Physical oceanography

The physical oceanography is the study of the state and the physical processes within the Océan, mainly of the movements and the properties of the oceanic water masses.

Physical oceanography is one of the five branches which account the Océanographie, the four others being the Biologie marinades, the chemical Océanographie, the Géologie marinades and the Météorologie marinades.

Introduction

Matthew Maury, one of the pioneers of oceanography said in 1855: Our planet is covered by two immense oceans; one visible, the other invisible one; one under our foot, the other above our head; one the envelope entirely, the other covers approximately two thirds of its surface. the fundamental role of the oceans in façonnement of the Earth is recognized by the ecologists, the geologists, the geographers and all those which are interested in the physical world. The single character of our planet is mainly due to the presence of Océan S.

Approximately 97% of the volume of water on the Earth are in the oceans and these are the same oceans which constitute the independent source of Steam for the atmosphere and consequently precipitations in the form of Pluie or of Neige on the continents (Pinet 1996, Hamblin 1998). In addition, enormous the Heat-storage capacity of the oceans moderates the Climat planet, and absorption by the ocean of many gases affects the composition of the atmosphere. The ocean goes until modifying the volcanic composition of the rocks S at the bottom of the oceans, just like the composition of gases and magma S created in the zones of Subduction. A Ground without ocean would be certainly unrecognizable.

Morphology

The oceans are much deeper than the Continent S are not high. The average rise in the emerged grounds of our planet is only of 840 Mètre S, whereas the oceanic average depth is of 3800 Mètre S (hypsographic Curve). In spite of this important difference, the extrema like the dorsal S and the Fosse S are rare as well for sea-beds as for the emerged grounds.

Oceanic general circulation

Connection with the climate

Fast oceanic processes

The fast movements are largely dominated by the waves of gravity of surface, in particular the Vague S and the Marée. The waves ensure in particuler the coupling between the ocean and the atmosphere because they determine the " frottement" wind on the surface of the ocean. Other waves of gravity, the internal waves, draw their energy of the waves of surface and play also a big role, in particular at the time of their surge in the great depths, which involves a mixture partial of deep water and makes it possible to maintain circulation oceanic current. All these waves produce turbulent movements at the time of their surge or because of friction on the bottom.

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