Portal:Oceans
The Oceans Portal
A portal dedicated to oceans, seas, oceanography and related topics
– Hover over image and scroll to middle for controls to see more selected panorama images –
Introduction
Earth's ocean |
---|
Main five oceans division: Further subdivision: Marginal seas |
The world ocean or ocean sea is the body of salt water that covers ~70.8% of the Earth. In English, the term ocean also refers to any of the large bodies of water into which the world ocean is conventionally divided. Distinct names are used to identify five different areas of the ocean: Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Antarctic/Southern, and Arctic. The ocean contains 97% of Earth's water and is the primary component of the Earth's hydrosphere, thus the ocean is essential to life on Earth. The ocean influences climate and weather patterns, the carbon cycle, and the water cycle by acting as a huge heat reservoir. (Full article...)
A sea is a large body of salty water. There are particular seas and the sea. The sea commonly refers to the ocean, the wider body of seawater. Particular seas are either marginal seas, second-order sections of the oceanic sea (e.g. the Mediterranean Sea), or certain large, nearly landlocked bodies of water. (Full article...)
Oceanography (from Ancient Greek ὠκεανός (ōkeanós) 'ocean', and γραφή (graphḗ) 'writing'), also known as oceanology, sea science, ocean science, and marine science, is the scientific study of the oceans. It is an Earth science, which covers a wide range of topics, including ecosystem dynamics; ocean currents, waves, and geophysical fluid dynamics; plate tectonics and seabed geology; and fluxes of various chemical substances and physical properties within the ocean and across its boundaries. These diverse topics reflect multiple disciplines that oceanographers utilize to glean further knowledge of the world ocean, including astronomy, biology, chemistry, geography, geology, hydrology, meteorology and physics. Paleoceanography studies the history of the oceans in the geologic past. An oceanographer is a person who studies many matters concerned with oceans, including marine geology, physics, chemistry, and biology. (Full article...)
Selected article -
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean in the tropics of the Western Hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles starting with Cuba, to the east by the Lesser Antilles, and to the south by the northern coast of South America. The Gulf of Mexico lies to the northwest.
The entire Caribbean Sea area, the West Indies' numerous islands, and adjacent coasts are collectively known as the Caribbean. The Caribbean Sea is one of the largest seas and has an area of about 2,754,000 km2 (1,063,000 sq mi). The sea's deepest point is the Cayman Trough, between the Cayman Islands and Jamaica, at 7,686 m (25,217 ft) below sea level. The Caribbean coastline has many gulfs and bays: the Gulf of Gonâve, the Gulf of Venezuela, the Gulf of Darién, Golfo de los Mosquitos, the Gulf of Paria and the Gulf of Honduras. (Full article...)Interesting facts -
- The coral Madracis auretenra has been used to study the likely effects of ocean acidification on corals.
- The ocean liner SS Shalom accidentally rammed and bisected the Norwegian tanker Stolt Dagali, sinking the bow of the tanker but not the stern.
- Flashes of light emitted by the sea snail Hinea brasiliana may act as a "burglar alarm".
Selected list articles and Marine habitat topics
Marine habitats |
---|
Coastal habitats |
Ocean surface |
Open ocean |
Sea floor |
- List of oceans
- List of ancient oceans
- List of seas
- List of circumnavigations
- List of cruise lines
- List of largest lakes and seas in the Solar System
- List of marine biologists
- List of marine ecoregions
- List of maritime explorers
- List of naval battles
- List of ocean liners
- List of oceanographic institutions and programs
- List of oldest surviving ships
- List of rogue waves
- List of seafood dishes
- List of submarine topographical features
Tasks
|
Here are some tasks awaiting attention:
|
General images -
Related portals
In the news
- 16 February 2024 – Red Sea crisis
- U.S. officials confirm that a cyberattack was carried out on the MV Beshad, an Iranian spy ship in the Red Sea, to inhibit the ship from sharing intelligence with Houthi forces in Yemen. (NBC News)
- 8 February 2024 –
- NASA's PACE mission is launched aboard a Falcon 9 rocket at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, United States, to study Earth's ocean and atmosphere. (Ars Technica)
- 3 February 2024 – Red Sea crisis
- 2024 missile strikes in Yemen
- The United States and United Kingdom launch airstrikes against 36 Houthi targets in Yemen, including underground weapons storage facilities, missile systems, radars, and command and control centres. (Reuters)
- 27 January 2024 – Red Sea crisis
- Marlin Luanda missile strike
WikiProjects
- WikiProject Oceans
- WikiProject Limnology and Oceanography
- WikiProject Marine life
- WikiProject Cetaceans
- WikiProject Fishes
- WikiProject Sharks
- Related WikiProjects
- WikiProject Arthropods
- WikiProject Fisheries and Fishing
- WikiProject Lakes
- WikiProject Rivers
Topics
Categories
Associated Wikimedia
The following Wikimedia Foundation sister projects provide more on this subject:
-
Commons
Free media repository -
Wikibooks
Free textbooks and manuals -
Wikidata
Free knowledge base -
Wikinews
Free-content news -
Wikiquote
Collection of quotations -
Wikisource
Free-content library -
Wikiversity
Free learning tools -
Wiktionary
Dictionary and thesaurus
Admiralty law
Admiralty law |
---|
History |
Features |
Contract of carriage/Charterparty |
Parties |
Judiciaries |
International conventions |
International organizations |
Need assistance?
Do you have a question about oceans, seas or oceanography that you can't find the answer to? Consider asking it at the Wikipedia reference desk.
External media
- World Ocean Database and World Ocean Atlas Series – from the U.S. National Centers for Environmental Information, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Includes the World Ocean Atlas.
- European Atlas of the Seas – the European Atlas of the Seas, from the European Commission
- NOAA Research – NOAA research news, Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR)
- Ocean Research – from The World Ocean Observatory
- Ocean Biodiversity Information System – "a global open-access data and information clearing-house on marine biodiversity for science, conservation and sustainable development"
-
List of all portals
-
Random portal
-
WikiProject Portals