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.