Disciplines

Oceanography

Also Known As Oceanology

Ocean Science

Citation Formats

General Reference

Earth and Environment Atlas. "Oceanography." Accessed August 30, 2026. https://earth.interactiveatlas.org/disciplines/oceanography.

APA Style

Earth and Environment Atlas. (n.d.). Oceanography. Retrieved August 30, 2026, from https://earth.interactiveatlas.org/disciplines/oceanography

BibTeX

@misc{earthandenvironmentatlas-oceanography,
  author = {Earth and Environment Atlas},
  title = {Oceanography},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://earth.interactiveatlas.org/disciplines/oceanography},
  note = {Accessed August 30, 2026}
}

The study of the ocean as a physical system: its currents and circulation, the sea floor beneath it, and the chemistry and physics of the water itself, distinct from the marine life the Nature Atlas covers.

Facts

Central Question

Oceanography is the scientific study of the ocean, including its physics, chemistry, biology, and geology. 1

Scope

Oceanography studies the physical, chemical, biological and geological processes of the world ocean, including currents, waves, tides, ocean chemistry and the seafloor. 1

Significance

Oceanography underlies weather and climate forecasting and fisheries management, and tracks heat and pollutants through the ocean, which stores most of the excess heat trapped by the greenhouse effect. 1

Cross-Tradition Connections