The Origin of Ocean Basins

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Why ocean bathymetry?
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Questions

• How do we measure bathymetry?
• Why is ocean bathymetry important?

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How do we measure bathymetry?
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What does it mean to be at an altitude of 4000
m? It mean that I am 4000 m above the Mean
Sea Level (MSL)
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Model of the shape of the Earth
geoid The equipotential surface of the Earth's
gravity field which best fits, in a least squares
sense, global mean sea level (MSL)
http//www.esri.com/news/arcuser/0703/geoid1of3.ht
ml http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoid
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The height of the Earth surface
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Why ocean bathymetry?
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Ocean Circulation and Climate Heat Transport
affected by topography!
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Ocean Circulation and Climate Ocean Currents
take different paths!
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Ocean Circulation and Climate Deep ocean mixing
and pathways
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Ocean Circulation and Climate Mixing energy and
dissipation of tides!
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Ocean Circulation and Biology Seamounts .
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Societal impacts Tsunami
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Societal impacts Gas and oil extraction
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Before you go
1) Reading material on Class Website Satellite
Topography and Oceanography from Space 2)
Homework 2 assigned.
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Understanding Isostacy and Buoyancy Exercise
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