Chemical oceanography
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2008-04-27T15:12:09Z
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'''Chemical oceanography''' is the study of the behavior of the [[chemical element]]s within the [[Earth]]'s [[ocean]]s. The ocean is unique in that it contains - in greater or lesser quantities - nearly every [[chemical element|element]] in the [[periodic table]].
Much of chemical oceanography describes the [[biogeochemical cycle|cycling]] of these elements both within the ocean and with the other [[Earth's spheres|spheres]] of the Earth system (see [[biogeochemical cycle]]). These cycles are usually characterised as quantitative [[flux]]es between constituent [[reservoir (water)|reservoirs]] defined within the ocean system and as [[residence time]]s within the ocean. Of particular global and [[climate|climatic]] significance are the cycles of the biologically active elements such as [[carbon cycle|carbon]], [[nitrogen cycle|nitrogen]], and [[phosphorus cycle|phosphorus]] as well as those of some important trace elements such as [[iron]].
Another important area of study in chemical oceanography is the behaviour of [[isotopes]] (see [[isotope geochemistry]]) and how they can be used as tracers of past and present oceanographic and climatic processes. For example, the incidence of <sup><small>18</small></sup>O (the heavy isotope of oxygen) can be used as an indicator of polar [[ice sheet]] extent, and [[boron]] isotopes are key indicators of the [[pH]] and [[carbon dioxide|CO<sub>2</sub>]] content of oceans in the geologic past.
==Bibliography==
* Frank J. Millero. ''Chemical Oceanography'', Third Edition. CRC, '''2005'''. ISBN 0849322804.
* ''Chemical Oceanography'', Vol. 1- 10 (2nd Ed.) - J. P. Riley and G. Skirrow, eds, Academic Press (1975- 1989).
* Riley, J. P. and Chester, R. ''Introduction to Marine Chemistry'', Academic Press, 1971. ISBN 0125887507.
== See also ==
* [[Anoxic event]] - [[Anoxic sea water]] - [[Hypoxia (environmental)]]
* [[Climate change]]
* [[Global Ocean Data Analysis Project]]
* [[Oceanography]]
* [[Physical oceanography]]
* [[World Ocean Atlas]]
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[[Category:Chemical oceanography|*]]
[[Category:Oceanography]]
[[ca:Oceanografia química]]
[[hr:Kemijska oceanografija]]
[[it:Oceanografia chimica]]
[[ja:海洋化学]]