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The Planetary Ocean
The description of ocean water masses is based on the study of their temperature,
salinity, and density, virtual genetic imprints which provide identity and movement
to water masses. Ocean characteristics and processes involved in exchanges with the
atmosphere together with simple dynamic balances give an understanding of a large part
of the vast oceanic system.
This book is enhanced with numerous colored illustrations. It is a reference on regional
oceanography updated with extensive results from the last twenty years. The presentation
underscores the specificity of each ocean basin using a precise and global approach. Beginning with a brief historical context, it explains the interactions and the role of each ocean
basin in the functioning of the planetary ocean. How do we recognize Antarctic Bottom Water
in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean ? What is the densest water mass ? The warmest ? Why
doesn't dense water form in the largest ocean basin ? What becomes of water that sinks in
the Labrador Sea ? Why does the ocean play such an important role in climate variations ?...
Answers can be found in this book.
Beyond a course in regional oceanography, the text is aimed at students in all fields of marine
and environmental science as well as interested secondary school teachers. It also provides a
guide to exploring the « ocean planet » that is comprehensible to any well-informed amateur
eager to know the basics.
