An Introduction to the World's Oceans, Ninth Edition is an introductory oceanography text intended for students without a background in mathematics, chemistry, physics, geology, or biology. It emphasizes the role of basic scientific principles in helping understand the processes that govern the ocean and the earth. A major objective of the text is to stimulate student interest and curiosity by blending contemporary information and research with basic principles to form an integrated introduction to the sciences of the oceans. To keep the text as current as possible, the authors conduct their own research and examine other findings such as analyzing satellite data and large-scale oceanographic programs. From this vast amount of data, they select interesting, relevant, and understandable examples that illustrate contemporary principles of oceanography. An Introduction to the World's Oceans places greater emphasis on the physical and geological aspects of the oceans than on the chemical and geochemical properties, because the latter disciplines require more specific background knowledge. An ecological approach helps integrate the biological chapters with other subjects. Students are encouraged to look at oceanography as a cohesive and united discipline rather than a collection of subjects gathered under a marine umbrella. As with all previous editions, the authors continue to make each chapter stand as independently as possible, so that professors can assign chapters in the order that best suits their classrooms.
Internet Exercises are available on the text web site. These will challenge students to obtain data or other information from various sites on the web and then solve problems.
Besides the internet exercises on the web site, you'll find the Student Study Guide and Instructor's Manual (the IM is password protected). Every chapter has a listing of internet URLs and when appropriate, there are URL addresses included in figure captions. These URLs direct them to the relevant sites without the need to blindly search the web.
Discussions have been updated to reflect new data and information from recent research. For example:
New discussion of how seawater affects light
New discussion of study of underwater sound
Impact of 1997-98 El Nino
"End of Chapter Problems" allow students to test their understanding of the concepts while providing them with more experience in the manipulation and processing of concepts and data. It allows students to "get their hands dirty" by working with the ideas presented in the chapter rather than just passively reading the material.
Special Interest Boxes provide in-depth discussions of: 1) practical applications of different techniques; 2) cutting edge research projects; or 3) particularly interesting processes and phenomena related to the oceans.
A new boxed reading that has been added is on the "Recovery of Black Smokers: 1998" which discusses the expedition to recover four black smokers from Juan de Fuca ridge.
