Part 1: Introduction to Oceanography
The World Ocean
Earth is often called the "Blue Planet" because oceans dominate its surface. The global ocean is a single, interconnected body of saltwater divided by continents into named basins. Understanding the ocean is fundamental to understanding Earth's climate, life, and geological processes.
361M km²
Ocean Surface Area
10,994 m
Deepest Point (Mariana)
3.5%
Average Salinity
Topics in This Part
Why Study Oceanography?
Climate Regulation
Oceans absorb ~30% of CO₂ and over 90% of excess heat from climate change
Biodiversity
Home to millions of species, from bacteria to blue whales
Resources
Food, energy, minerals, and pharmaceuticals from the sea
Transportation
~90% of global trade travels by sea
UCLA: Blue Planet Oceanography
Introductory oceanography lectures from UCLA's Earth and Space Sciences 15 course.
Blue Planet: Oceanography — Lec 1
Blue Planet: Oceanography — Lec 2
Blue Planet: Oceanography — Lec 3
Blue Planet: Oceanography — Lec 4
Blue Planet: Oceanography — Lec 5
Oceanography Lectures
Lectures covering the fundamentals of oceanography including ocean structure, chemical and physical properties.
Introduction to the Oceans
Origin and Structure of Our Earth