Hope will be to your liking.

This module will enter fully into the Global Ocean, will review and generalize the aspects previously referred to in the previous module. We will see the role of the ocean on a global scale, and how we can affect those who live closer or farther from the coast. Try to understand why it is still quite unknown and will glance nose in the marine environment. That is, how it behaves for those living beings, most who live within the ocean or in direct contact with him.

In this module you will learn the importance of ocean observation by satellite, talk about remote sensing, electromagnetic radiation emitted and reflected, and the importance of their study for navigation.

This new module will expand the study of oceanography satellite, and microwave as for obtaining information are used. What are they and what is the importance of active sensors. And finally, other applications of satellites and their importance.

In this section you will learn ocean chemistry what is it? how does it work? What is the vertical axis of the biosphere and the vertical segregació of the elements and how it works? What is carbon carbonate system and what is its relationship with the ocean conveyor belt?. The answers to all these questions will help us understand how the oceans work, the importance for navigation and its relationship to the planet's climate.

The result of the evolution of the crust of the Earth: a set of land masses and ocean basins in continuous motion over crust. With a little history we will achieve understand the result of the evolution of the crust of the earth and the diversity of ocean domains: the continental margins to large tanks. Large ocean basins