The Origin of the Oceans
In recent years it has become increasingly apparent that the floor of the deep ocean is remarkably young. It is growing outward from mid-ocean ridges, pushing most of the continents apart as it does
Features
The Atmosphere and the Ocean
The two are inextricably linked. The ocean's circulation is driven by wind and by density differences that largely depend on the air. The atmospheric heat engine, in turn, is largely driven by the sea
The Continental Shelves
The shallow regions adjacent to the continents are equal in extent to 18 percent of the earth's total land area. They are alternately exposed and drowned as the continental glaciers advance and retreat
The Deep-Ocean Floor
The discovery that it is growing outward from the mid-ocean ridges has suggested that it is formed In huge plates that act as units in the dynamic processes of the earth's crust
The Nature of Oceanic Life
The conditions of the marine environment have given rise to a food web in which the dominant primary production of organic matter is carried out by microscopic plants
The Physical Resources of the Ocean
They include not only the oil and minerals of the bottom and the minerals dissolved in seawater but also seawater itself and the shoreline carved by the action of the sea
The Food Resources of the Ocean
The present harvest of the oceans is roughly 55 million tons a year, half of which is consumed directly and half converted into fish meal. A well-managed world fishery could yield more than 200 million tons
Technology and the Ocean
The materials, machines and techniques that can be employed in the ocean have advanced greatly during the past decade. Major developments include superships and deep-sea drilling
The Ocean and Man
The increase of human activity in the sea presents deep problems of relations among nations. Who owns the resources of the sea, and how is the worldwide exploration of the sea to be organized?
Departments
50 and 100 Years Ago: September 1969
Science and the Citizen: September 1969
- Letters
Letters to the Editors, September 1969
- Recommended
Books
- Mathematical Recreation
Mathematical Games
- Amateur Scientist
The Amateur Scientist
- Departments
The Authors
Bibliography