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The Color We See
Our eyes are able to see the color that is
reflected or scattered off an object. We cannot
usually see the colors that are absorbed by an
object. If all light reflects off an object, the
object appears white. If all light is absorbed by
an object, the object appears black. A red crab
appears red because it reflects red light and
absorbs all other colors.
The Blue Ocean
The Blue Sky
When sunlight enters the atmosphere, it is
absorbed or scattered by molecules and particles.
The short wavelengths of visible light; blue, green,
and violet, are scattered by air molecules more
frequently than the long wavelengths; red, yellow,
and orange. The sky looks blue, rather than green
or violet, because human eyes are most sensitive
to blue light.
When sunlight enters the ocean, it is absorbed
or scattered by molecules and particles. The
ocean looks blue because the molecules and
particles in water absorb red light first and then
blue light. The ocean’s color is also dependent
upon the color of the sky. On a day when the
sky is bright blue the ocean appears blue, but on
a cloudy day the ocean appears gray.
Did You Know?
Underwater all things
appear blue because
blue light penetrates
deepest in the ocean.
Hazy Air vs. Clear Air
Clear air becomes hazy when tiny particles are
present in the air. The distance visible light is able
to travel is dependent upon the clarity of the air. If
the air is hazy there are more molecules, so there
will be more scattering and the visible light will not
travel very far. If the air is clear there are less
molecules and there will be less opportunities for the
visible light to scatter, allowing it to travel farther.
1. Ahrens, C. D. (2005). Essentials of Meteorology: An Invitation to the Atmosphere (4th ed.). California: Thomson.
2. Chase, V. (2007, January 24). Learning Ocean Science through Ocean Exploration: Section 5 - Ocean Zones. NOAA. Retrieved July 2, 2007, from http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/edu/curriculum/section5.pdf
3. Ocean Explorer. (2006, March 21). NOAA. Retrieved July 5, 2007, from http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/04deepscope/background/deeplight/media/diagram3.html
4. Stewart, R. H. (2005). An Introduction to Physical Oceanography. Texas: Texas A & M University.
Cloudy Water vs. Clear Water
Water located in the middle of the ocean is a
very clear, deep, dark blue whereas, water
located along the coast is much more cloudy
and murky in appearance. In the clearest water,
10% of the visible light that passes through the
surface of the ocean can travel down 90 meters.
In coastal water, however, visible light does not
typically travel deeper than a few meters.
Created by Leeanne Hazzard & Fabrice Veron, 2007
Air-Sea Interaction Laboratory
College of Marine and Earth Studies
University of Delaware
Visible Light
The visible region is organized
with red at one end of the
spectrum, followed by orange,
yellow, green, blue, and violet.
Red has the longest wavelength,
lowest frequency, and least
amount of energy, while violet
has the shortest wavelength,
highest frequency, and greatest
amount of energy. As you move
across the spectrum from red to
violet, wavelength decreases,
while energy increases.
http://eosweb.larc.nasa.gov/EDDOCS/Wavelengths_for_Colors.html
The Sun’s Energy
The Sun transmits energy to the surface
of Earth. The Sun’s energy travels in the
form of electromagnetic waves, which are
are organized into the electromagnetic
spectrum. The visible region of the
electromagnetic spectrum is the portion of
the Sun’s energy that we can see. Visible
light makes up 44% of total radiation
emitted from the Sun.
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Did you know?
Light in the Atmosphere
Light travels slower in
water than in air.
As light travels through the atmosphere, it travels
along a path until it comes in contact with an object,
such as an air molecule, dust, or a gas molecule.
Once in contact, the light is absorbed by the object,
it is reflected or scattered off the object, or it travels
through the object. In particular, air molecules
scatter all colors of visible light, however, blue and
violet are the colors scattered most frequently.
1. Ahrens, C. D. (2005). Essentials of Meteorology: An Invitation to the Atmosphere (4th ed.). California: Thomson.
2. Chase, V. (2007, January 24). Learning Ocean Science through Ocean Exploration: Section 5 - Ocean Zones. NOAA. Retrieved July 2, 2007, from http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/edu/curriculum/section5.pdf
3. Stewart, R. H. (2005). An Introduction to Physical Oceanography. Texas: Texas A & M University.
Light in the Ocean
Rather than reflecting, most sunlight that reaches
the ocean’s surface passes directly into the ocean.
As the light travels through the ocean, it is absorbed
and scattered by molecules and particles. Water
absorbs light faster when the wavelength is long
and the energy is low. Consequently, red light
disappears within the ocean quickly, while blue light
is able to reach great depths.
Created by Leeanne Hazzard & Fabrice Veron, 2007
Air-Sea Interaction Laboratory
College of Marine and Earth Studies
University of Delaware
Ocean vs. Land
Both the ocean and
the land
continuously
exchange heat with
the atmosphere,
however, the land
stores and releases
much less heat than
the ocean.
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Characteristics of Ocean Water
The water in the ocean heats and cools at a very slow rate.
Throughout the day, the ocean absorbs heat from the sun and during
the night the ocean holds in the heat permitting only small changes in
temperature.
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Air Temperatures over the Land and Sea
The range of air temperatures throughout the year increases as you
travel farther away from the ocean. In the center of most continents,
the range of air temperatures may exceed 40°C, whereas, over the
ocean and along coasts the range of air temperatures is usually less
than 10°C.
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North Carolina
Effect of Ocean Water on Coastal Temperatures
Locations along the coast do not experience very drastic changes in
weather. The ocean stores heat in the summer, releases it in the
winter, and then starts the cycle over again. As a result of this cycle,
winters along the coast tend to be warmer than winters inland and
summers along the coast tend to be cooler than summers inland.
Fast Fact:
You need the Calories
contained in 1 Dairy
Queen hamburger
(290 Calories) to heat
up 80 gallons of ocean
water by 1°C.
1. Are air temperatures the same over land and water? (2002, April 16). National Data Buoy Center NOAA. Retrieved on July 5, 2007, from http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/educate/temps.shtml
2. Stewart, R. H. (2005). An Introduction to Physical Oceanography. Texas: Texas A & M University.
3. VanCleave, J. (1996). Oceans for Every Kid: Easy Activities that Make Learning Science Fun. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Measurements were taken from
two locations, Cape Lookout,
N.C. and a deep-sea buoy off
the coast of N.C. The stations
were positioned at the latitude
34.6°N and separated by only
192 miles. Despite their
closeness, the air temperatures
at each of these stations
differed greatly during the
months from November to
March. Taking a closer look at
the air and water temperatures
recorded by the deep-sea buoy,
it is evident that during the
winter months the warm ocean
water radiates heat into the air,
causing the air temperatures
above the ocean to rise.
Created by Leeanne Hazzard & Fabrice Veron, 2007
Air-Sea Interaction Laboratory
College of Marine and Earth Studies
University of Delaware
What are coasts used for?
Coasts provide habitats for various
marine organisms. Currently,
earth’s marine habitats are
showing signs of stress.
Increased habitat destruction,
coastal pollution, and over fishing
have begun to diminish the
population of coastal fish, shellfish,
and other various species. Also,
natural resources in coastal areas
have been depleted in response to
rapid population growth and
increased demand.
Coral Reefs
Fast Fact:
More than 66% of
the world’s
population lives
within 62 miles of
the coast.
Coral reef habitats cover 0.2% of the ocean floor. Despite their small
percentage, coral reefs are a crucial part of the marine habitat because they
are home to millions of fish and marine plants. During the past 50 years,
humans have put a strain on coral reefs by altering their surrounding waters
and disturbing their foundations. Currently, 27% of coral reefs have been
lost and 32% are at risk of being lost in the near future.
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/
Coastal Pollution
The two major sources of coastal pollution include, land run-off and
conscious dumping of hazardous material into the ocean. Marine
pollution is becoming more evident in the increased amount of trash found
on the beaches. Less visible to the naked eye, but equally as dangerous
are the chemicals rapidly accumulating in our rivers, lakes, and oceans,
which are contaminating marine food chains on a global scale.
http://www.foprobim.org/
Fishing and Shellfish Farming
Oceans have helped to provide communities along the coasts with food for
thousands of years. Today, many commercial and sport fisheries rely on
remote sensing measurements of sea surface temperatures to capture images
of the boundary lines between warm and cold water masses in the ocean.
Since fish and shellfish typically school along these boundaries, fishermen can
more effectively harvest fish and shellfish. However, as a result of improved
fishing technology, fish and shellfish are now being over harvested.
Make an Effort
A majority of the public has very little insight into the devastation currently
occurring in marine habitats. With this, society must make an effort to
become aware of their surroundings and begin to efficiently manage earth’s
coastal and inland waters before these resources become unusable.
1. Ahrens, C. D. (2005). Essentials of Meteorology: An Invitation to the Atmosphere (4th ed.). California: Thomson.
2. Herring, D., Weier, J., & Gubbels, T. (2002, August). Environmental Indicators for Coastal Management. Earth Observation Magazine, 11(8).
3. Hutchinson, S. & Hawkins, L. E. (2005). Oceans: A Visual Guide. New York: Firefly Books.
4. Sustain Healthy Coasts. (2005). NOAA Strategic Plan – Executive Summary. Retrieved July 20, 2007, from http://www.noaa.gov/str-plan/m-coasts.html
Created by Leeanne Hazzard & Fabrice Veron, 2007
Air-Sea Interaction Laboratory
College of Marine and Earth Studies
University of Delaware
How much water covers
Earth’s surface?
71 percent of the surface of Earth
is covered by liquid water.
How much of
the water on
Earth is
saltwater?
The salty oceans
contain 97.5
percent of the liquid
water on Earth.
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Why does most
precipitation fall onto
the land?
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http://www.buffer.forestry.iastate.edu/Photogallery/illustrations/Images/Hydrologic-Cycle.jpg
The Hydrologic, or Water, Cycle
The ocean, the atmosphere, and the land continuously exchange
moisture among each other by means of the water cycle. Solar
heating on Earth’s surface causes water to evaporate from sea
surfaces and leaves of growing plants. During evaporation, liquid
water turns into a gas, known as water vapor. The water vapor
condenses to form clouds and then falls from the clouds as
precipitation. Most of the precipitation that reaches the surface of
Earth falls onto the land, but some enters directly back into the ocean.
On land, precipitation fills inland water storages, replenishes rivers
and streams, and drains back into the sea surfaces. Some of the
water does not reach the sea surfaces immediately because it either
freezes in glaciers or it evaporates directly back into the atmosphere.
1. Ahrens, C. D. (2005). Essentials of Meteorology: An Invitation to the Atmosphere (4th ed.). California: Thomson.
2. Groves, D. (1989). The Oceans: A Book of Questions and Answers. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
3. Hutchinson, S. & Hawkins, L. E. (2005). Oceans: A Visual Guide. New York: Firefly Books.
A larger portion of Earth’s
surface is covered by water than
by land, however, more
precipitation falls onto the land.
Since weather patterns form and
dissipate slower over the water
than over the land, there is more
circulation occurring in the
atmosphere above the land and,
therefore, more cloud formation.
Once the cloud particles get too
heavy to remain suspended in
the air, they fall to the ground in
the form of precipitation. All in
all, since clouds are typically
found in larger quantities over
land, most precipitation will fall
onto the land.
Did you know?
As precipitation falls
through the atmosphere,
it picks up dust particles.
Rainfall is nature’s way of
cleaning the air.
Created by Leeanne Hazzard & Fabrice Veron, 2007
Air-Sea Interaction Laboratory
College of Marine and Earth Studies
University of Delaware
Waves can be found in the earth,
ocean, and atmosphere
Mountain Waves
As wind blows over mountains, eddies and mountain waves
can form beyond the mountain. Eddies, which are whirls of
air, and mountain waves are usually produced when the air
is stable and the wind is blowing faster than 40 knots.
Surface Waves
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Surface waves are found at the surface of the
ocean. These waves form when winds blow
Surface Waves
over the ocean’s surface.
Kelvin Helmholtz Waves
A sudden change in wind speed and direction is called wind
shear. Wind shear produces forces that form eddies.
Downwind of a mountain in a wind shear zone, turbulent
eddies produce Kelvin Helmholtz Waves. Billow clouds form
when Kelvin Helmboltz Waves become visible in the air.
Lower Density Water
Internal Waves
High Density Water
Internal Waves
Internal waves flow beneath the surface of the
ocean due to the buoyancy force. In other
words, these waves are created by differences
in the density of ocean water at various depths.
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Seismic Waves
Seismic waves are waves of energy released every time there is
an earthquake. Seismic waves penetrate the Earth’s interior and
can be used to study its internal structure. The waves change
speed, bend, and reflect as they travel through the layers of
Earth. Seismic waves can also be used to look at the seabed,
in order to locate oil and gas deposits below Earth’s surface.
Did you know?
http://www.physics.uiowa.edu/adventure/spr_2006/feb_18-06.html
Mammals endure
hearing damage
when seismic waves
are sent into the
ocean.
Sound Waves
Sinusoidal Wave
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Compressional Wave
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1. Ahrens, C. D. (2005). Essentials of Meteorology: An Invitation to the Atmosphere (4th ed.). California: Thomson.
2. Hutchinson, S. & Hawkins, L. E. (2005). Oceans: A Visual Guide. New York: Firefly Books.
3. Nowacek, D. P. (2000, Fall). Unit 2, Lesson 1: Introduction to Marine Mammals and Acoustics. Project Oceanography. Retrieved on July 12, 2007, from http://www.marine.usf.edu/pjocean/packets/
4. Tarbuck, E. J. & Lutgens, F. K. (2003). Earth Science (10th ed.). New Jersey: Pearson Education.
Energy is transferred in the form of waves within air and
water. Sounds begin as a vibration and then turn into a
series of waves in order to travel. Sound travels in
sinusoidal or compressional waves. Sinusoidal waves look
like a jump rope moving up and down, whereas
compressional waves look like a slinky moving down steps.
Created by Leeanne Hazzard & Fabrice Veron, 2007
Air-Sea Interaction Laboratory
College of Marine and Earth Studies
University of Delaware