Part 5: Geological Oceanography
The Ocean Floor
Geological oceanography (marine geology) studies the seafloor, its formation through plate tectonics, sediment accumulation, and geological history. The ocean floor records Earth's climate, volcanic, and tectonic history.
Topics in This Part
5.1 Seafloor Features
Mid-ocean ridges, abyssal plains, trenches, seamounts
5.2 Plate Tectonics
Seafloor spreading, subduction, magnetic anomalies
5.3 Marine Sediments
Terrigenous, biogenic, authigenic sediments
5.4 Hydrothermal Vents
Black smokers, chemosynthesis, unique ecosystems
5.5 Coastal Geology
Beaches, deltas, estuaries, erosion and deposition
Plate Tectonics Overview
Divergent Boundaries
Mid-ocean ridges. New crust forms. ~2-15 cm/yr spreading.
Convergent Boundaries
Ocean trenches. Subduction. Earthquakes and volcanoes.
Transform Boundaries
Fracture zones. Plates slide past each other.
UCLA: Blue Planet Oceanography
UCLA lectures on marine geology and seafloor features.
Blue Planet: Oceanography — Lec 15
Blue Planet: Oceanography — Lec 16
Blue Planet: Oceanography — Lec 17