Product Description
'Descriptive Physical Oceanography: An Introduction' 5th edition provides an introduction to descriptive (synoptic) physical oceanography for science undergraduates and early graduate students. There has been an updating of topics such as the heat budget, instruments (particularly the use of satellites), a complete revision of the material on equatorial oceanography, sea-ice physics and distribution and El Nino and information has been added on thermohaline circulation, mixing nad coral reef oceanography.

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Customer Reviews (3)

Descriptive 101:Drab but Loaded with Content
Pickard & Emery (1990) is a textbook suitable for use in college courses at any level without prerequisites.It is purely descriptive, without any pretense of touching on dynamics.It excels as the first text in a two-course sequence offering descriptive, then dynamic physical oceanography.

Satellite photographs reveal descriptive physical oceanography as a changing form of modern art.Realizing this might suggest dressing up the humble appearance of Pickard & Emery (1990) with an array of new, large and colorful illustrations.This could be a mistake.It could risk raising the book's price if the present content remains.It also could risk watering down the present content to make room for new illustrations while keeping the price under control.

Anyone who thinks dynamics replaces the Pickard & Emery (1990) approach is wrong.The oceans keep changing all scales of time and space.This suggests needs for monitoring will cause descriptive physical oceanography to always be important.Humans continue to overpopulate two thirds of the world.This speeds up ocean degradation, making monitoring even more important in the future.

Pickard & Emery (1990) excels as a compact reference book independent of courses.Its audience in this role includes anyone interested in ocean water mass characteristics and movements.

I believe Pickard & Emery (1990) misses two opportunities to be more effective.First, it fails to stress evidence (some of it shocking) the oceans are changing and in desperate need of improved monitoring.Second, it fails to direct users to sources of dramatic visual aids for on-screen use or projection.

To compare Pickard & Emery (1990) with other physical oceanography textbooks, see my reviews of Introduction to Physical Oceanography by Knauss (2005), Introduction to Physical Oceanography by Mellor (2008) and Introductory Dynamical Oceanography, Second Edition by Pickard and Pond (1983).

Excellent text book
This text supplements our lab very well, its a great book that will come in handy after class.

good PO text
Good book, however I found its pair Dynamical Oceanography by Pond to be more helpful and informative. ... Read more

Product Description
The principles of chemical oceanography provide insight into the processes regulating the marine carbon cycle. The text offers a background in chemical oceanography and a description of how chemical elements in seawater and ocean sediments are used as tracers of physical, biological, chemical and geological processes in the ocean. The first seven chapters present basic topics of thermodynamics, isotope systematics and carbonate chemistry, and explain the influence of life on ocean chemistry and how it has evolved in the recent (glacial-interglacial) past. This is followed by topics essential to understanding the carbon cycle, including organic geochemistry, air-sea gas exchange, diffusion and reaction kinetics, the marine and atmosphere carbon cycle and diagenesis in marine sediments. Figures are available to download from www.cambridge.org/9780521833134.Ideal as a textbook for upper-level undergraduates and graduates in oceanography, environmental chemistry, geochemistry and earth science and a valuable reference for researchers in oceanography. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (3)

Very good book, very good price
The book is a well-written introduction to the science of oceanography. The author focuses on the modern ocean, largely omitting coverage of geologic history included in many introductory texts. The illustrations are primarily line drawings, carefully selected and in many cases redrawn specifically for this book. The text provides a clearly-presented view of the biological productivity of the ocean, including examples of exploitation and vulnerability to global change. The affordable price makes this an attractive choice as a textbook.

Excellent readable overview of oceanography
This book is a textbook, but it is written in a converstaional, easy, readable style. But for those who want it, it also gets into the technical nitty gritty (or u can just skip the equations if u want). It is also a rare mix (as the author says was his aim in the intro) of physics, chemistry and biology. I wish I had bought it before I started off writing my own Ocean Surfaces book, but I 'll definitely be referencing the author in the next edition!
Damon Ramsey, author of "Ecosystem Guides: Ocean Surfaces of Australasia"

Explains it as if we were conversing
I first looked at an oceanography textbook, and it had a lot of interesting details, but what I really needed to know was how the ocean works. Mark Denny explains it as if we were having a conversation. Superb. ... Read more

Product Description
Study-guide companion to course textbooks and classroom lectures on oceanography. Some topics include: waves and tides, chemistry of seawater,wind-driven and thermohaline circulation, and nature of mesopelagic and bathypelagic life. Applied Science Review series. Paper. DLC: Oceanography. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Easy reading in oceanography
As a teacher of Oceanography and Marine Biology (High School), I amconstantly searching for a easy to use reference book.I had the fortuneof participating with Dr. Joyce in a workshop and found him to be veryknowledgable of oceanography.I was thrilled to learn that he had authoreda book.When I got to read over it, I was even more pleased.It isperfect for any person needing a quick, easy to read reference inoceanography.Written in outline form, finding information is fast anddetailed, without being a difficult read.I highly recomend this book forany student, teacher or marine professional.

T. Kline lptkine@prodigy.net ... Read more

Product Description
Physical Oceanography with MATLAB provides an introduction to the fundamental analytical and computational tools necessary for modeling ocean currents, focusing on partial differential equations (PDEs) of geophysical fluid dynamics (GFD). Requiring only a basic familiarity with advanced engineering mathematics, the text presents topics, such as multivariate calculus and the integral theorems of Gauss and Stokes, in the context of fluid dynamics. MATLAB® is used throughout the book in the exercises as well as in the development of the mathematics. The author discusses current research problems in the mathematical ocean modeling community and features computational projects at the end of every chapter, ranging from elementary (box models of basins) to intermediate (quasi-geostrophic and multilayer). A CD-ROM containing all MATLAB programs accompanies the text. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Good hand book for Maritime Industry Forecasting.
Marine Forecasting is about the Hydrodynamics. I recommend this book for Engineering professionals of Marine,NDT and other personals those involved in Underground marine projects like Oil riggs, MODU, etc.

Naseem Ahmed
Chief Executive/Researcher
Niha Merchant Marine Services
[...]

I also refer to these book for additional knowledge.

The Mechanical Universe and Beyond Program 36 Vector Fields and Hydrodynamics
Essentials of Oceanography (9th Edition)
How the Ocean Works: An Introduction to Oceanography
Marine Hydrodynamics
Essentials of Oceanography (9th Edition)
Oceanography: An Invitation to Marine Science

































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Product Description
An interactive guide to the science of Oceanography, this resource manual helps students learn about the oceans, explore some of the major phenomena that occur on our planet, and appreciate the way that scientific investigation of the Earth proceeds. The book is divided into two parts. The first part contains a series of thirty-eight, short investigations that are designed to facilitate learning of a particular oceanography topic. These investigations are in an easy-to-follow laboratory format and the perforated pages create an easy way to turn in homework. The second part of the text provides a concise overview of major concepts of oceanography, which can serve as an additional resource to help students interpret the workings of the oceanic system. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Oceanography book essential
This absolutely helped me get a high grade in my class. Without this book I don't think I would have pulled my A grade. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

oceanography textbook
This has to be rated a zero. After 3 weeks have not received the book nor received a refund ... Read more

Product Description
This book presents a balanced coverage of geological, physical, and biological aspects of the ocean and motivates students through the use over 400 high quality photographs and line drawings. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an invaluable textbook, prepared by the Open University team and designed so that it can be read on its own or as part of the OU course. This second edition has been fully revised and updated including new colour illustrations increasing the striking spread of full colour diagrams throughout the book. The clarity of the text has been improved, providing comprehensive coverage of the evolution of ocean basins and their structure in a clear, concise manner aimed specifically at the student market.

In this second edition the technological advances in fields as diverse as:
- deep-towed instruments for `sniffing' hydrothermal plumes
- mapping the sea-floor by sophisticated sonar techniques
- three-dimensional imaging of crustal structure by seismic tomography
- the use of satellites for navigation, and for making precisemeasurements of the height of the sea-surface

The first chapters describe the processes that shape the ocean basins, determine the structure and composition of oceanic crust and control the major features of continental margins. How the 'hot springs' of the oceanic ridges cycle chemical elements between seawater and oceanic crust is then explored. Sediment distributions are examined next, to demonstrate how sediments can preserve a record of past climatic and sea-level changes. Finally, the role of the oceans as an integral part of global chemical changes is reviewed.

High quality full colour diagrams
Substantial chapter summaries ideal for revision
Answers, hints and notes for questions at back of the book
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Product Description
Environmental Oceanography is a scientifically-based, multidisciplinary text that uses critical thinking and case studies to teach principles of oceanography and focuses on the importance of, and threats to, the marine environment. The text uses an innovative approach to teaching environmental oceanography, consisting of marine environmental issues presented as self-contained analytical exercises, with information and questions on sustainability integrated throughout. Appropriate for a wide range of readers, Environmental Oceanography works well as a stand-alone text, a lab-based course book, and as a supplement to main texts in oceanography and marine science for those instructors who would like to add an active learning focus to their course. Regardless of whether you are teaching a large or small course, Environmental Oceanography will engage and excite your students and prompt them to think critically about pressing environmental issues. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great coverage; however pictures are all in black and white
The book is a visual disappointment. I have seen some of these photos in other locations, and they are beautiful. This book shrinks and presents all photos, chart and graphs in gray. Good pictures add quite a bit to a text, and the lack of good pictures subtract substantially from this text. On the other hand the seller has great service, and having the text in low quality black and white may keep the cost down. The information presented in this text is easy to read well written accurate and up to date. ... Read more

Product Description
SOFTCOVER, 8 X 11, 291 Pages.....Fully illustrated throughout with Black & White Photo's, Maps, Graphs, etc.........13 FULL-COLOR Plates near the back. ... Read more